Green Serbia 2020

GREEN SERBIA 2020 HOME AND WORK ENVIRONMENTS PLAYS A FUNDAMENTAL ROLE IN OUR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH

Goran Trivan, Serbian Minister of Environmental Protection ● H.E. Sem Fabrizi, Ambassador of the European Union to Serbia ● H.E. Jan Lundin, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to the Republic of Serbia ● Francine Pickup, UNDP Resident Representative to Serbia ● Nikos Zois, Managing Director of HEINEKEN Srbija ● Nevena Čolić Mohora, Director at MITECO Kneževac ● Zorica Bilić, Country Coordinator, Open Regional Funds for Southeast Europe - Modernisation of Municipal Services, GIZ GmbH ● Maja Živković, Managing Director, and Maja Muškinja, Logistics and Environmental Manager, Steel Impex ● Žarko Miljanić, B.Sc. EE, Green Wall Plus

INTERVIEW

We Talk Loudly About All Environmental Issues We are determined in our intentions to systematically and consistently resolve environmental issues and participate actively in all regional and global activities that contribute to resolving climate challenges.

The current pandemic has only led to us determining that we've been messing dangerously with planet Earth

the environment, which has a direct impact on our health,” says Minister Trivan. “Warnings are being issued almost worldwide that economic recovery following the pandemic cannot be separated from the climate and environmental issues. We hear messages and calls, emanating from both the UN’s highest representatives to the governments of all countries - to withhold financial assistance to industries that destroy the planet and to target economic solutions to climate change - and from the world’s environmental organisations, calling for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to be amended to include the (universal) right to a healthy natural environment, upon which man and all life on Earth depend”.

GORAN TRIVAN, SERBIAN MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

» Will humanity end its self-destruction and provide an opportunity for recovery and progress, relying on innovative technologies, a green economy and environmental protection?

- “The coming months will show whether we, as a civilisation, have stepped into a healthier, better and more humane future. Experience tells me that, as a civilisation, we haven’t been glorious in drawing lessons from the mistakes we’ve made...,” says CorD’s interlocutor.

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t the time of this global pandemic, the human health issue of the Covid virus has ensured the issue of the planet’s health is more relevant than ever, says Goran Trivan, Minister of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia. “A simple truth has resounded – that we need a healthy planet in order for us to also be healthy. And a harsh pandemic has stripped bare the fact that everything on planet Earth is connected, and that a problem in any part of the planet can quickly become a problem for the whole world,” says our interlocutor.

“We’ve alienated ourselves from planet Earth. We “pay” for the advancement of our civilisation, which has been dependent on fossil fuel technologies and energy over the last two hundred years, through increasing pollution and the concentration of greenhouse gases, with long-term effects on climate, biodiversity and

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» After several alarming news items about the level of pollution in various urban and industrial centres of Serbia, citizens began monitoring the air quality on a daily basis. What does your ministry intend to do to ensure citizens are provided with truthful and timely information?

- From the first day of the founding of the Ministry, we’ve been speaking publicly about all environmental problems, raising the attention of the general public, given that citizens have the right to

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know what kind of environment they live in, and with an awareness that we will not be able to preserve and improve the environment without the help of the media, civil society and citizens. Testifying to the fact that we’ve succeeded in that is the raising and constant presence of the topic of the importance of environmental protection among the public and in the media.

The solution to air pollution caused by the thermal power and industrial sectors, city heating plants, especially individual boiler rooms and transport, is in the removal of the causative agent and that’s a multi-sector job. Bearing witness to this is the composition and activities of the Working Group for Air Protection, which was set up by the Government of Serbia.

However, the Ministry has certainly already taken measures within its jurisdiction: we are preparing an Air Strategy together with international organisations; we are providing subsidies for the purchase of electric and hybrid vehicles; we have forested 281 hectares in local municipalities, assisted municipalities in the development and implementation of air quality plans, increased allocations for monitoring air quality and opened two new measuring stations, as well as conducting 177 oversight inspections and the control of pollutants over the last two years, submitting reports for infractions and economic misconduct. Alongside all of this, the Ministry proposes: subsidising the installation of LPG or KPG devices in 100,000 used cars and 10% of public transport vehicles, connecting district heating and gas pipeline facilities, replacing individual boilers with heat pumps that use petro-geothermal energy and groundwater for 150,000 households, the production and installation of filters for the purification of gases emitted from individual combustion plants, banning import of vehicles with euro 3 and 4 engines.

