From 3 to 5 June 2025, a multilateral workshop on LIFE Integrated Projects was held in Bystrica, Slovakia, where participants could learn about each other's projects, share best practices, discuss common challenges and reflect together on the possibilities for future cooperation. The event aimed to strengthen international cooperation to improve air quality and is now becoming a tradition, with similar meetings taking place in Piešťany in 2023 and Budapest in 2024.

Air pollution is a cross-border social problem that requires international cooperation. The mutual exchange of information and data between border municipalities and the sharing of tried and tested measures is of particular importance.

This workshop was hosted by the Slovakian Populair and was joined by representatives from the Hungarian HungAIRy project and the Slovenian Ministry of Environment, Climate and Energy, who are planning to launch a joint LIFE IP project with Croatian partners.

During the program, each topic was introduced by experts from the respective country, with short, inspiring presentations followed by an interactive exchange of technical ideas.

On the afternoon of 3 June, participants heard from Barbara Bezegh, HungAIRy's project leader, about the objectives of the Hungarian LIFE IP and its achievements and successes so far. Katalin Dr. Lantai, HungAIRy Miskolc's professional coordinator, spoke in the 'Cross-border Cooperation' session about air quality plans and cooperation with local authorities and government agencies. Kitti Heilmann, Project Manager of the Pécs Communication Centre Ltd. and Luca Szénásy, Eco-manager of Pécs, gave a presentation on communication, awareness raising and the involvement of the public and educational institutions, while Dr. Zsolt Dobó, Research Fellow of the Faculty of Materials and Chemical Engineering of the University of Miskolc, gave a presentation on the importance of the PM monitoring network in Miskolc and Kaposvár. The discussions following the presentations were moderated by Ildikó Babcsány, head of the Eco-Manager Knowledge Centre.

On the second day, the Slovenian participants presented the possibilities of regulating emissions from solid fuel heating households and the practice of monitoring emissions from road transport. It was highlighted that a large part of the rural population uses biomass or wood from their own harvesting for heating, the moisture content of which is difficult to control.

In the afternoon session, Júlia Čaplová, LIFE Populair project coordinator, presented their awareness-raising activities with Comenius University and the first steps in developing an action plan to improve air quality.

In the morning of the last day of the meeting, the team visited MHTH Martin, the Teplárenský thermal power plant, where the company's experts presented their air protection measures and energy efficiency efforts. Afterwards, visitors were given a guided tour.

The LIFE IP Central Europe Air Quality Networking Workshop, attended by 50 participants from 3 countries, was again an excellent opportunity to share experiences, good practices and challenges. Such meetings are an effective way to promote joint professional work, as clean air is a common resource that can only be protected through cooperation.

Photos: HungAIRy, Populair