London and Sofia don’t share much in common.
But when it comes to air pollution, the two now share December 9, when in 1952 the deadliest air pollution event in Europe occurred. Over three days the Great Smog of London resulted in 12 000 deaths, as the reckless burning of coal and wood suffocated the capital.
Nearly seventy years later, activists at Za Zemiata marked the occasion by projecting a series of slogans on Sofia’s thermal power plant, in hopes of avoiding a catastrophe in the making like the one in London.
Every year as winter sets in, critical levels of air pollution stifle the Bulgarian capital and offer a reality check about how poorly things could get if the municipality moves forward with plans for an incinerator.
In spite of repeated warnings about the project’s devastating impacts on health and the environment, the European Commission and the European Investment Bank continue to support the project.
See more images from the action below.
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