Summary of LIFE Małopolska – May

Main events

• In connection with the COVID-19 pandemic and the Regulation of the Minister of Health of 20 March, 2020 on the declaration of an epidemic in the territory of the Republic of Poland and the resulting restrictions, the implementation of activities under the LIFE project has been limited. Due to the introduced regulations, it was not possible to organize scheduled events with the participation of many participants. Moreover, the work of eco-managers was limited due to the closure of offices, remote work and the inability to accept clients.
• On 29 May, the report for the second phase of the LIFE integrated project “Implementation of the air protection program for the Małopolska Region  – Małopolska in a healthy atmosphere” was sent to the European Commission
• On 11 May, a series of #AkademiaCzystegoPowietrza webinars, organized by the Ministry of Climate, the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management and the Polish Smog Alert, began. Eco-managers were included in the process of creating webinars with an advisory voice.
• Eco-managers distributed a total of over 500 information and educational materials and provided over 8000 advice to the inhabitants of Małopolska.

C.1. Eco-managers

Advice and help for residents

In May, Eco-managers employed under the LIFE program provided advisory assistance to the inhabitants of Małopolska in the following dimensions:

• 1014 people admitted to the office,
• 6639 by phone,
• 571 in writing or by e-mail
• 72 during visits

They conducted 88 inspections of residents in the field of waste incineration. In 8 cases, violations of the provisions were found.

Surveys from residents and applications for funding

Eco-managers were involved in collecting questionnaires from residents and considering applications for co-financing.

In May:

• 142 questionnaires were collected from residents interested in using the subsidy,
• 143 applications of residents or entities for co-financing were examined,
• 224 contracts were signed with residents or entities for co-financing and 73 such contracts were settled.

The eco-managers have entered or updated data on 1042 buildings in the heating base.

C.2 Centre of Competence

List of low-emission heating devices

The list of low-emission solid-fuel heating appliances meeting eco-design requirements, available at www.powietrze.malopolska.pl, includes a total of 331 boilers and space heaters.

ECOINTERVENTION” application

In May, with the “Eco-intervention” application The project is available at https://ekomalopolska.pl/app/ekointerwencja/index.html. 384 applications were received (23 concerned enterprises and 361 residents).

You can specify:

• 233 notifications concerning air pollution,
• 135 illegal waste exports,
• 16 other applications. 

More than 100 telephone calls were answered by the UMWM hotline.

E.2. Local information and education activities in the field of air protection

Educational materials on air protection

Eco-managers in communes:

• prepared 5191 leaflets and brochures and 58 posters,
• distributed 461 leaflets and brochures as well as 14 posters,
• prepared 10 and distributed 24 other educational and promotional materials (promotional materials, leaflets related to the Clean Air Program).

Meetings and events

Eco-managers organized meetings and events:

• 11 meetings with local leaders (teleconferences with councilors, mayors), 91 people in total,
• 5 other air protection events attended by 8770 people.

Eco-managers transferred some of their activity to the Internet. They organized various competitions and workshops via social networks. An interesting example is the competition organized by the eco-contractor from Limanowa, entitled “Recycled bag” with the LIFE logo and tests for older students on environmental knowledge as part of Earth Day celebrations.

E.3 Creating networks for the exchange of experience with other projects

New rules for the Clean Air Programme

Since 15 May, the government’s Clean Air programme, under which it is possible to obtain a subsidy for furnace replacement and other energy-saving measures (thermomodernisation, replacement of woodwork), has started operating on new, simpler rules.

On this occasion, the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management together with the Ministry of Climate Change and the Polish Smog Alarm started a series of webinars #Clean Air Academy, which was inaugurated on 11 May. During the meeting, it was possible to find out, among other things, who is entitled to receive funding from the project, what documents are necessary and how to submit an application. The meeting was attended by eco-managers and employees of the Competence Centre.

Further meetings were held on 18 May and 25 May. The specialists discussed the requirements concerning product cards and energy labels for heating and ventilation devices and anti-smog resolutions in Poland in the context of the “Clean Air” programme. The second meeting, however, concerned the thermos modernization tax relief.

V Edition of Smogathon

On 18 May, a working meeting of the Krakow Technology Park, Qubit and representatives of the Competence Centre took place on the winning project of the fifth edition of Smogathon.

Last year’s edition was won by a project called “Project of the Platform for reporting information about industrial failures”.

Presentation of research results concerning air quality in Poland

On 21 May, a videoconference was held with the participation of the employees of the Centre of Competence, the Deputy Marshal of the Małopolska Region, the Krakow Smog Alarm and the European Clean Air Centre. The subject of the meeting was to present the results of research on air quality in Poland, as well as changes in the Air Protection Programme for the Małopolska Region.

Meeting on improving air quality in Poland

On 25 May, representatives of the Centre of Competence participated in a videoconference organised by the Ministry of Development together with representatives of the world of science (Elena Claire Ricci, University of Verona, Mark Andreas Andor, RWI – Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Seweryn Krupnik from the Jagiellonian University). The meeting concerned the possibility of creating an effective strategy for communicating to residents the need to take action to improve air quality. It was also a platform for exchanging observations and experiences in this area.

E.4. Promotion of the project implementation

In May, the Eco-managers prepared:

• 14 press articles,
• 111 articles and posts on the Internet and social media,
• and used other media 34 times

Additionally, the eco-managers took part in the media information related to the project.

F.1. Project management

On 29 May, the report on the second phase of the LIFE IP project was sent to the European Commission.