Summary of the LIFE project implementation in the Malopolska Region – February 2019

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The most important events

In February 2019, the Malopolska Region Eco-managers:

  • organized numerous meetings and educational events in which over 2,000 residents participated. The biggest events were held in the Świątniki Górne, Dąbrowa Tarnowska and Gorlice municipalities,
  • developed nearly 40,000 and distributed more than 35,000 information and education materials on air protection and provided nearly 12,000 pieces of advice to the Malopolska Region residents.

On February 11, the first consultation meeting concerning the update of Air Quality Plan for Małopolska Region was held in the Krakow Technology Park.  

On February 21, a meeting was held for employees of municipalities, the update of the Clean Air programme, good practices of Skawina within conducting inspections and the work experience of Eco-managers from the municipalities of Raciechowice and Zakliczyn were presented there.

What is more, in February there were numerous meetings regarding, among others the Clean Air and Stop Smog programs and co-financing RES installations under ROP MR 2014-2020, in the implementation of which the Malopolska Region participated with its advisory voice.

C.1. Eco-managers

Advice and assistance for residents

The Eco-managers employed within the LIFE program provide direct advisory assistance to the inhabitants of the Malopolska Region. In February, they provided advice and assistance to residents in the scope:

  • 6,264 people served in the office,
  • 569 during field visits and meetings,
  • 4,820 by phone,
  • 198 in writing or by email.

Inspections of waste incineration and thermal imaging

The Malopolska Region Eco-managers are involved in the inspection of waste incineration and thermal imaging. In February, they carried out:

  • 222 inspections of waste incineration, 8 cases of violations were found,
  • thermal imaging in 265 private and 10 public buildings, in Chełmiec, Kamionka Wielka, Miechów, Nowy Targ, Wadowice, Wieliczka, Dąbrowa Tarnowska, Gołcza, Iwkowa, Ryglice, Tomice and Bochnia, Krakow and Nowy Targ municipalities.

Surveys from residents and applications for co-financing

Eco-managers are also involved in collecting surveys from residents and considering applications for co-financing. In February:

  • 429 questionnaires were collected from residents interested in benefitting from the co-financing,
  • 114 applications of residents or entities for co-financing were considered,
  • 85 agreements with residents or entities for co-financing were signed and 63 such agreements were settled.

What is more, Eco-managers introduced or updated data on 1062 buildings in the base of heating sources.

C.2. Competence Center

Update of Air Quality Plan for Małopolska Region – a consultation meeting

On February 11, the first consultation meeting concerning the update of Air Quality Plan for Małopolska Region was held in the Krakow Technology Park.

The program sets out activities aimed at achieving the acceptable levels of such pollutants as PM10, PM2.5, benzo (a) pyrene, nitrogen dioxide and ozone in the air in the whole of the Malopolska Region until 2023. At the same time, it is a basic tool thanks to which local governments implement their own Low-Emission Economy Plans. 

The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Technology, the Chief Inspectorate Of Environmental Protection, local government officials, specialists and residents of the Malopolska Region.

Update of Air Quality Plan for Małopolska Region – a meeting at the Ministry of Environment

The update of Air Quality Plan for Małopolska Region included meetings held on February 11 and 25 at the office of the Ministry of Environment in Warsaw participated by representatives of the Marshal’s Office of the Malopolska Region on discussing new tasks that the government and self-government authorities face due to the need to comply with the judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union 22 February 2018 regarding exceedances of levels admissible for the PM10 particulate matter (complaint C-336/16).

The meeting was attended representatives of the Ministry of Environment, the Institute of Environmental Protection and the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management. 

A meeting for Eco-managers

On February 21, at the Gen. Emil Fieldorf “Nil” Museum of the Home Army a meeting for Eco-managers and employees of municipalities was held. During the meeting, the update of the “Clean air” program was discussed, good practices in the inspection of home furnaces and the experience of the work of Eco-managers from the municipalities of Raciechowice and Zakliczyn were presented.

  • The list of low-emission heating devices using solid fuels, meeting the Ecodesign requirements, available on the https://powietrze.malopolska.pl/ekoprojekt/ website has been updated with 14 heating devices and currently includes a total of 235 furnaces and space heaters.
  • As part of the helpline operated by The Marshal’s Office of the Malopolska Region answered approx. 80 telephone requests by the helpline that it operates.

C.3. Support for the implementation of the ban on the use of solid fuels for heating in Krakow

The employees employed under the LIFE project are involved in the verification of applications and settlement of subsidies for the replacement of furnaces. In February: 

  • they conducted 479 pre-execution inspections and 4 as-built inspections,
  • examined 122 applications of residents and prepared documents thanks to which 90 agreements were concluded and 5 such agreements were settled.

