Air Pollution Woes
June 29, 2021
Photographer: Tomas Slovinsky
Summary Author: Tomas Slovinsky
For hundreds of thousands of years, the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been changing. But since the middle of 20th century, carbon dioxide from human activity has increased 250 times faster than it has from natural sources when the last Ice Age ended some 12,000 years ago.
The Košice industrial complex of Slovakia (shown above with air pollution dimming the low-lying Sun) is largely dedicated to the metallurgy of iron, steel, and coke production. This complex is the primary industrial source of air pollution in Slovakia. In 2018 Slovakia was reported as being the 10th most polluted nation in Europe and the 40th most polluted nation in the world. However, actions are underway to promote cleaner air in Kosice and to improve air quality across Slovakia. Photo taken on April 9, 2020.