Toward Preserving Nature

The Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning has launched a broad-based social drive dubbed Očistimo Srbiju (Let’s Cleanse Serbia). Issues such as promoting health and raising environmental awareness were at the top of the list during a discussion Minister for the Environment and Spatial Planning Oliver Dulić.

By Zlatica Ivković

The activities of the planet’s ever-growing human population are causing serious environmental problems and are potentially disturbing the balance of the biosphere. The destruction of forests continues unabated, even as the air and waters are ruthlessly polluted, creating a serious threat to future life on Earth. Still, it appears that people have begun to appreciate the importance of taking responsibility for the planet’s fate. We have identified the major environmental issues and are trying to find ways to deal with them.

The Earth is a single, living, self-sustaining organism subject to self-regulation and organisation. These are the main premises of the Gaia Theory, as developed and proposed in 1979 by independent British scientist James Lovelock and American biologist Lynn Margulis. Ecology, as a science, is committed to exploring the relationships that members of the living world maintain with their environment as well as with one another. Also, in a broader sense, it entails a heightened level of awareness among humans regarding the need to adjust attitudes towards nature. It embraces the importance of environmental preservation and protection, which have since become universally accepted.

Mr. Dulić, the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning has launched a broad-based social drive dubbed Očistimo Srbiju (Let’s Cleanse Serbia). In brief, what does this drive entail and what are its priorities?

– In the preceding years, perhaps even decades, the system of waste management has been almost totally neglected. As a consequence, we now know that every citizen of Serbia accounts for some 280 kilograms of waste annually and that the waste disposal services collects only half of this amount while the rest ends up in illegal waste dumps, by roadways and in river beds. The mind-blowing fact is that there are nearly 4,500 such dump sites in Serbia! Many of them are just metres from the nearest living quarters and pose a hazard to the health of the people and threaten water quality. We are also encountering the problem of dumping industrial and hazardous waste materials. It was precisely for this reason that the Ministry launched the Let’s Cleanse Serbia drive aimed at elevating the level of people’s awareness regarding the need to protect the environment, remove illegal waste dumps, develop eco-industry, transform public communal public companies and enact corresponding legislation to implement the set goals.

The Law on Air Protection and the amendments to the Law on Environmental Protection constitute the environmental legislation package designed to regulate social responsibility of major polluters. In addition to mere violations, this legislation also defines criminal liability. In your view, when would it be feasible to expect this legislation to take root in practice, especially the section pertaining to chemical, or so-called hazardous, waste?

– One of the ways to bring order in the area of waste management, especially as regards dangerous and industrial waste, is to introduce fines for violations – which are increased many times over in the new bill. The latest example in the case of the Zvezda Helios company makes it clear that the Ministry will be unforgiving towards those who poison the environment in Serbia and threaten the health of our population. Last year alone, we brought as many as 30 misdemeanor charges against polluters.

Apart from your Ministry, this drive will be joined by local self-governments, economic representatives, non-governmental organisations, media... as well as the country’s entire population. In concrete terms, what is being done in the way of educating people, that is, in raising environmental awareness in individuals?

– We are conscious that merely removing illegal waste dumps and passing legislation without changing people’s awareness about the consequences of a lack of care for the environment would not be enough to maintain a cleaner Serbia once the cleansing drive is complete. For this reason, we intend to launch an intensive educational campaign that will be joined by the media, the non-governmental sector, schools, festivals and events organisers, and, hopefully, everyone in this country. I can proudly boast that this year both the EXIT and Guča festivals will be branded by the Let’s Cleanse Serbia drive. Also, together with the Ministry of Education, we have started introducing a third compulsory subject of choice in elementary schools. We expect this initiative to be completed in the 2009/2010 school year. In this way, we hope to introduce into the educational system care for the environment and an improved understanding of its problems.

Despite contradictory views of geologists and water experts, Serbia is not a country overly wealthy in water. However, it does have natural mineral resources such as few countries can boast. What concretely is being done to protect waters and develop spa tourism in Serbia?

– What is needed is to properly define and implement adopted legislation in this particular area and start educating people about the problems involved in underground water protection. Realisation of the Protection of Underground Waters Resources of Serbia project is currently underway with which we hope to ascertain the present situation as regards the quality of underground waters and the degree of their pollution. We will note existing and potential polluters, undertake measures aimed at protecting and remedying the contaminated underground waters and geological environment. Parallel to that, it is important to evaluate and analyse corresponding European Union regulations so as to effect harmonisation in this respect.

Global warming, the greenhouse effect, ozone holes, acid rain… in brief, a threatened planet has unfortunately become our reality. Serbia has this year for the first time joined the Hour of the Planet drive intended to save power and thus contribute to combating climate change. Are there any other plans on the international level that call for our participation?

– Participation of the Republic of Serbia in negotiations that will hopefully produce new agreements or amendments to the existing Kyoto Protocol is one of the single most important international activities conducive to alleviating climatic change. The Ministry has launched a series of activities designed to enhance capacities and raise awareness of the climatic changes and their impact on sustainable development on Earth. For the same reason, Serbia has set up a Climatic Changes Centre at its Hydro-Meteorological Service. The Centre also serves as the Sub-Regional Climate Centre for Southeastern Europe. We have also opened activities in cooperation with other Ministries with a view towards meeting obligations stemming from the Convention.

How do you see the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change view that the melting of polar ice and glaciers, as a result of global warming, may elevate sea levels worldwide and submerge coastal areas in many countries?

– The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change represents the basis for talks on obligations in the post-Kyoto Protocol period, that is after 2012. As the projected climatic changes could invite significant consequences to sustainable growth -- and Serbia is located in a region already affected by climatic changes -- the struggle to adjust to altered climatic conditions is also of relevance, in addition to struggling to combat climatic changes. The Ministry has been active in this respect too.

Ecological tourism, a type of tourism that emphasizes care for the environment, implies a complex form of tourism offering resistance to globalisation and putting local communities in the forefront. What can Serbia offer these tourists?

– I believe that Serbia has a large number of areas and places –I imply natural reserves – suitable to cultivate ecotourism. Naturally, ecotourism need not be restricted to the protected area alone. There are many places that do not enjoy institutionalised protection where nature has been preserved and where the local population, assisted by local administrations and the state government, affords development of ecotourism. Ecotourism is very closely affiliated with so-called adventure travel, and those inclined towards it may find the caves, cliffs, gorges and other natural wonders in our country attractive.

Does the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning cooperate with other ministries with a view to protecting Serbia’s ecosystems that boast pristine nature, health food, variegated landscapes...?

– All the ministries maintain cooperation, and that is also the case between our Ministry and the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development, which is also in charge of the tourist industry. I would like to point out the very cooperative role played by the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development as regards working out and tabling a set of ecological bills, as well as enacting government-issued regulations that decree protected areas or adopt their management documents. Also, the financial support from the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development to tourist industry projects should not be thought of lightly. Some 6.2 percent of Serbia’s territory is under institutional protection. We are strategically committed to increase the percentage of the protected areas in Serbia to between and 10 and 12 percent.

And finally, what message would you send to our readers; how can they, too, contribute to protecting the environment and save the seriously threatened future life on the Earth?

– I call on everyone to join the Let’s Cleanse Serbia drive and in this way contribute to dealing with the amassed ecological problems. This contribution will not be small because each one of us merely need change their attitude towards waste, replace ordinary bulbs with power-saving light bulbs, prefer biodegradable bags or take an unusable electrical appliance for recycling – and things would look better.

I would like to wish all foreign guests a pleasant stay in Serbia and hope they will see for themselves why we feel so proud of the natural beauty of our country.