The causes of the poor air quality are, in significant part, caused by an older and growing private car fleet (the city has 663 cars per 1000 inhabitants, more than 50% then the EU average.) The city has been seeking solutions to address its poor air quality, and plans have recently been announced for a LEZ, by Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova, making TRUE’s analysis timely to maximize the potential policy impacts.

Residents of the Bulgarian capital of Sofia are exposed to some of the highest levels of European urban air pollution and has recently been fined for breaching EU air quality regulations. The findings were launched at a hybrid online and in-person event, ‘Challenges and opportunities to improve air quality,’ organized by the Clean Air Fund in partnership with ICCT, FIA Foundation, TRUE, the Swedish-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Sofia Green. The study, ‘Low-emission zone in Sofia: Projected NOx and PM emissions benefits,’ highlighted that Euro 4 standard diesel cars and older are responsible for 56% of total nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and 85% of total fine particulate (PM) emissions in the city. Low Emission Zones (LEZs) could have a significant impact on air pollution in Sofia, according to new analysis conducted by TRUE partner the ICCT for the Clean Air Fund. Older vehicles disproportionately contributed to NOx and PM levels.

New sofia the first