Air pollution costing Poland millions

Smog hangs over the southern city of Krakow. Photo: Krakowski Alarm Smogowy

As Alicja Baczyńska reports, the Supreme Audit Chamber has lambasted local and national authorities over their ineffectiveness in fighting air pollution. The auditor’s latest report reveals that despite funds being earmarked for the cause, air quality has improved only slightly in the country since 2008.

As the Chamber found out, Poland’s ten most polluted cities forked out over PLN 3.5 billion (some EUR 800 million) to improve the air quality. However, most of the expenditures went to the construction of new roads, tram lines and parking lots.

“Eighty-five percent of funds [earmarked for improving air quality] have been earmarked for investment in city transportation,” says Krzysztof Kwiatkowski, the head of the Supreme Audit Chamber.

“It is no secret that in most of the cases curbing emissions was not the reason behind the decision to pursue such investment projects,” he adds.