It is important to reiterate that air quality data at all measuring

as the most efficient and simplest way to mitigate climate change.

Serbia has begun making changes in the environment, is determined to effectively address environmental issues through systematic and consistent measures, and is engaged actively in all regional and global activities that contribute to resolving climate challenges.

We have drafted a number of projects, prepared ourselves for the “Serbia 2025” Investment Plan, which also envisages investments in the field of wastewater, sent a negotiating position to Brussels for Chapter 27, finalised and submitted for procedures the Draft Law on Climate Change. In the capacity of vice-presidents, we participate in the work of UNEA -5 and COP-26, and the Ministerial Conference of South and Southeast European Countries was held in Belgrade, which had regional and international significance in seeking solutions to

The Ministry is active both in the legislative field and in creating specific prerequisites for improving the environment in Serbia, such as afforestation points are available to the public at all times, but that in these new circumstances, all authorities – from local to national – must inform the public in different ways. It is important that health institutions publicly advise citizens on how to behave. Every local government must have plans on how to deal with the problem of pollutants and how to react in such situations - how to regulate traffic, what vehicles are allowed to be on the streets and which aren’t, what citizens should do to protect their health etc.

environmental problems.

There is no doubt that the new European Commission and its first priority – the historic Green Deal – is also of key importance to us.

» To your knowledge, how many companies are involved in CSR activities aimed at protecting the environment and how does the Ministry cooperate with them?

- The Ministry cooperates actively with all companies that demonstrate socially responsible behaviour and operate in ways that protect the environment, particularly in reducing or eliminating pollution and switching to clean technologies. It is important when making strategic decisions that an increasing number of companies carry out environmental impact assessments and anticipate measures to prevent or mitigate adverse impacts. In accordance with Chapter 27, the implementation of which awaits us in the process of European integration, companies are directed to align their production and operations with environmental requirements, in order to compete on the European and world markets and to protect the environment.

» Early March saw the launch of a major afforestation programme for Serbia. How many trees do we need and in which ways are we involved in the European process of creating a green continent?

- With the planned launch of a large afforestation action with “Exit”, Serbia may have the ambition to increase its level of forestation to 40 per cent and to initiate the extending of this activity to the region,

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PANDEMIC, CLIMATE CHANGE AND EU ENGAGEMENT IN THE REGION

After The Crisis, The Time Will Come To Rebuild Better The Covid-19 crisis further emphasises the importance of the Western Balkans' embracing values set by the European Green Deal, and making a shift in its economic model towards the principles of the circular economy and new pathways to job creation.

It is with this in mind that the EU has invested around 400 million euros in environment sector so far in supporting Serbia over the past 19 years

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e welcomed this year’s Earth Day in our homes, isolated and worried about how our world will look following the Covid-19 crisis. There is, however, some certainty: we will, more than ever, need a healthy planet with healthy people.

While we are suffering and mourning our losses, this crisis is testing the limits of our system. After the crisis, the time will come to rebuild better. A new Ipsos poll conducted in 14 countries shows support for government actions to prioritise climate change in post-Covid-19 economic recovery, with 65% agreeing that this is important. Now, perhaps more than ever, is the time for ambitious plans.

The European Green Deal, which aims to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, will set out actions in the fields of climate, energy, the circular economy, construction, mobility, agriculture, sustainable

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EU PROJECT "IPA VISIBILITY AND COMMUNICATION"

food chains, biodiversity and de-pollution.

The engagement of the Western Balkans I achieving these goals will help the economy and create jobs.

Carbon reduction commitments, based on a clean energy supply and smart mobility solutions, are in the best interest of the citizens of the region, especially younger generations, as is the energy efficiency of buildings and industrial plants.

A complete paradigm shift is needed in the region’s economic development model, integrating circular economy principles, where the use of natural resources is reduced and recycling and reuse are improved. There is a huge opportunity for the Western Balkans to take a step forward to innovative green technologies.

The region faces waste management challenges, with more waste to manage, pac-

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kaging, demolition and construction waste, but low recycling. Few waste management facilities meet modern standards, and most of the waste ends up in illegal dumps or unsanitary landfills. The region faces an urgent need to improve waste collection and separation, and to increase industrial recycling.

Air pollution affects both the public health and the economies of the region and beyond. The main causes are known: outdated energy production methods, household and small unit heating, transport... Recent studies show that the percentage of deaths due to air pollution is higher in the Western Balkans than in the EU. This is linked to 16 coal power plants operating in the region, which pollute more than 250 coal plants operating in the EU. Indoor smoking and related health risks create an additional burden.

The Western Balkans’ biodiversity and

habitats are unique in Europe and shelter a large number of endangered species. The future is in protecting these ecosystems while promoting green economic activities. As the region’s economic growth makes headway, its biodiversity and habitats need to be actively encouraged and restored.

According to Sem Fabrizi, Ambassador of the European Union to Serbia, “all of our projects are designed and implemented to achieve a positive impact on the environment and citizen’s quality of life. In Serbia, over the past 19 years, the EU has invested around 400 million euros in environmental protection. We are talking of grants and not loans.”

On 21st January 2020, the Government adopted the Negotiating Position for Chapter 27, as the result of a colossal three-year work, continuously supported by the EU and its member states, such as Sweden. This document officially recognises many key policy decisions, prepared implementation plans for EU Directives and a Multi-annual Investment and Financing Plan. Key for Serbia are adoption of the climate law and strategy and revision of the Nationally Determined Contributions, with the notable support of the UNDP. In the sector of air quality, the EU has installed 28 automatic monitoring stations and will invest in more. We financed an ash disposal system and filtration system at Nikola Tesla power plant, and in Obrenovac

nanced a regional landfill that serves nine municipalities, which can treat 80 tonnes of waste, resulting in reduced threats to the environment and public health. In Šabac, the EU has invested in waste removal and disposal, wastewater treatment and a flood defence system. We’ve also helped to develop a management system for hazardous medical waste at the national level.

When it comes to water management, Serbia is in dire need of investment. The EU has supported the construction of wastewater

EU PROJECT "EUINFONET"

“We need to protect, restore and fund the green recovery and transition, for the sake of the health and well-being of all citizens” ~ Sem Fabrizi, Ambassador of the European Union to Serbia emissions of matter particulates into the air was reduced as much as sixfold. In February 2020, when air pollution in Serbia exceeded all prescribed levels, the EU offered support and advice to Serbia, coordinating its actions with the international community, and hosting public and TV debates. The first national Air quality strategy is under preparation.

In Subotica, the EU has built a modern Regional Waste Management Centre worth over 20 million euros. In Duboko we co-fi-

Serbia, 89 habitat types, 150 animal species from the Habitats Directive annexes, and 116 bird species from the Annex I of the Birds Directive have been found.

The EU is raising awareness of environmental issues with all stakeholders, and engaging citizens by urging them to be agents of change through campaigns such as “Look around, Let’s Move”, the tree planting campaign launched with the EXIT Foundation, support for Green Fest and others, and the organisation of public discussions and de-

treatment plants in Subotica, Šabac, Leskovac, Kula and Vrbas, as well as the upgrading of water supply systems in Požarevac, Inđija and many other places. The first ever River Basin Management Plan for Serbia is currently being prepared by a pool of national and international experts.

The EU supports the protection of biodiversity through its Natura 2000 project, to protect core areas for species or habitat types listed in the Habitats and Birds Directives. In

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bates. Taking environmental actions and adopting small changes can create huge collective change! The EU Delegation also has its own Green plan: reduce the use of paper and electricity, refrain from using single-use plastic etc.

To quote EU Delegation Head Fabrizi: “Together with the government, civil society, and the public and private sectors, we will continue to raise citizens’ environmental awareness. We will not stop investing for the benefit of Serbian citizens. We need to protect, restore, and fund the green recovery and transition, for the sake of the health and well-being of all citizens.”

