Summary of LIFE Małopolska – November 2020

Main events

• On 5th November 2020 an on-line meeting with Eco-managers took place. During the meeting the requirements that communes must meet according to the assumptions of the new Air Quality Plan for the Małopolska Region were discussed.
• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the implementation of the LIFE project’s eco-managers’ activities was limited. It was difficult to carry out tasks at full capacity, due to remote working and restrictions in meeting clients and organising events.
• Eco-managers distributed in total over 2.5 thousand information and educational materials and gave over 5 thousand advices to the inhabitants of Małopolska.

C.1. Eco-managers

Advice and help for residents

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

•     1327 persons admitted in the office
•     3384 by telephone
•     458 in writing or by e-mail
•     458 during visits

194 inspections were carried out at residents regarding waste incineration. Violations were found in 6 cases.

Questionnaires from residents and applications for funding

Eco-managers were involved in collecting questionnaires from residents and in processing applications for funding.

In November 2020:

• 106 questionnaires were collected from residents interested in benefiting from the     funding,
• 222 applications for co-financing from inhabitants or entities were examined,
• 126 agreements with residents or entities for co-financing were signed and 297 such agreements were settled.

Eco-managers have entered or updated data on 818 buildings in the heating base.

C.2. Competence Centre

List of low-emission heating devices

The list of low-emission solid fuel heating appliances that meet Ecodesign requirements, available at www.powietrze.malopolska.pl, includes a total of 350 boilers and space heaters.

Eco-intervention application

In November, 1123 applications were received. The application is available at https://ekomalopolska.pl/app/ekointerwencja/index.html.

These can be specified:

• 1042 notifications concerning air pollution,
•  81 on businesses,
•  111 illegal waste disposal,
•  78 other reports.

The hotline operated by the Competence Centre of UMWM responded to over 300 telephone calls.

Online training with eco-managers

On 5 November 2020, an online meeting with Eco-managers was held. The meeting discussed the challenges faced by Eco-managers and the requirements to be met in accordance with the Clean Air Program. These include, among others, creation of service points of the Clean Air Program, as well as intensification of control of household furnaces in terms of observing the anti-smog resolution and the waste burning ban. The discussion also touched on the implementation of tasks in the era of the ongoing Covid-19 epidemic.

Training in the base of building heating inventory in Małopolska

On 30 November a series of on-line trainings in the heating sources inventory database addressed to eco-managers began. During the training detailed information will be provided about entering information into the base about investments in liquidation of old, low-efficiency heating devices using solid fuels, thermo-modernization of residential or public buildings and use of renewable energy sources. The trainings will be continued also in December. 

Online training – Meeting with an expert

The Polish National Energy Conservation Agency (KAPE) as part of online training courses entitled In November, “Meeting with an expert” organized two events attended by eco-managers:

•     04.11. – Meeting with KAPE expert – deep thermos-modernization
•     18.11. – Meeting with KAPE expert – heating sector

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

Educational materials on air protection

Eco-managers in the municipalities:

•     produced 10512 leaflets and brochures and 90 posters,
•     distributed 2259 leaflets and brochures and 116 posters,
•     prepared 3510 and distributed 184 other educational and promotional materials (promotional materials, leaflets related to the Clean Air Program).

A smog-free Małopolska

The first stage of the “Smog-free Małopolska” campaign by the Małopolska Region, Radio Kraków and the Polish Smog Alarm has ended. For 12 days portable dust meters monitored the air quality in Krzeszowice and Kęty. As part of the campaign, portable pollen counters are also monitoring air quality in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska and Maków Podhalański. Then the action will move to other municipalities of Małopolska: Myślenice and Rzepiennik Strzyżewski.

Emission of advertising spots

In November, spots on air protection, subsidy programs and eco-intervention began in local radio stations and Radio Krakow.

Meetings and events

Eco-managers organized meetings and events:

•     3 competitions for children/young people with 112 participants,
•     3 school and kindergarten meetings attended by 90 people (including online activities),
•     12 meetings with residents, attended by 65 people,

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

Meeting “Let’s talk about smog”

On 30 November 2020, employees of the Competence Centre took part in a meeting organised by the Institute of Public Policy entitled “Let’s talk about smog”. During the event, information about air quality in the region, the results of the Air Quality Plan to date, the new Plan and the LIFE project was presented. After the presentation a Q&A session took place, during which questions of the participants were answered.

The agreement to co-finance the LIFE Project EKOMALOPOLSKA was signed

On 20 November 2020, an agreement was signed for co-financing of the LIFE EKOMALOPOLSKA Project by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management. The Małopolska Region will begin implementation of the project in January 2021. The project will be carried out in cooperation with 26 partners, including the Ministry of Development, the Silesian Voivodeship and the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, as well as 18 poviats of the Małopolska Region. The project will also be supported by two foreign partners: Institute for Energy, Climate and Environment in Wuppertal (Germany) and Brandenburg University of Technology in Cottbus (Germany). The project’s tasks include the promotion of renewable energy sources, improved energy efficiency and extensive measures to combat climate change.

Eco-partners for the solar energy of Malopolska

Photovoltaic installations, solar collectors and heat pumps will soon be installed on residential buildings, public buildings and land in 31 municipalities in Małopolska, allowing residents to generate energy in an environmentally friendly way. The green investment will be realised as part of the project “Eco-partners for Małopolska’s solar energy”, which received funding of more than 59 million PLN from the European Regional Development Fund.

E.4. Promotion of project implementation

Eco-managers in the municipalities have prepared:

• 13 articles in the press,
• 121 articles and posts on the Internet and social media,
• 15 times other media were used

and participated in media releases related to the project:

    3 radio or TV broadcasts.