Southeast Europe Air Quality Alert

Is the air quality good in Southeast Europe?

As of January 20, 2026, air quality across parts of Southeast Europe remains poor, with several locations recording AQI levels ranging from moderate to very unhealthy and elevated concentrations of PM2.5. These conditions pose increased health risks, particularly for children, the elderly, and people with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions.

By 8:30 PM Pacific Time (PT), cities like Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Strumica, North Macedonia, reported AQI levels above 200, triggering health advisories.

Long-term data show that poor air quality is a persistent problem. The 2024 World Air Quality Report indicates that Sarajevo averaged an AQI of 81, with PM2.5 levels at 25 µg/m³, ranking 29th out of 138 countries. North Macedonia averaged an AQI of 77, Serbia 72, and Montenegro 68, four to five times above the WHO annual PM2.5 guideline, highlighting the region’s ongoing winter air pollution challenges.

Air quality map of Southeast Europe as of 8:30 PM (PT) on January 20, 2026. Source: IQAir.

Which cities are affected by bad air quality in Southeast Europe?

Throughout the winter, several cities in Southeast Europe face persistent poor air quality due to residential heating emissions, geographic factors, and stagnant weather (1). These cities consistently rank among the region’s most affected during the cold season, including:

Belgrade, Serbia
Pljevlja, Montenegro
Pristina, Kosovo
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Skopje, North Macedonia
Sofia, Bulgaria

Air quality conditions can change rapidly throughout the day. For a complete, real-time overview of pollution levels, see Europe’s air quality map.

Sarajevo ranked as the world’s 6th most polluted major city globally as of 8:30 PM (PT) on January 20, 2026. Source: IQAir.

When will the air quality improve in Southeast Europe?

Short-term enhancements rely on weather changes, where winds and rain can reduce pollutant levels in days, but stagnant conditions and winter inversions often confine emissions, extending poor quality through the cold season. Sustainable progress demands effective policies and controls, without which severe pollution is likely to recur each winter (2).

What is causing poor air quality in Southeast Europe?

Poor air quality in Southeast Europe is mainly caused by fossil fuel combustion for power generation and residential heating, industrial emissions, vehicle exhaust from aging fleets, agricultural ammonia, and occasional Saharan dust intrusions. During winter, temperature inversions and calm winds trap pollutants near the ground, worsening concentrations of PM2.5, NO₂, and ozone (3).

According to the 2025 State of Global Air report, fossil fuels remain a major contributor to high PM2.5 exposure in countries such as Bosnia and North Macedonia.

The European Environment Agency’s 2025 analysis highlights ongoing challenges from solid fuel burning and transport across the Western Balkans (4), while Copernicus reports that 2025 wildfires in Greece and Turkey further intensified pollution levels (5).