For more information, visit: Europa.rs, Euinfocentar.rs, Euzatebe.rs, Exitfondacija. org/treezone, pogledajokosebe.rs,

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CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Trends Expected In 2020

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he year 2019 was action-packed in terms of CSR. With the companies taking a proactive interest in improving their CSR practices, and the government encouraging them by bringing in various amendments in the CSR Act, it is being predicted that 2020 will be even more dynamic for CSR. Following are five trends that can be expected in CSR in 2020.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an important buzz word in the business world. The practice of CSR has evolved and matured over time. CSR now includes strategic philanthropy, employee volunteerism, cause marketing, disaster response, peer-to-peer fundraising, non-profit board service, and even incorporating social responsibility into core business practices and offerings

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FOCUS ON ESG (ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE) More and more people are getting aware of their carbon and social footprint. And while they may not be able to indulge themselves entirely in activism, they certainly prefer to associate with brands that have a good ethical standing in terms of their ESG impact. ESG investment thus is no more only a philanthropic activity. It is more of a business feature that is a must-have for the brands if they want to sustain in the competitive market.

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more transparency in the CSR projects of a company. Thus, there will be introspection on how 5G, AI, Blockchain Technology, etc. can be used to improve transparency in systems.

Therefore, the companies will need to provide a transparent roadmap of activities and progress. All this will help drive collective impact.

Thus, in the year 2020, the rise in ESG investments is certain.

Climate change crisis is at its peak at present. The global community, especially the millennials, are calling for serious climate action from the businesses. In 2019, we saw several climate action movements, including the Climate Strike at the UN. Such movements have compelled the business community as well as the governments to embrace renewable energy and reduce emissions. For example, in India, Cochin Airport became the world’s first completely solar-powered airport. Japan is leading in producing cars that use hydrogen fuel, which leaves behind only water vapour in the form of emissions. In the U.S.,

EMPLOYEES ACTIVISM Various studies have shown that employees prefer to work for companies that believe in a cause or has a purpose. Numerous other studies have also demonstrated that indulging employees in volunteer work for a social cause helps in getting job satisfaction and Instead of just doing philanthropic work, the companies will step improve their retention. forward to have a holistic CSR strategy that will be impactful and In 2019, we saw that employees of sustainable popular brands such as amazon, lush, etc., participating in Climate Strike, Pride Week, and so on. In 2020, this trend is set to increase as the state of California has passed a solar mandate, according to more number of young people enter the workforce. which new construction homes are required to have a Photovoltaic solar system as an electricity source from January 1, 2020.

FOCUS ON IMPACT Such examples and policies across the world are set to inActions speak louder than words. This is why the consequences spire more investment in developing, adopting and promoting of the actions count more than the intent behind it, especially renewable energy. in the eyes of the critical young generation. This is why the investors in the coming year will focus more on the impact of TRANSPARENCY IN PROCESSES their CSR project than on the intent. Thus, instead of just doing Digitalisation has reduced the cases of corruption and increased philanthropic work, the companies will step forward to have a transparency in the processes. This includes processes in CSR. holistic CSR strategy which will be impactful and sustainable.

The rising awareness among consumers will create a demand for

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INTERVIEW

This is How We Cook The Change!

Within our UNDP project Climate Smart Bio-waste Challenge, we want to pave the way for a larger and climate smart waste reform in Serbia. We are looking forward to receiving innovative business ideas for reducing food and green waste H.E. JAN LUNDIN, AMBASSADOR OF SWEDEN TO THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

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journey to a sustainable future leads through many exciting initiatives and encompasses literary everybody interested in contributing to a better world, with less waste and a cleaner environment.

The Swedish involvement in the Western Balkans shows how you can start from culinary challenges and progress to potentially large scale innovations, leading to a clean and healthy environment.

» How has the Swedish Embassy engaged in food and sustainability issues?

- Food is on our plate and in our minds every day! It connects many parts of life, nature, society and the economy, and is an excellent way to discuss Agenda 2030! When I was the new ambassador in 2017, the idea emerged to produce a sustainable cookbook, Swedish Culinary Diplomacy, with cooking experiences from the Swedish Ambassadorial Residence.

