2024
Name of the project: Climate Forum
Network: Climate Forum
Lead partner: Environment Improvement Center
Partner organizations on the project: The Center for Development of Non-formal Education – CRNOG (Belgrade), Citizens Association Klima 101 (Belgrade), Citizens Association GM Optimist (Gornji Milanovac)
Project duration: June –December 2024
The goal of the “Climate Forum” project is to enable conditions for work continuity of the Climate Forum network, regarding climate change and decarbonization reforms within monitoring of Chapter 27 as part of the Cluster 4, by participating in public debates and consultative processes related to the adoption of public policies related to climate change and decarbonization. Project implementation will also empower citizens to get involved in the implementation of policies and measures in the areas of climate change and decarbonization, by realization of planned “Little Schools of Climate Change” for pupils of several primary schools in Gornji Milanovac and Belgrade, panel discussion on the topic of the climate change, as well as audio, video podcasts and interviews with scientists dealing with climate change issues.
Active involvement of the Climate Forum in the process of implementing EU acquis will contribute to environmental reforms in the Republic of Serbia.
Name of the project: Forests without fires
Lead partner: Volunteer Fire Department (VFD), Kraljevo
Network: City Fire Brigade Kraljevo
Partner organizations on the project: VFD Studenica, VFD Kamenica, VFD Bukovica, VFD Mataruška Banja
Project duration: June – December 2024
The project “Forests without fires” aims to strengthen professional and technical capacities of the voluntary firefighter network in Kraljevo for more efficient action and prevention of forest fires, by implementing practical fire drills, conducting fire prevention training for new members, as well as by implementing the planned volunteer activity of building water tanks in an area with a high risk of forest fires.
By organizing environmental actions for young people, by marking informational and educational forest trails in the vicinity of Kraljevo, level of importance regarding forest fire protection and volunteerism among youth shall be increased.
The project will contribute to the forest’s protection from fires and its biodiversity, as well as improving the cooperation of voluntary firefighting societies from the region with the relevant ministry to advocate the introduction of forest fire protection measures in national strategic documents.
Project name: Pesticide packaging for recycling
Network: Econet
Lead partner: Forum of civil action FORCA, Požega
Partner organizations on the project: Educational centre Kruševac (Kruševac), Educational centre Sombor (Sombor), TOC – Association for sustainable communities’ development (Zaječar), Family center (Knjaževac)
Project duration: July–December 2024
The project “Pesticide packaging for recycling” focuses on establishing a sustainable management system for pesticide packaging waste in 4 municipalities replicating pilot project from Požega, organizing the collection of packaging waste and making recommendations for improving public policies in 4 municipalities. The project will also contribute to raising citizens’ awareness of the importance of proper pesticide waste management, as well as strengthening the network for dealing with pesticide waste management problems.
Name of the project: Women United: Women’s Network for Nature and Environmental Protection
Network: Women’s Network for Nature and Environmental Protection
Lead partner: POLEKOL (Beograd)
Partners in the project: Association for forest protection (Novi Sad), Green wave (Čačak)
Project duration: June–December 2024
The “Women United” project aims to improve the competencies of activists, members of civil society organizations, as well as experts in the field of environmental protection in order to participate in advocacy processes to create more adequate conditions for the implementation of public policies and EU standards. By organizing a seminar on the topic of financing and management of protected areas with a gender perspective and drafting proposals for the improvement of public policies, support for women and influence of women in the field of nature and environmental protection will be increased.
Throughout the implementation of project activities, it is planned to increase the visibility of women’s participation in nature protection and environmental protection activities.
Project name: One windbreak – multiple protection
Network: Afforest Vojvodina
Lead partner: Nature Conservation Movement of Novi Sad
Partners in the project: Children’s Ecological Academy Association (Novi Sad), Sova Rural Center (Sremska Mitrovica)
Project duration: June–December 2024
The project “One windbreak – multiple protection” focuses on raising awareness of the residents of Vojvodina about the importance of protecting forests and raising forest belts in order to protect existing forests and increase afforestation in Vojvodina.
The project will contribute to strengthening the capacity of the network “Afforest Vojvodina”, increasing its visibility, as well as increasing the interest of young people, agricultural landowners and representatives of local self-governments to protect forests and to plant wind protection belts.
By realizing the planned educational activities, as well as the action of planting the wind protection belt in Vojvodina, cooperation with citizens, young people and local self-governments will be established to address the problem of afforestation in Vojvodina.
