Breathe Cities

In Sofia, a significant number of vulnerable and low-income households rely on heating with low-quality wood and coal used in inefficient heating appliances. This practice leads to a double inefficiency: on the one hand, burning more wood or coal than necessary increases heating costs, and on the other, it contributes to serious pollution of both ambient air and indoor air.

In winter, concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM) in Sofia increase dramatically, often exceeding many times the levels recorded in the summer months. According to a 2020 study by the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology, 42% of PM emissions in the capital come from heating with solid fuels - 23% from wood and 19% from coal. 

This data highlights the need to phase out solid fuel heating and introduce environmentally friendly alternatives, while improving air quality is key to protecting the health, environment and well-being of Sofia's residents.

In this context, the project "Phasing-out solid fuels for domestic heating in Sofia" aims to provide a clear picture of the current situation and barriers to the transition to cleaner heating appliances, and to formulate practical policy recommendations to reduce air pollution and improve the quality of life in Sofia. The main activities foreseen to address the challenges include:

Data collection and analysis

• A sociological survey to segment the remaining 20,000 households using coal and wood for heating to identify the key drivers for switching to cleaner alternatives.
• Monitoring the microclimate and air quality in the homes of solid fuel heating households during one heating season.
• Analyse the energy performance of the main dwelling types that are using solid fuels for heating. 

Assessment of barriers
The project will analyse the economic, technical and social barriers for the replacement of polluting heating appliances. The aim is to develop data and evidence-based policy proposals to facilitate this process.

Support for Low-Emission Zones
The initiative will support the introduction of Low-Emission Zones for domestic heating and programmes to replace polluting heating appliances with environmentally friendly alternatives through a broad public dialogue and targeted communication with different stakeholders.

Raising public awareness
Through communication campaigns and active dialogue with stakeholders, the project will encourage public and political support for ambitious clean air measures.

*Breathe Cities is an initiative from the Clean Air Fund, C40 Cities and Bloomberg Philanthropies to clean our air, cut carbon emissions and enhance public health in cities around the world. Breathe Cities programmes are now running in 14 cities worldwide.
Breathe Sofia, launched in 2022 in partnership with Sofia Municipality, aims to achieve three objectives: improve air quality data management through enhanced collection, analysis, and communication; implement Low Emission Zones for both transport and heating; and build strong public support for ambitious air quality actions.

More: www.breathecities.org