Clean air on the banks of the Danube – civilians have launched a petition

At the initiative of local residents, the Clean Air Action Group (CAAG) and aHang (The Voice) are launching a joint petition titled Clean air on the banks of the Danube: radically reduce air and noise pollution from shipping! If you visit the quays of Budapest and spend a few hours there, you will understand what the initiative is all about.

The activists at aHang have conducted 14 air quality measurements over the past two weeks at Jászai Mari Square, Szent István Park, Március 15. Square, the foot of the Chain Bridge and the Parliament. The measurements, which will continue over the coming weeks, seek to determine the extent of pollution caused by passenger ships on the Danube and the ship hotels stationed by the quays for days.

“CAAG regularly receives complaints from locals and those walking along the Danube, and even passengers on the ships, who find the emissions of these ships unbearable. Three years ago, we put proposed a course of action to the relevant ministry, but no tangible progress has been made since then, even though the necessary measures would only cost a few billion Forints, which is insignificant at the scale of the state budget” – observed András Lukács, the president of CAAG.

“Although it is the local residents who bear the consequences of air pollution from ships the most, it is the concern of every resident of Budapest and every tourist who wishes to enjoy the proximity of the river” – added Péter Marinov, one of the local residents who initiated the petition.

The initiators expect all citizens and organisations to join the petition to reduce pollution from passenger transport on the Danube.

The tools for the air pollution measurements were provided by Greenpeace, and Gergely Simon, air quality expert at Greenpeace, is participating in the conducting and evaluation of the measurements.

Translated by Iarina Ciceu