Project title: Nature helps us turn over a new leaf – Cooperation instead of borders
Network: Citizens for nature
Lead partner: PROACTIVE, Niš
Partner organizations on the project: Society for Environmental Protection Stara Planina (Pirot), GEA (Pirot), Citizen’s Association Zvono (Pirot)
Project duration: June–December 2024
“Nature helps us turn over a new leaf – Cooperation instead of borders ” is a project of the Citizens for Nature Network launched with the aim of establishing a joint management model in the cross-border region of Stara Planina.
By developing new mechanisms for public participation in environmental decision-making processes at the local and national level, as well as new models of civil supervision regarding the implementation of policies and practices in the field of nature protection, this project will contribute to the decentralization of environmental protection policies through inclusion of the public in the decision-making process.
The implementation of the project activities will contribute to raising public awareness of the benefits of cross-border management of protected areas, as well as improving the organizational structure and visibility of the network and strengthening its capacities for advocating the implementation of Natura 2000 policies.
Name of the project: Citizens clean air
Network: RAŠ Omorika
Lead partner: UNEKOOP (Paraćin)
Partners in the project: Association of Private Forest Owners “BOR”, Užice
Project duration: June–December 2024
Improving the conditions for reducing air pollution caused by individual fireplaces that use firewood as an energy source is the focus of the “Citizens Clean Air” project, implemented by the Network RAŠ Omorika. The project researches the efficiency of firewood consumption in households, especially considering the sensitivity of households where only women live. Advocacy activities will focus on the introduction of mandatory allocation of funds for socially vulnerable citizens as part of subsidized measures to improve the energy efficiency of households.
As part of the project, a campaign to inform the public and raise citizens’ awareness will be carried out to promote joint action for improving air quality in Serbia, along with educational and informative events.
Name of the project: New technologies in the service of public health
Network: EcoBlock
Leading partner: iRevolucija (Valjevo)
Partner organizations on the project: Centre for sustainable development of Serbia – CORS (Beograd), Eco Barajevo (Beograd), Tim42 (Leskovac), National Ecological Association – NEA (Belgrade)
Project duration: June–November 2024
The focus of the project “New technologies in the service of public health” is on the use of new technologies in the public health system of Serbia in order to reduce the risk to the health of the population due to air pollution, which will be contributed to by the assessment of the impact of air pollution on the health of the residents of Valjevo, Leskovac and Novi Pazar. The results of this research will be presented during the Climathon event, where workshops will also be organized for representatives of health institutions. During the implementation of the project, the implementation of air quality applications on local portals in Leskovac and Novi Pazar, as well as the strengthening of media portals in Valjevo, is planned.
Making recommendations and establishing cooperation with decision-makers at the local level will have an impact on the work of the Health Council at local self-government units in the area of the impact of air quality on citizens’ health.
Name of the project: Safe steps to sustainable use of resources in NP “Golija” – SKOK
Network: Network of CSOs for sustainable development and sustainable agriculture
Lead partner: Ibar Development Association (IDA), Kraljevo
Partner organizations on the project: Udruženje rudnjaskih domaćina (Rudno, Kraljevo), Eko centar (Belgrade), Ecological movement Ibar (Kraljevo)
Project duration: June–December 2024
A platform for sectoral cooperation of civil society and a harmonized model for the participation of civil society organizations in the Council for the Management of the Nature Park “Golija” will be established through the implementation of the “SKOK” project, which will contribute to the implementation of the reform in the field of environmental protection through the sustainable management of National Park Golija. In addition, it is planned to improve the organizational capacities of the network and the civil society organizations from National Park “Golija” to actively participate in the management of the area.
The established model of cooperation between the management of National Park “Golija” and CSOs from this area will ensure an active role of CSOs and citizens in the processes of planning, implementation and monitoring of sustainable development.
Project name: The Power of Change for a Green Future
Network: Green Chair
Lead partner: Center of Modern Skills (Belgrade)
Partner organizations on the project: Aarhus Center Novi Sad (Novi Sad), The Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society – BFPE (Belgrade), Environmental Ambassadors for Sustainable Development (Belgrade)
Project duration: June–December 2024
The project “The Power of change for a green future” contributes to greater involvement of young people, decision-makers, and relevant actors in environmental protection at the local and national levels. By informing the members of the Committee for Environmental Protection in the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia about the key aspects regarding European directives and trends in the field of environmental protection and the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, the available mechanisms for citizens’ participation in the decision-making process, it will contribute to the renewal of the Green Chair mechanism in the work of the Committee. Activities are planned to increase the visibility of the network and improve the capacity of network members in the field of gender equality.
The implementation of the project will also create a mechanism for the involvement of young people in solving environmental problems at the local level and ensuring greater visibility of the Green Chair network among citizens and relevant actors.