This book offers a comprehensive exploration of the struggle against smog in Małopolska, a province in the EU member state Poland. Although there is extensive literature on pollution, the perspective offered by the social sciences is rarely used to address this critical issue. 
Pursuing a socio-legal approach, the book examines the social and political processes behind the implementation of parts of the EU’s anti-air pollution policies and regulations. The case of Małopolska is particularly interesting for two reasons. First, because the region – and its capital, Kraków – were once confronted with severe smog, which led to the premature deaths of thousands of citizens. Despite the tremendous scale of the problem, public awareness remained surprisingly low. Second, because in the 2010s, a massive social movement emerged that pressured the local government to introduce two pioneering measures: a total ban on coal and wood heating in Kraków, and a gradual ban on inefficient furnaces in the rest of the region. 
The book provides a detailed account of these processes and assesses the effectiveness of the attendant measures, thereby contributing to the broader literature on effective tools for cleaner air. It offers a valuable resource for anyone interested in addressing complex societal challenges through the law, and for all agencies involved in combating environmental issues, especially through the social sciences insights it shares.

Mateusz Klinowski (PhD) is a lawyer and philosopher at the Jagiellonian University. His work focuses on public policy, democracy, and civil rights. He has also served in local government, having been elected four times as a councillor of the City of Wadowice and serving as mayor from 2014 to 2018. He is active as a science communicator and citizen journalist, and has co founded civic and municipal initiatives in participatory governance, the energy transition, public transport, and clean air.

Mateusz Stępień is a legal sociologist at the Jagiellonian University and head of the Chair of Sociology of Law. He works at the intersection of law, public policy, and cultural anthropology, and has conducted empirical research on a wide range of legal issues. He is the author and co author of several English language publications, including the books: Judges, Decision Making and Empathy: Insights from the Bench (Routledge) and Courtroom Power Distance Dynamics (Springer).