Prof. Mile Dimitrovski, UNSCM

Republic of Macedonia

5 km Skopje - 1944

Skopje is located in the north of the Republic of Macedonia, in the center of the Balkan peninsula. The city is built in the Skopje valley, oriented on a west-east axis, along the course of the Vardar river. The valley is approximately 2 km wide and it is limited by several mountain ranges to the North and South. the City of Skopje stretches on more than 33 km, but it is only 10 km wide. Skopje -2014

Skopje - area Skopje is approximately 245m above sea level and covers 570 km 2. The urbanized area only covers 337 km 2, with a density of 65 inhabitants per hectare. The City of Skopje comprised 510.000 inhabitants, whereas the sole urban area only comprised 450.000 inhabitants.

Skopje hydrography The Vardar river, which flows through Skopje, is at approximately 60 km from its source. In Skopje, its average discharge is at 51 m 3 /s 1, with a wide amplitude depending on seasons, between 100 m 3 /s 1 in May and 20 m 3 /s in July. The water temperature is comprised between 4,6 C in January and 18,1 C in July. Several rivers meet the Vardar within the city boundaries. The largest is the Treska, which is 130 km long. It crosses the Matka Canyon before reaching Vardar. Skopje valley is rich very with underground water with temperature around 5 C.

The climate of Skopje is usually classified as continental sub-mediterranean, it has a humid subtropical climate, with a mean annual temperature of 13,5 C. The summers are long, hot and humid, while the winters are short, relatively cold, and wet. Snowfalls are common in the winter period, but heavy snow accumulation is rare. In summer, temperatures are usually above 31 C and sometimes above 40 C. In spring and autumn, the temperatures range from 15 to 24 C. In winter, the day temperatures are roughly 6 C, but at nights they often fall below 0 C and sometimes below 10 C.

Skopje - nature The city of Skopje encompasses various natural environments and its fauna and flora are rich. However, it is threatened by the intensification of agriculture and the urban extension. The largest protected area within the city limits is the Mount Vodno, which is a popular leisure destination. A cable car connects its peak to the downtown, and many pedestrian paths run through its woods. One of the most beautiful parks is the City Park with 400.000 m 2, located on the bank of Vardar in the center of the city.

Skopje - waste Water treatment plants are progressively built, but a large share of polluted water is still discharged into the Vardar. Waste is disposed in the open-air municipal landfill Drisla, located 15 km north of the city. Every day, it receives 1,500 m3 of domestic waste and 400 m3 of industrial waste. Future projects relate to: waste to heat, waste to biogas, recycling etc.

SKOPJE, 1963

Skopje - urban The urban morphology of Skopje was deeply impacted by the 1963 earthquake which destroyed 80% of the city (.and by the reconstruction that followed).

Skopje - urban The city is divided in blocks dedicated to specific activities. The banks of the Vardar river became natural areas and parks, areas located between the main boulevards were built with highrise housing buildings and shopping malls, htt and the suburbs were left p:/ to individual housing and industry. / htt p:/ /

Skopje on 26.06.2014 was on the first (worst) place in Europa

PM 10 reach nearly 1000 ppm

8 km View from the opposite hill Radishani (from my backyard - ) 8 km away from Center

History After the very strong earthquake in 1963, the citizens of Skopje have become experts in determining the strength of earthquakes, because after the first strong, the restraint of ground occurred further 2000 weaker quakes. Immediately after the earthquake every citizens from Skopje could have said how strong was its power according to Richter scale... and then announcements from Seismological Laboratory coincided 100% with their "expert sense" for a measure of the strength of earthquake.

Present.. Today in 2015, Citizens from Skopje became experts for sense of PM10 pollution. Hey friend,...today it is 320 (micrograms per cubic meter)... yesterday was about 580 th, and there is not a mistake... official statement confirm their precise observation.... For the citizens of Skopje there is not a need for laboratory. They became the best instruments for measuring the concentrations of PM10 particles.

??? WINTER POSTCARD FROM SKOPJE 2020

Skopje on 26.06.2014 was on the first place in Europa (Sorry Sarajevo!, but we are on the top (bottom)) Macedonia is on first place on the list of World bank. Polution of the air with PM 10 reach nearly 1000 ppm which is 20 time more than normal for urban areas and about 200 days/year it is above the limits.

Republic of Macedonia has the most polluted air in Europe and air pollution for years is over European standards, specific the World Bank. The country is the first in the list of the bank when it comes to exposure to the citizens of air pollution with particulate matter. Just behind us is Serbia, followed by Romania, Bulgaria and Malta. But the report further stated that Macedonia is in fifth place according to annual deaths caused by air pollution or the PM10 particles.

The findings of the World Bank indicate that the solid particles are responsible for more than 1,350 deaths a year, but thousand lost workdays - an economic cost of 253 million Euros a year, or 3.2% of GDP. Too early mortality occurs from cardiopulmonary diseases and lung cancer. In 2011, the level of contamination by solid particles was primarily responsible for 485 new cases of chronic bronchitis, 770 hospital admissions and 15,200 emergency visits. The reduction of PM10 and PM2.5 to European limits will prevent more than 800 deaths and a number of lost workdays, which will realize savings in health care costs of 151 million Euros a year.

180000 160000 140000 120000 155.000 100000 80000 60000 Number of registered vehicles in Skopje in 2015 is around 155 000 40000 20000 0 2006 1 2007 2 2008 3 2009 4 2010 5 2011 6 2012 7 2013 8 2014 9 2015 10

Skopje - transport BUSES 0.63% Private vehicles 86.60% BIKES 2,52%

Age of vehicle flat in Macedonia is 15 years, only 5% are new cars with the age less than 3 years (they meet the environmental standards EURO 1, 2, 3 a few % EURO5)

(Best practise) The MAJOR in his new electric car with 0% CO2

Is it NEWYORK 9/11?? NO, No, no..?? It is SKOPJE February 2016!!

CLEANER INDUSTRY + CLEANER WEHICLES = CLEANER AIR