• The projects aim to reduce fine particulate matter emissions

The Minister of Environment and Water Manol Genov signed two contracts for funding projects for the implementation of green measures in urban environments for cleaner air - with the Mayor of Burgas Municipality Dimitar Nikolov and the Mayor of Pleven Municipality Dr. Valentin Hristov respectively.

The main objective of the projects is to improve the quality of atmospheric air on the territory of the two municipalities by reducing fine particulate matter (PM10) emissions. The activities aim to limit the sources of secondary dust and to purify air naturally by expanding green areas in urban environments and planting plant species with the highest degree of PM10 capture.

Under the project of the Municipality of Burgas, 17.23 hectares of green infrastructure will be built on the territory of the city for a period of 51 months. The total investment amounts to 6337156 BGN. The grant provided by the Environment Program 2021-2027 is in the amount of 6288517 BGN.

On the territory of the city of Pleven, within the framework of the second project, 8.5 hectares of green infrastructure will be built with a total investment value of over 3 million BGN, whereby the amount of the grant provided by the Environment Program 2021-2027 will be over 2.2 million BGN. The planned implementation period of the project is 36 months.

Afforestation measures in both projects are based on preliminary studies and analyses. The sites where the green infrastructure is to be built have been identified based on geospatial analysis using 12 indicators reflecting the distinctive local conditions for the urban environment - "hot spots" of high concentration of fine dust particles, urban morphostructure, local microclimatic conditions, state of green infrastructure, population and social activities, etc.

The implementation of the projects will also achieve better public awareness and encourage the inclusion of local communities in initiatives related to the protection, afforestation and care for green areas and the surrounding inter-block spaces. Nearly 200000 people in each of the cities will directly benefit from the impact of the measures.

The two projects are to be implemented within the framework of the procedure "Green Measures in the Urban Environment" under priority 5 "Air" of the Environment Program 2021-2027.