Pollution

A dust storm originating from the Sahara Desert is sweeping across Istanbul, prompting health warnings from experts due to potential adverse effects on respiratory health.

The dust clouds, propelled by strong winds, reached Türkiye from the Sahara Desert and engulfed Istanbul during the midnight hours, impacting some districts.

Thousands of homeowners with properties near or inside forested/protected areas face hefty fines as of Monday if they have not complied with new fire protection measures.

The highest concentrations of African dust were recorded in southern Greece on Thursday, according to the National Observatory of Athens. 

The concentrations of PM10 particles exceeded 180 μg/m³ at noon and then gradually started decreasing. 

Swathes of Greece were shrouded in haze on Wednesday as persistent southerly winds carried waves of dust from the African continent across the eastern Mediterranean. The phenomenon is expected to persist on Thursday.

The most polluted country is Pakistan – Which other countries are on the “black list” – Economic progress seems to threaten air quality

Only 10 countries and territories out of 134 achieved the World Health Organization's standards for a pervasive form of air pollution last year, according to air quality data compiled by IQAir, a Swiss company.

Escapist tendencies are perfectly understandable in anyone who is involved in public life in Greece, and especially if they are in a post that entails serious responsibilities. To put it bluntly, this is not an easy country. The state is riddled with people like the stationmaster in Larissa involved in the Tempe crash and the Fire Service officials on duty during the deadly Mati wildfire.

Recent research conducted by the ecological association "For the Earth" has shed light on concerning levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution in Sofia, primarily attributed to traffic emissions.

Recent measurements conducted by a team of experts, led by renowned air quality specialist Dr. Axel Friedrich, have revealed alarming levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution in Sofia, according to reports from the Environmental Association "For the Earth."

Today marks the end of an "era" for Sofia's low-emission zone, which ceases to operate after being introduced on December 1 last year. The zone, encompassing the central area of the city known as the "small ring," covered key thoroughfares such as "Vasil Levski" and "Patriarch Evtimii" boulevards, along with streets like "Gen. Skobelev," "Oplchenska," and "Slivnitsa" boulevard.