Ambient Air Quality in the Czech Republic

Dear Colleagues,

The Czech Republic (CR) is a Central European country with an infamous environmental pollution history and long-term problems due to heavy air pollution in the past. These were mostly due to emissions from burning poor-quality lignite of local provenience with very high contents of sulphur, used both for coal-powered thermal power plants and for local, domestic heating systems. Extremely high SO₂ emissions adversely affected the health of the inhabitants and resulted in serious environmental damages, including spruce forest decline. Furthermore, emissions from high stacks of large power plants substantially contributed to pollution due to their long-range transport, causing acid rain and acidification of ecosystems in other European regions, such as Scandinavia.  The infamous “Black Triangle”, a border region situated between former Czechoslovakia, East Germany, and Poland, was one of the most polluted areas of Europe at that time.

As a consequence of fundamental socioeconomic changes triggered by the so-called “Velvet Revolution” in 1989, including the introduction of a new legislation, the application of effective countermeasures in emission reduction, and the modernization of energy production and industry alongside with the extensive gasification of local heating systems, the overall situation in ambient air quality has improved substantially. An unprecedented reduction in SO₂ emissions by about 90% has been recorded, accompanied by reductions in TSP (total suspended particles) and NO_x. Nevertheless, new challenges have emerged in air pollution control, such as the presence of fine aerosol particles, ground-level ozone, benzo(a)pyrene, and various pollutants whose ambient air concentration currently extensively exceeds the legal limit values and is very difficult to manage, affecting a substantial part of the population and vast regions.

Atmosphere is hosting a Special Issue to showcase the changes in ambient air quality in the Czech Republic. I invite you to contribute articles to this Special Issue by reporting on observation-based and modelling studies related to the past and present ambient air quality in the Czech Republic. Solicited contributions include but are not limited to studies on long-term trends in ambient air pollutants and atmospheric deposition, emissions, and emission sources, transboundary, long-range, and regional-range transport of air pollutants, and behaviour of atmospheric pollutants in particular in the context of the on-going climate change. Articles on the impact of ambient air pollution on human health and environment, including vegetation and ecosystems in the Czech Republic, are also encouraged.

Dr. Iva Hůnová
Guest Editor

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