People living in the Western Balkans lose an average of 1.3 years of their lives because of dirty air. The total number of people who died prematurely is up to 5,000 people a year. This was stated by Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), cited by BGNES.

The information was published in a comment entitled "Climate Change Does not Need Schengen Visa", MIA reports.

84% of citizens in the region perceive climate change as a problem, Bregu said, citing a Balkan Barometer survey. 9 out of 10 people think air pollution is a problem for their community. At the same time, 32% say they are not ready to use eco-friendly products.

The report states that the number of companies that have taken specific measures for organic production has decreased by 13%.

Bregu emphasizes that Sarajevo, Belgrade and Skopje are among the ten most polluted cities in the world. In 2018, six of the cities in the Western Balkans were included in this list. All this shows that it is time for immediate action in this area through regional cooperation.

"We need to do more to raise awareness among the citizens that each and every one of us, including children, can and should make a difference. We truly are in this together, whether you like to admit it or not. The small steps also count – reducing plastic containers, minding the trash to keep our rivers, mountains, fields, forests clean, properly treat waste, turn to domestic foods, print less…a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. ", RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu stated.