Embassy priorities at this time are ensuring improved rule of law and governance that meets citizens’ needs; ensuring Kosovo has sustainable, inclusive economic growth that supports its stability and integration with Europe; ensuring Kosovo contributes positively to regional stability, including by legally transforming its security sector, countering violent extremism, promoting minority rights, and integrating into Euro-Atlantic structures.
Since 2011, the European Union (EU) has facilitated a dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo on practical issues to improve the lives of citizens and advance them in their European perspectives, a process which the United States supports. On May 5, 2014, Kosovo and the EU jointly declared negotiations on a Stabilization and Association Agreement complete, a key step on the path to membership in the European Union. The agreement was signed in October 2015, and ratified by the Kosovo parliament on November 2, 2015.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)
The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is an innovative and independent U.S. foreign aid agency that is helping lead the fight against global poverty. Created by the U.S. Congress in January 2004 with strong bipartisan support, MCC is changing the conversation on how best to deliver smart U.S. foreign assistance by focusing on good policies, country ownership, and results.
In December 2015, the MCC Board of Directors selected Kosovo as eligible to develop a compact, read more at the KOSOVO COMPACT page.
AirNow
The U.S. Embassy in Pristina has installed an air quality monitor to measure pollution in Pristina’s air, the results of which will be available live to the public.Air pollution is a major health and quality-of-life issue facing millions around the world. In the United States, the Clean Air Act (first passed in 1970) was created to clean up air pollution and help protect the health of all Americans. Recognizing that pollution is not a problem that stops at borders, the United States also monitors and provides some states with assistance to better understand such pollution. One tool to do so is the Air Quality Index (AQI), which tells you how clean or polluted your outdoor air is, along with associated health effects that may be of concern. The AQI translates air quality data into numbers and colors that help people understand when to take action to protect their health. The U.S. Embassy in Pristina is now part of a program to monitor air quality; the results are published unedited for public information and use.
The air quality monitor installed by the Embassy will measure particulate matter in Pristina’s air. The air monitoring equipment is located at the Embassy; readings for other parts of Pristina will vary. The data will be updated hourly and will be available live beginning Wednesday, March 30, at the AIRnow website, https://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.global_summary. A badge linking to the site will also be added to the Embassy’s website, https://xk.usembassy.gov/, in early April, and those interested will have the option to subscribe to an RSS feed that will deliver updates to their email address.
The Embassy’s monitors will measure particles found in the air, including dust, dirt, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets, at 2.5 microns (PM2.5) and less measured in micrograms/cubic meter. Such particles can be the result of vehicle and power plant emissions, residential coal or wood burning, or direct events such as forest fires, and can remain suspended in the air for long periods of time. Particles of this size, such as PM2.5 (1/30th the diameter of the average human hair diameter), pose the greatest health risk. Scientific studies have linked long-term particle pollution, especially fine particles, with significant health problems such as heart and lung disease.
The Embassy’s monitors will collect data continuously, results will be averaged and updated hourly on the website and used to compute an Air Quality Index (AQI) value of from 0 to 500, which will be posted to the Airnow website. The purpose of the AQI is to explain what local air quality means to the population’s health. To make it easier to understand, the AQI is divided into six categories:
| Air Quality Index (AQI) Values |
Levels of Health Concern | Colors |
|---|---|---|
| When the AQI is in this range: | ..air quality conditions are: | …as symbolized by this color: |
| 0 to 50 | Good | Green |
| 51 to 100 | Moderate | Yellow |
| 101 to 150 | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | Orange |
| 151 to 200 | Unhealthy | Red |
| 201 to 300 | Very Unhealthy | Purple |
| 301 to 500 | Hazardous | Maroon |
“Good” AQI is 0 to 50. Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.Each category corresponds to a different level of health concern. The six levels of health concern and what they mean are:
- “Moderate” AQI is 51 to 100. Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people. For example, people who are unusually sensitive to ozone may experience respiratory symptoms.
- “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” AQI is 101 to 150. Although general public is not likely to be affected at this AQI range, people with lung disease, older adults, and children are at a greater risk from exposure to ozone, whereas persons with heart and lung disease, older adults, and children are at greater risk from the presence of particles in the air.
- “Unhealthy” AQI is 151 to 200. Everyone may begin to experience some adverse health effects, and members of the sensitive groups may experience more serious effects.
- “Very Unhealthy” AQI is 201 to 300. This would trigger a health alert signifying that everyone may experience more serious health effects.
- “Hazardous” AQI greater than 300. This would trigger a health warning of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected.
We encourage everyone to make use of the data and work towards a cleaner, safer environment.
FAQ (PDF 462 KB)
Pristina AQM System (PDF 2,312 KB)
