Kraków activists win clean air after decades of pollution
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In Kraków, Poland, the Kraków Smog Alert (KSA) began as a social media campaign in 2012 and grew into a national coalition of nearly fifty local groups.
The group worked to change energy policy and reduce air pollution from burning coal and wood for heating, a long-standing problem in the city. KSA used strategies like highlighting health risks and working with institutions to gain support.
Researchers analyzed KSA’s work using a framework that looks at how large-scale changes, existing systems, and new ideas interact. They found that pressure from European Union environmental rules alone was not enough to create change. KSA’s ability to build relationships with officials and provide evidence was essential. By 2023, KSA’s efforts led to a city-wide ban on solid fuel combustion and a reduction in PM2.5 concentrations, fine particulate matter linked to health problems, by over 60%.
The group’s success offers a model for other cities in Central and Eastern Europe hoping to move away from polluting heating sources.
