Name: Sarajevo air pollution: Officials urged to clean up the air quality
Uploaded: 2025-12-19T18:34:49.775Z
Duration: 2 min 36 s
Description: The Bosnian capital is facing a serious air pollution problem. During the winter months, Sarajevo is regularly blanketed in smog. Outdated heating systems and heavy traffic make poor air quality one of the city’s most serious public health challenges.

The Bosnian capital is facing a serious air pollution problem. During the winter months, Sarajevo is regularly blanketed in smog. Outdated heating systems and heavy traffic make poor air quality one of the city’s most serious public health challenges.

Sarajevo

Sarajevo is experiencing hazardous air pollution, with levels several times higher than permitted limits. The main sources are household heating with wood and coal, and vehicle emissions, especially during winter when the city's valley location traps pollutants.

Local hospitals have reported an increase in patients with lung diseases, and global monitors often rank Sarajevo among the worst cities for winter air quality. While the government has introduced temporary restrictions and plans to modernize heating and transport, environmentalists argue these efforts are insufficient and a sustainable solution has yet to be found.

Sarajevo air pollution: Officials urged to clean up the air quality

This pile of chopped wood will keep Ismet Šišić and his family warm for only 10 to 15 days. In many households in Sarajevo, wood and coal are the only affordable source of heating. Like my neighbours, I use wood as the best option. I have no other alternatives. Using wood is the cheapest option for me. Although legal and widely used, these fuels contribute to pollution, with air in the Bosnian capital reaching hazardous levels in recent days. Pollution levels are several times higher than permitted, and the main sources in Sarajevo are household heating and traffic. During the winter months, this is what the city looks like, from the streets to the surrounding hills. It's often blanketed in thick pollution. When winter sets in here, car emissions and smoke from fires sink and stay close to the ground. And because Sarajevo lies in a valley surrounded by hills, those fumes have nowhere to go and can linger for days. They pose serious health threats. The hospital treating lung diseases says it has been admitting more patients. Air pollution in Sarajevo is likely caused by fine particles. These extremely small particles penetrate deep into the lungs and are recognised as a significant carcinogen that can cause lung cancer. They are also a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Global air quality monitors show that Sarajevo is one of the cities with the worst winter air quality and often ranks first. The local government has declared a warning introducing temporary measures such as restrictions on public gatherings, but environmentalists say that's not enough. We have a large government apparatus that refuses to do its job and politicians unwilling to address air pollution. The result is the situation we see today. Authorities point to the modernisation of urban transport systems and say plans are underway to secure loans to overhaul outdated heating systems. The problem of air pollution is much older than I am. Unfortunately, previous governments did nothing about it for decades. It is unrealistic to expect that this government can solve the problem of air pollution within a single term. Governments may change, but the pollution problem remains, with no sustainable solution.

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