CREATIVE IDEAS TO A GREENER SERBIA

Well organized and developed civil society organizations are one of the main carriers of changes and implementation of all strategic and legal frameworks for the environment and climate change. The World Organization for Nature Protection, WWF Adria, gathered civil society organizations in Serbia through the project Actions of Serbia for a safe environment, nature and climate – Safe nature and climate with the aim of empowering them to point out environmental and other related problems in their local areas. environmental protection, all in order to have a healthier place to live.

The strategic grant program is a WWF project that lasts until 2025, and by the end of the project, a maximum of four more cycles will be announced. Anyone who meets the conditions can apply for a grant in the maximum amount of 18,000 euros. The program is designed so that one organization can apply in the following year with a continuation of the same project or with a different project, but so that the total amount of the grant in these three years does not exceed 40,000 euros. 95 applications from organizations from Serbia arrived at the First Competition. A total of 20 project proposals that touch on the issue of environmental protection in the broadest sense were shortlisted, and we present to you the 10 selected ones.

Association for Promotion and Ecological Marketing of Natural Values ​​- EKOMAR

The project Sustainability of reservoirs for water supply in Serbia in conditions of climate change aims to identify and present to the public the state and problems faced by reservoirs, especially emphasizing the shortcomings in the management and implementation of public policies governing this area.

Our world, our rules

The association from Vranje highlights the fact that in this city there is not a single official document, protocol or recommendation related to the prevention of the causes and consequences of climate change. The city either does not monitor the impacts of climate change on the environment, or monitors them, but not adequately. As they point out, because of this, they want to help create a strategic document that would deal with the consequences and causes of climate change, and thus make Vranje more resilient and healthier. Their goal is not only the creation of a public policy, i.e. of the strategic document, but also increased cross-sectoral cooperation with the aim of adequate policies and their practical application.

IN FOCUS:

Monitor

The general goal of this project, which is implemented by the MONITOR citizens’ association, is the improvement of local environmental protection policies in Novi Pazar in the period 2022-2030. through dialogue and active engagement of citizens in creating them. The implementation of the project will create a basis for eliminating the problem of the current lack of local environmental protection policy documents for the city, as well as for solving the issue of environmental threats in Novi Pazar. At the same time, it will help in establishing a dialogue between the public on the one hand and representatives of the local self-government on the other hand in assessing the state and needs of environmental security of all relevant actors.

Center for Education and Transparency – CETRA

From monitoring to participation – for better environmental policies of the city of Pancevo – is the name of the project with which CETRA intends to achieve several things. They want to enable Pancevo associations to better monitor, analyze and participate in the preparation and adoption of local regulations related to the protection of the right to healthy air, to educate young people and to remind the public of an important message about how important it is that local regulations related to by protecting the right to healthy air, they apply it through civic oversight and community interest.

Klub za UN

The idea of ​​the Sustainable Development Goals project as a shortcut for joining the EU is to answer the questions in a professional and practical way – why is it important to make a connection between the obligations from Agenda 2030 (COR) and the process of EU integration in the field of environmental protection and in what way possible to do. The answers to these questions will be found in the completed unique research, which will be created by engaged experts from these fields, and which will be made available to all citizens and stakeholders from this field. Representatives of civil society organizations from the Republic of Serbia, through planned educational workshops, will have the opportunity to learn how to monitor public policies and how to implement their advocacy activities in the field of environmental protection at the same time in the context of fulfilling obligations from Agenda 2030 and the EU integration process.

Natura Center for Natural Resources

Their focus is on designing a new regulatory framework in the public policy of the environment and mitigating climate change in the Republic of Serbia. The Advocacy of Non-Financial Reporting on Corporate Sustainability project, as a response of companies to the challenges of the climate and environmental crisis, aims to help the civil sector in the use of sustainability tools and indicators so that they can credibly participate in the creation of public policies of sustainable production in our economy.

Association of Citizens Join

Are we protecting nature with the project? they want to document the state of nature protection in the territory of the Municipality of Paraćin and the attitude of local institutions towards planned and declared protected areas in accordance with the Spatial Plan and the Law on Nature Protection. By obtaining this data, they would be able to propose the improvement of local policies in this area and, through a campaign, to acquaint the public with research findings and the consequences that human activities have on areas of special importance for nature protection. The result of the project will be the most detailed analysis/documentation of the state of nature protection in the Municipality of Paraćin with further improvement of the monitoring system of local policies.

Association of Private Forest Owners Bor

The From Forests to Forests project aims to contribute to the improvement of the state of forests in the local governments of Pčinj, Pirot and Južnobački districts. Private forests make up more than half of all forests in Serbia, and this is why the association believes that their voice should be heard. Their idea is to invite local governments to make the proposed solutions they offer become part of their public policies, so that every year they adequately invest money from the fund that belongs to them and which regularly flows into their budgets, and is of a dedicated nature.

Vizija citizens’ association

The Green Step project is implemented by the Vision Association from Pirot, whose main goal is to improve the protection and preservation of nature, biological, geological and landscape diversity on the territory of the Nature Park (future National Park) Stara planina. The project plans to improve cooperation between all interested parties in the preservation of this landscape in all four local governments in the territories of which Stara Planina Nature Park is located during 2023, as well as to motivate citizens to actively participate in the process of making decisions about protection of nature on the territory of the Nature Park.

Network for Rural Development of Serbia

The project aims to improve the development of rural areas of Serbia through increased ecological, climatic and social vitality of rural communities by creating a stimulating environment at the local and national level, as well as improving the capacity of the entire society for a modern approach in planning and implementing measures to support rural development. In addition to economic issues, they also take into account the need to solve social and environmental issues, primarily at the local level. All information about Strategic Grants will be available on the WWF Adria Serbia website and on social networks (Facebook and Instagram).

Prepared by: Milica Radičević

The text was published in the Magazine of the Energy Portal ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION.