Musine Kokalari Institute for Social Policy is a partner organization in the Horizon Europe-funded MARCHES project, which seeks to refine methodologies for estimating the health costs associated with environmental stressors in multiple European countries. With a targeted focus on two main areas of concern – air pollution and nitrate pollution of drinking water – MARCHES seeks to establish comprehensive guidelines and unit prices for conducting socio-economic analyses. Working closely with public authorities in six different European regions, including Kosovo, the project aims to raise the standards of integrated impact assessments. By expanding exposure modelling and addressing health endpoints, MARCHES aspires to create a robust framework that can effectively quantify the multifaceted health impacts of environmental stressors. This ambitious initiative, which runs from 2023 to 2026 with a total funding of 4 million euros, represents a concerted effort towards promoting a healthier and more sustainable European landscape.
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We have organized a major stakeholder workshop focused on the critical issue of air pollution in Kosovo. As an integral component of the broader MARCHES project, this meeting brought together researchers from Aarhus University, the University of Tartu and ISGlobal Barcelona, alongside public authorities and civil society organizations from Kosovo. The workshop served as a dynamic platform for collaborative discourse, delving into topics such as mitigation strategies, cost-benefit analysis and the profound health implications of air pollution. In addition, two separate focus groups were convened to further explore mitigation measures tailored to the Kosovo context and to examine the nuanced health consequences of air pollution.
The Institute would like to express its gratitude to all participants for their contributions towards advancing environmental health research and fostering collective action for a cleaner and healthier future.
April 17 2024