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

Educational materials on air protection

Eco-managers in municipalities develop and distribute educational materials on air protection. In February, they:

  • developed 32,318 leaflets and brochures and 4 posters,
  • distributed 27,609 leaflets and brochures and 229 posters,
  • developed 7,549 and distributed 8,131 other educational materials (children’s books, fence plates for people who benefited from a subsidy for replacing the heating source with the inscription “Here I warm ecologically”, the appeal of the Deputy Marshal of the Malopolska Region – Tomasz Urynowicz to the residents, regarding obligations to apply the provisions of the anti-smog resolution).

Meetings and events

Eco-managers organized numerous meetings and events in February:

  • 3 competitions for children / teenagers,
  • 10 meetings with residents, participated by 722 people,
  • 45 meetings with local leaders (clean air activists, representatives of Polska Spółka Gazownictwa, Tauron Dystrybucja SA, Smog Alerts, councilors, village leaders, firemen and policemen) with a total of 282 people,
  • 9 other events related to air protection, participated by a total of 603 people (mainly as part of consultations and meetings regarding the “Clean Air” program and educational activities for children).

E.3. Establishing a network for exchanging experiences with other projects

The exchange of experience with other projects included the participation of representatives of the Marshal’s Office of the Malopolska Region in numerous meetings and events:

“My neighbor no longer poisons” – good home furnace inspection practices

On February 7, at the Marshal’s Office of the Malopolska Region, a meeting took place with representatives of the Skawina Town Office and the Skawina Smog Alert regarding the “My neighbor no longer poisons” campaign as a good practice of inspecting home furnaces.

During the meeting, the issues of improvements in the inspection of home furnaces in the Malopolska Region and the form of reporting illegal furnaces were discussed, they will be available on the powietrze.malopolska.pl website.

Stop Smog

On February 6, at the headquarters of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, another meeting was held regarding the Stop Smog government program, addressed to people affected by energy poverty.

During the meeting, representatives of the Marshal’s Office of the Malopolska Region and the municipalities of Tuchów and Skawina presented their experiences related to the implementation of the LIFE project. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Technology, energy advisers of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management and advisers of the Provincial Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management from all region.

PROW

On February 6, with respect to the planned PROW calls for projects in the field of “Strengthening social capital, including the raising awareness of the local community in the field of environmental protection and climate change”, representative of the Air Protection Group presented the Local Action Groups with the possibilities of implementing measures aimed at protecting the environment, in particular, air protection. During the meeting, among others, the activities of eco-managers and activities related to the implementation of the anti-smog resolution were presented.

ROP MR 2014–2020

On February 12, representatives of the Marshal’s Office of the Malopolska Region participated in a meeting with Tauron Dystrybucja SA, it was addressed to the Project Leaders selected to receive funding for RES installations under the ROP MR 2014-2020 (Measure 4.1 Increased use of renewable energy sources, Sub-measure 4.1.1 Development of production infrastructure from renewable sources). At the end of the project, more than 40,000 RES installations will be created in the Malopolska Region. The Malopolska Region joins the project with an advisory voice.

Economic Forum for enterprises from Poland and Bavaria

Representatives of the Marshal’s Office of the Malopolska Region participated in the Economic Forum for enterprises from Poland and Bavaria on February 20-22. The forum was organized by the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Munich and Upper Bavaria (IHK für München und Oberbayern) in cooperation with AHK Poland and the Munich District. The purpose of the meeting was to exchange experiences and establish cooperation in the implementation of RES investments.

“Clean Air”

A representative of the Marshal’s Office of the Malopolska Region participated in a meeting regarding the update of the “Clean air” program on February 26. The aim of the program is to reduce or avoid the emission of dust and other pollutants introduced into the atmosphere by single-family houses. The meeting took place at the headquarters of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management in Warsaw.

II Congress of Clean Air

The Deputy Director of the Environment Department of the Marshal’s Office of the Malopolska Region (Tomasz Pietrusiak) participated in a debate on the air protection strategy at the national, provincial and municipal level on February 27 in Warsaw during the 2nd Clean Air Congress. During the meeting, activities were carried out in the field of air quality improvement by the Malopolska Region.

E.4. Promotion of the project implementation

Eco-managers, in February:

  • they prepared 25 press articles and 108 articles and posts on the Internet and in the media, and they also used other media 31 times (e.g. a Facebook funpage, wall newsletters, information boards),
  • they participated in media news related to the project 11 times, i.e. radio or TV programs.

The information published was related to, among others, air quality, implementation of the Clean Air programme, waste incineration inspection, the anti-smog resolution and the possibility of obtaining financing for furnace replacement and RES installations.

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