As part of the European Union Green Week 2021, the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC) and the Eixample Respira neighbour association organised the round table Som-hi Aire BCN on May 30th to discuss about the measures to reduce the air pollution and improve the air quality in Barcelona.
The speakers were the IDAEA researcher Xavier Querol, from the Environmental Geochemistry and Atmospheric Research (EGAR) group; the councilor for climate emergeny and ecological transition of the Barcelona City Council Eloi Badia, the spokesman of the neighbourhood association Eixample Respira Guille López, the spokeswoman of Ecologistes en Acció Catalunya María García and the IDAEA project manager, as a representative of the Barcelona citizenship Mercè Ratera.
During the round table, Xavier Querol argued that it is necessary to “pacify traffic” on “urban highways”, while the spokesperson for Ecologistes en Acció Catalunya María García was in favor of the introduction of “an urban toll and an anti-pollution tax.” The event was framed within the 5th #RevoltaVeïnal, leaded by Eixample Respira, which blocks some of the busiest streets in Barcelona to the traffic the last Sunday of every month.
Querol assured that “it is necessary to put distance between the citizenship and the traffic”. “Developed cities have been transformed to be healthier”, he stressed. Among other measures, the scientist opted for a well-coordinated metropolitan transport, a reduced number of vehicles, an urban toll and parking restricted to neighbours.
Media appearance of the round table Som-hi Aire BCN in the midday news of TV Betevè (from minute 5:00h)
At the same time, the researcher Mar Viana did a workshop for kids to raise awarness about air pollution within the FECYT project CSIC4Girls.
