Montenegro is set to introduce a new strategic document aimed at improving air quality management over the next several years. The draft strategy for the period 2026–2029, released by the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development, and Northern Development, outlines measures to reduce pollutant emissions, align with European standards, and enhance monitoring systems.
The analysis within the document reveals that the majority of air pollution in Montenegro arises from household heating. According to the strategy, households account for approximately 84 percent of PM2.5 emissions and 79 percent of PM10 emissions, with an almost total contribution of around 99 percent to benz(a)pyrene emissions. Furthermore, it identifies several sectors—including household heating, energy production, and road traffic—as responsible for nearly all suspended particulate emissions in the country.
The strategy highlights a significant disparity in air quality across different regions of Montenegro. While southern areas generally maintain suspended particle concentrations below European limit values, northern regions often experience prolonged pollution episodes during winter months. In some years, the number of days exceeding permissible PM10 concentrations has surpassed 100 annually.
Urgent Measures and Future Goals
The document outlines a range of measures, from reducing emissions from households and traffic to modernizing the energy sector and developing district heating systems in select cities. A notable project mentioned is the district heating system in Pljevlja, with an estimated investment value exceeding €10 million.
Despite these plans, the strategy lacks a comprehensive assessment of the total costs for the proposed measures through to 2029 and does not specify budget allocations for their implementation. It also advocates for a shift in household heating methods by promoting energy efficiency and transitioning to cleaner energy sources. The document identifies household heating as a critical area for reducing suspended particulate emissions in the coming years.
This strategy is part of Montenegro’s obligations under Chapter 27—environment and climate change—considered one of the most challenging chapters in the EU accession process. The European Union has also adopted stricter air quality standards, which will further lower permissible concentrations of suspended particles and other pollutants.
The chapter related to the environment is viewed as one of the most financially and administratively demanding in the negotiations with the EU, requiring profound changes in energy, transport, and natural resource management. The strategy indicates that Montenegro must align with these new European air quality standards, which entail stricter emission reduction targets in the years to come.
Engagement with Stakeholders
In light of these developments, the publication Pobjeda submitted inquiries to the Ministry of Ecology regarding the financial framework and accountability for implementing the 2026–2029 Air Quality Management Strategy, as well as the anticipated new nature protection law. Questions included the estimated total cost for implementing the strategy, budget planning for 2026, priority measures for the initial year, and the required sub-legal acts for the nature protection law.
The government has acknowledged that reducing pollution cannot solely rely on technical measures, but must also involve changes in natural resource management and local environmental protection policies. In this context, the government is concurrently announcing a new nature protection law aimed at establishing a clearer system for managing protected areas and aligning national legislation with European directives.
Azra Vuković, a representative of the NGO Green Home, expressed that the effects of the new nature protection law will largely depend on its implementation. “The new law will succeed in fundamentally improving the nature protection system to the extent that it is genuinely implemented. Montenegro has seen many good laws passed, but full implementation has often been lacking, leading to numerous environmental consequences,” she stated.
Vuković emphasized that the law is part of the obligations under Chapter 27 and is necessary for aligning with EU directives. She noted the increasing demands from EU environmental and climate change directives, necessitating amendments to the existing nature protection law.
While discussing the law-making process, Vuković highlighted the lack of transparency regarding the various versions of the document. “Although I was a member of the working group for this law, the group was disbanded at one point, and I lost oversight of the law’s drafting process. Without access to the specific legal solutions sent to the European Commission for feedback, I can only speak in general terms. We will, of course, follow the public consultation process when it is organized and provide our opinions then,” she added.
She specifically pointed out the issue of financing protected area management, which the new law significantly shifts onto local governments. “The process of declaring and establishing management for protected areas, as well as their financing—especially when they span multiple municipalities—has not been adequately addressed in previous legal frameworks. Consequently, some areas remain without established management years after their declaration, with no coordination among the various managers,” Vuković explained.
The strategy underscores that air quality issues in Montenegro are persistent and repeat annually, particularly during winter months in the northern and central regions. While the document notes that previous action plans included some of these measures, their application has not yielded the expected results. Vuković pointed to this continuity of planning without visible effects, stating, “The previous air quality management strategy expired in 2020, and the new one has been in preparation for nearly five years. During this time, air quality issues have persisted, especially during winter months in the northern and central zones.”
According to her, the document presents numerous measures, but some are repeated due to previous non-implementation. “Montenegro must finally move beyond years of planning and strategy formulation and begin implementing the defined measures,” she cautioned.
The Air Quality Management Strategy also examines pollution not only through emissions and industrial sectors but also through its health impacts. The document references international studies linking air pollution with increased risks of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, while noting that the actual health effects are often difficult to quantify in health statistics. Experts from the Institute of Public Health of Montenegro have echoed these concerns.
“There is increasing evidence indicating that exposure to PM particles can affect health even at concentrations below current EU limit values, and even those from the World Health Organization,” the Institute stated. It explained that health information systems do not allow for routine extraction of disease numbers directly related to air pollution.
“Health information systems do not enable routine and precise extraction of the number of examinations or hospitalizations that can be directly attributed to air pollution, as diagnoses are recorded based on clinical presentation and underlying conditions,” the Institute noted.
Certain groups, particularly vulnerable to air pollution, include children under five years old, the elderly, individuals with chronic respiratory conditions, those with cardiovascular diseases, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems. The Institute indicated that short-term exposure to polluted air can lead to worsening respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, an increase in hospitalizations, and premature mortality.
Monitoring air quality and collecting emission data in Montenegro is the responsibility of the Agency for Environmental Protection. The strategy significantly relies on monitoring data collected by the Agency, as well as emission inventories and databases about the state of nature. The Agency has noted that monitoring and records are continuously maintained and publicly available.
The Agency’s website features a unique and updated database on protected areas in Montenegro, as well as national registries and information systems encompassing protected areas, biodiversity monitoring, and indicators of nature’s condition. However, the Agency does not develop management plans for protected areas; this task falls to public park enterprises, municipalities, and other managers.
The Agency has also pointed out that the process of establishing the Natura 2000 network is still in the data identification and verification phase. Ongoing activities include field research on habitats and species, area identification, and incorporation of marine habitats. The ultimate goal is to establish a complete Natura 2000 network on land and sea.
Currently, Montenegro has nine automatic stationary air quality monitoring stations and one mobile station. Two are located in Pljevlja, three in Podgorica, and one each in Nikšić, Bar, Bijelo Polje, and Kotor.
According to projections from the strategy, reducing suspended particulate emissions by 2029 should lead to fewer days exceeding permissible values in the most affected zones. However, the document indicates that achieving these goals will depend primarily on implementing measures in the household heating, traffic, and energy sectors.
The Air Quality Management Strategy for the period 2026–2029 thus establishes a framework where emission data, health impact assessments, and planned pollution reduction measures intersect. The effectiveness of this strategy will determine whether it remains just another planning document or results in tangible air quality improvements in cities grappling with these issues each winter.
