Poland · Lesser Poland · 2 cities
Air quality in Lesser Poland today The AQI right now, city by city
Right now, Tarnów has the cleanest air of the 2 cities we track in Lesser Poland (AQI 39, Good), and Kraków the worst (AQI 52, Moderate). Tarnów has the most tree cover, at 38.4% — #18 of 39 cities measured in Poland.
Every city is measured the same way, over the same 2 km around its center: the air quality right now, from ground stations where there are any, and its tree cover.
- cities tracked
- 2
- average tree cover
- 34.7%
- Poland: 37.6%
- worst air now: Kraków
- 52
- cleanest air now: Tarnów
- 39
Lower is better on the US EPA index: 0–50 is Good, above 300 is Hazardous. Measured by Airleaf, refreshed hourly.
Lesser Poland
Air quality today across Lesser Poland, city by city
| Kraków | 52Moderate | 31.0% | — | #30 of 39 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarnów | 39Good | 38.4% | — | #18 of 39 |
Air quality is the US AQI from ground monitoring stations via OpenAQ where available, otherwise the Open-Meteo / CAMS model, refreshed hourly. Tree cover is measured within 2 km of each city center from Sentinel-2 imagery; the rank compares every city measured in Poland.
Deforestation · 2001–2025
How much forest has Lesser Poland lost?
Since 2001, Lesser Poland has lost about 27,200 hectares of forest (about 38,000 football pitches): 4.5% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to logging, so much of it can grow back. About 1,840 hectares (6.8%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest lost since 2001
- 27,200 haabout 38,000 football pitches
- Share of its forest
- 4.5%of what there was in 2000
- Cleared for good
- 1,840 hadeforestation: turned into farms, mines or towns
Hectares of forest lost each year
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Cleared for good | Can grow back | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 19 ha | 363 ha | 381 ha |
| 2002 | 40 ha | 504 ha | 544 ha |
| 2003 | 15 ha | 532 ha | 547 ha |
| 2004 | 24 ha | 401 ha | 425 ha |
| 2005 | 101 ha | 2,960 ha | 3,060 ha |
| 2006 | 69 ha | 504 ha | 573 ha |
| 2007 | 90 ha | 1,090 ha | 1,180 ha |
| 2008 | 103 ha | 1,090 ha | 1,200 ha |
| 2009 | 71 ha | 708 ha | 779 ha |
| 2010 | 151 ha | 1,060 ha | 1,210 ha |
| 2011 | 69 ha | 1,280 ha | 1,350 ha |
| 2012 | 68 ha | 481 ha | 549 ha |
| 2013 | 62 ha | 336 ha | 398 ha |
| 2014 | 119 ha | 1,900 ha | 2,020 ha |
| 2015 | 47 ha | 521 ha | 568 ha |
| 2016 | 148 ha | 1,580 ha | 1,730 ha |
| 2017 | 100 ha | 1,410 ha | 1,510 ha |
| 2018 | 78 ha | 2,140 ha | 2,220 ha |
| 2019 | 69 ha | 780 ha | 849 ha |
| 2020 | 80 ha | 1,290 ha | 1,370 ha |
| 2021 | 55 ha | 896 ha | 951 ha |
| 2022 | 74 ha | 681 ha | 755 ha |
| 2023 | 77 ha | 1,060 ha | 1,130 ha |
| 2024 | 62 ha | 883 ha | 945 ha |
| 2025 | 46 ha | 876 ha | 922 ha |
Forest loss is slowing down: about 941 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 1,540 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2005, when about 3,060 hectares of forest were lost.
What is causing deforestation in Lesser Poland?
- Loggingcan grow back87% · 23,700 ha
- Towns and roadscleared for good4.9% · 1,320 ha
- Storms, floods and other natural causescan grow back2.7% · 732 ha
Also: mining and energy, farms, pasture and plantations, unknown causes.
Causes for 2025 are estimates, based on what caused forest loss in the same places up to 2024.
Source: Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA, Global Forest Change (GFC-2025-v1.13); causes: WRI/Google DeepMind drivers of forest loss; both CC BY 4.0, summed by Airleaf for each area. How it's measured
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