This soon turned into a regional project called Food for Tomorrow, where five countries in the Western Balkans and Sweden exchanged experiences on sustainable food production!

Food lovers and entrepreneurs from the region made more than 15 different events.

With an online challenge, we gathered 700 participants from 75 countries, inventing the most sustainable recipes that now included waste and food produced locally. The next step on our food journey was to shift the focus to food consumption. We engaged students and

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food entrepreneurs in challenges to reduce food wastage from cooking, and this has now turned into a new cookbook: Agenda 2030 Cookbook – Food for Tomorrow, which is soon to be finalised, to share ideas on how to reduce food wastage! This year we are paying special attention to better food in schools, and we reach out to schoolchildren to help them learn about health, sustainability and food!

to strengthen Environmental democracy – engagements of businesses, civil society and young people in the environment and climate change. In our UNDP project Climate Smart Bio-waste Challenge, we want to pave the way for a larger and climate smart waste reform in Serbia – innovative business ideas for reducing food and green waste will be coming!

» How does the Embassy focus on food connect to the Swedish development portfolio in Serbia?

- They go very well together! Sweden is the major bilateral donor for the environment to Serbia, providing more than two million euros per year! Our focus is on supporting Serbia in moving towards the EU’s environmental standards for a clean and healthy environment. Healthy food can only come from a

» What possibilities exist for exchanges of experience, innovations and trade between Serbia and Sweden?

- Many! The EU has a strong focus on innovation and clean technologies, and Sweden is well advanced, while many good ideas are already developing in Serbia! At the Kopaonik Business Forum we had a round-table discussion at which Swedish companies like IKEA and Tetra Pak shared their innovative

There are many possibilities for exchanges of experience, innovations and trade between Serbia and Sweden. Many good ideas are already developing in Serbia! clean environment. For many years, Sweden has supported waste and water management and investments, but also improved chemical management and reduced industrial pollution.

Swedish and EU will help launch the start of waste recycling in 17 municipalities. We work closely with the Serbian Government, but also with local administrations, to develop reforms.

We have this year launched several projects

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solutions and showed how they work with sustainability in Serbia. In the project Climate Smart Bio-waste Challenge, we will place a special emphasis on exchanges of experience. Let’s see what ideas will come out of the innovation call that’s now open for applications in Serbia. And let’s not forget that Sweden imports delicious blueberries, raspberries and honey from Serbia!

INTERVIEW

No Good Ideas To Waste The proper recycling of bio-waste could create new products and jobs in Serbia. Local governments, public utility companies, business, civil society and research institutions are being challenged to propose innovative ideas for reducing, reusing and recycling bio-waste FRANCINE PICKUP, UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE TO SERBIA

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he current Covid-19 crisis presents an opportunity for Serbia to combine green transition and digital transformation and accelerate its economic recovery in a carbon-neutral and sustainable way, says Francine Pickup, UNDP Resident Representative to Serbia. With this in mind UNDP launched the “Bio-Waste Management Challenge Call”. » What is the main idea behind the call?

- We are looking for ideas that can help reduce the amount of food and kitchen waste, and green waste from gardens and parks that currently ends up in landfills. We produce large quantities of bio-waste, but estimates suggest that in Serbia only one per cent of that is collected and processed. The rest is left to rot, emitting harmful Greenhouse Gases (GHG) that accelerate climate change.

Compared to other countries, I’ve noticed that in Serbia waste separation is not done within households. There are communal containers here and there, but they are far apart and not available in all local communities. The proper recycling of bio-waste could create new products and jobs, and at the same time lower GHG emissions. For example, inedible leftovers from households and food industries can be converted into compost that improves the quality of soil or can be used to produce biogas.

To find innovative technology and business solutions that can help manage the

bio-waste more efficiently, in a climate- and environment-friendly way, the UNDP launched this challenge in partnership with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and with financial support from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA).

