The quality of Copenhagen’s air is slowly improving, but city politicians have nevertheless decided to implement a warning system that will tell the capital’s residents when the air quality takes a dip, broadcaster DR reports.
The idea behind the decision, taken by the Copenhagen Municipality city council, is to warn people with respiratory conditions and in other risk groups when the air is so polluted that it presents a risk to their health.
“Every tenth death in Copenhagen can be linked to air pollution. We have to protect Copenhageners against this,” head of the city government’s health committee, Sisse Marie Welling of the Socialist People’s Party (SF), told DR.
READ ALSO: Pollution linked to ‘one in eight’ deaths in EU countries
The details of how the warning system will work are yet to be finalised, but will likely to be based on telephones.
Asthmatic Copenhagen resident Katrine Østerby welcomed the move but also told DR that she hoped politicians would do more about the causes of air pollution.
“I am a young student who is in good physical condition and does a lot of the right things, so I feel there should also be space for me in Copenhagen – and that it’s air pollution that we should get under control, not me that should move out of the way,” she said.
The system will be implemented by late 2024, according to the plan.
Member comments