The eleventh Regional Conference Environment to Europe ENE15 – ENV.net “EU Environmental Horizontal Legislation: Methods, Standards and Tools” was held today in the Serbian Chamber of Commerce.
Environmental Ambassadors for Sustainable Development, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia and Public Policy Institute have organised this conference within the celebration of the World Environment Day (UNEP) and European Sustainable Development Week (ESDW). This scientific gathering with 170 registered participants was opened with introductory speeches by Irene Vojáčková – Sollorano, United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Richard MÁŠA, First Secretary and Head of Operations III Section of the Delegation of the EU to the Republic of Serbia, Dejan Lekić, Deputy Director of the Serbian Environmental Protection Agency, Miroslav Miletić, Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, Aleksandar Dragišić, Head of the Institute for nature conservation of Serbia, Olja Jovičić, Assistant Secretary General of the Administrative and Technical Service of the Protector of Citizens, and prof. Anđelka Mihajlov, Environmental Ambassador for Sustainable Development and member of the Public Policy Institute.
The conference was supported by UN Environment Programme (UNEP) as one of the official events that commemorates World Environment Day and represents support to environment sector in Serbia’s EU accession process. It is also part of the project Development of the ENV.net in West Balkan and Turkey: giving citizens a voice to influence the environmental process reforms for closer EU integration.
Panel on Media in Environment to Europe Process was also held as the part of the conference. Velimir Ćurgus, director of Media Archive Ebart presented the analysis of press and news programs of national televisions by keywords “environment”, “ecology” and “climate change”. The research shows that these topics are becoming less represented in media; 2015 was the year with record low media interest for the topic. The exception is year 2014, when media reported about catastrophic floods, which were linked to climate change.
The research also showed that citizens and other actors have very highly developed awareness about the need to protect environment, but the level of practical effort is very low. During the period 2009 – 2014, between 25% and 42% of citizens (depends on a particular year) were ready to change their habits.
Environment sector is on the stable 8th-9th place on a citizens’ priority list. It seems that the citizens are aware how important for EU is the environment sector, because 25% – 42% of them have heard that EU finances projects in Serbia in this field.
According to UN research “Serbia We Want” 72.9% of citizens would donate part of their income if they were sure that the money would be used to prevent pollution; 37.7% thinks that the awareness campaigns in media should be organized.
Anđelka Mihajlov emphasized that the education has key role in raising awareness. “Citizens and other actors have very highly developed awareness about the need to protect environment, but the level of practical effort is very low. During the period 2009 – 2014, between 25% and 42% of citizens were ready to change their habits. This conference contributes to increased influence of citizens on reform process in environment sector as a support to EU accession process. Public participation in decision making process regarding environment is one of the pillars of sustainability of solution” – said Mihajlov.
The conference asserted that the EU is the most educated and the healthiest community on the planet, which continues to be the leader of sustainable future and helps Serbia to overcome system challenges in environment sector during the EU accession process. Chapter 27 is one of the most demanding, and that shouldn’t be overlooked. Environment is important for both EU and citizens of Serbia, and all levels of government should be involved in EU integrations; the special attention should be devoted to sustainable development of cities.
“Experts exist in Serbia, and one of the goals of this conference is to gather and present our viewpoints. This conference is special opportunity for young people. Many of the renowned experts began their careers a decade ago by presenting their papers on this conference” - concluded Mihajlov.
The conference proceedings can be downloaded HERE.
