Council of Budapest Municipality

Budapest is the capital of Hungary the political, cultural, commercial, and industrial and transport center of the country. In 2017 its population was over 1.7 million and has a land area of 525 square kilometres. The Budapest metropolitan area with population of 3.1 million, counts 81 municipalities. 

For more details visit: budapest.hu

Based on the results of the Budapest Environmental Program (2017-2021), it can be said that different areas of Budapest are polluted in different degrees. In general it can be stated that although the results of the sub-processes show improvement, all the environmental elements (soil, water, air) are polluted in Budapest.

The National Air Pollution Measurement Network (“Országos Légszennyezettségi Mérőhálózat”) classified Budapest’s air as polluted regarding to nitrogen-dioxide and Particulate Matter (PM10), excellent regarding to ozone based on data from 2015, and inadequate regarding to fine particulate matter (PM2,5) based on data from 2014. The main factors influencing air quality in Budapest as follows: ways of energy transformation on the local sources side (emissions from operation of motor vehicles, industrial and residential natural gas, wood and other solid and liquid combustion), increasing emission of air pollutants by residential heating in suburban areas using mixed fuels, increasing use of aging cars, atmospheric and meteorological processes.

Strategic documents containing air quality protection objectives:

• Budapest Environmental Program (2017-2021)

• Annual environmental assessment

• Budapest Mobility Plan

Actions taken as part of the HungAIRy LIFE integrated project

In the frame of the HungAIRy project, in addition to the emission data base, the Council of Budapest Municipality intends to employ more eco-managers who will be involved in shaping public awareness, predominantly through the capital’s public service. The other aim of the project is to implement a pilot project on urban transport connected to the urban logistics. 

Planned sub-tasks of the pilot project:

• Designing a loading area reservation system (webpage, mobile application, other solution). The system will allow to see and reserve loading area online. 

• Developing an online solution (webpage, mobile application, other solution) to offer available shipping capacities in the city and to indicate transport needs: creating a new, online freight booking service.

• Developing the basis of a certified transportation system: qualifying suppliers based on the environmental rating of the vehicles they use, their services and the quality of their services. Their rates can entitle them additional benefits or privileges. 

• Expected results from the pilot project: more efficient use of transport capacity, therefore fewer freight vehicles in the city, better mechanical state and environmental rating of the freight vehicles in use. Due to the measures, the emissions from transport will decrease, and the air quality in the city centre will improve. 

Further activities in which the capital is engaged:

• Creating and maintaining an emission database

• Employing eco-managers

• Raising public awareness

• Review of the air quality plan

• Supporting the agricultural program