The European Union brings together international and local partners to improve air quality and safeguard public health across Georgia. With EUR 4 million in EU funding, the four-year initiative builds on cooperation with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, UNDP, WHO, UNECE, and the Environment Agency Austria (UBA).

The 2023 IQAir Index ranks Georgia 62nd out of 134 countries in terms of air pollution, with an average national pollution level considered 'unhealthy for sensitive groups.' This indicates that the annual average of fine particles in Georgia's air, PM2.5, exceeds the World Health Organization's air quality guideline by at least three times.

The ambitious goals set for completion by the end of 2027 include strengthening Georgia's air quality surveillance network and enhancing national capacities in monitoring, modelling, and predicting air quality, along with its impact on public health. Furthermore, the project will assist Georgia in establishing a national reference laboratory and implementing efficient strategies to regulate industrial emissions and mitigate pollution in alignment with Best Available Techniques and international practice.

The project will be carried out in cooperation with the National Environment Agency (NEA), the National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC), and the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, fostering dialogue, sharing expertise, and implementing practical measures.

The project participants and stakeholders convened on 19 April for an inception workshop to kickstart discussions on the implementation of this vital initiative.