This Call aims to engage local governments, public utility companies, business, civil society and research institutions to propose innovative ideas for reducing, reusing and recycling bio-waste. The best candidates will receive mentorship and guidance to develop their ideas into projects. At least five of the most successful projects will receive co-financing for their implementation. In close cooperation with the Ministry and SIDA, we will also support the development of policies and regulations governing biodegradable waste management in line with EU standards. » Why is it important for Serbia to transition to a circular economy, and what role is played by innovation in this process?

- Transition to a circular economy leads to longer-term, sustainable growth that generates jobs and boosts the local economy, while protecting our health and our planet. Innovation can help transform our economy and behaviour, making them more energy efficient, and resource efficient.

For example, by using modern waste containers with fill level sensors, cities could

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lower their transportation costs and their GHG emissions by only sending out waste collection vehicles when needed. » How does this initiative fit into the overall portfolio of the UNDP in Serbia?

- This initiative is part of our broader portfolio of work aimed at contributing to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals targeting climate, sustainable consumption and production, green economic growth & innovation.

Last year we developed the first national Circular Economy Roadmap and prepared policy options for reducing the impact of single-use plastics. We also worked with youth to raise their awareness on the need to reduce, reuse and recycle.

To tackle the food waste, we have partnered with Delhaize to develop an online platform for food donations. With private investors, we enabled the construction and operation of six biomass heat and power plants throughout Serbia, producing electricity in rural areas from agricultural waste.

Our ‘Climate-Smart Urban Development’ initiative has provided co-financing for 11 of the most advanced solutions for GHG emission reduction in cities, and helped the teams behind them to implement their concepts in practise. We expect these solutions to cut more than 0.5 million tonnes of CO2 for Serbia, which is equivalent to planting trees on a territory of 145 football pitches.

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CORPORATE

We Are Active, Supportive And Optimistic These are challenging times where solidarity and collective efforts are vital to fight against the spread of Covid19. Since this unprecedented situation occurred, our moto was to prepare ourselves for the worst and hope for the best and we started the implementation of all the measures earlier, even before the first reported case in Serbia NIKOS ZOIS, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF HEINEKEN SERBIA

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e have always clearly followed two guiding principles. First, the health and safety of our people which does not only mean that all our people are safe and sound at every moment, but also that each and every of us do everything we can personally and professionally following all the measures so as to avoid any contact or spread of the virus. Second, we are doing everything we can to safeguard the continuity of business and maintain our breweries operational, followed by regular payment of all our employees, with no layoffs or reduction of workforce, and supporting the business continuity of our customers and suppliers.

We believe that this way of working supports recovering of the entire economy much faster and we are glad to see that so far all the steps taken are proving to be right choices and bring us smooth everyday operations.

Our hearts go out to all who have been hit by this disease, and we need to stay active, supportive and optimistic. From one hand, staying responsible and loyal employer caring for our employees and, thanks to all the efforts from our employees, being a role model company in all the recommendations, presents a support to the State in these times of crisis. One more step ahead and a helping hand was a donation of 12million dinars to the Government in their effort for more respirators to treat those in the biggest need. On global level, HEINEKEN donated 15 million euros in order to support the International Federation of Red Cross, followed by many other activities such as donation of water and

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non-alcoholic beverages and the production of hand sanitisers.

At the beginning of this state of emergency, we all found ourselves trying to adjust to a new reality. We felt obliged to make a bold public statement which shows the importance of being involved and encourage the others to stay strong and give our best to safeguard each other, by promoting solidarity and care.

Through Zajecarsko brand we have kept on communicating relevant hart-warm messages of optimism and responsibility every time that we saw we were entering to a different stage during this stage of emergency.

At all time, we all from Zaječar, Novi Sad and Belgrade were together. This was a conscious discipline where each of us had the same target to stay healthy and keep each other safe, which makes me proud of all HEINEKEN Serbia employees, their flexibility, efforts they put on daily basis and their approach to work.

I am glad that we may see the light at the end of a tunnel. At the stage that we are entering now, our priorities and guiding principles stay the same: safety of all our people, customers and consumers as well as business continuity and its acceleration in this new environment. It is a careful balance – we want to get back to work but we also need to make sure we do it in a way that ensures the safety of our people and is in line with continuing public health measures.

We believe that many happy gatherings in the future will come and can come faster with responsibility and solidarity.

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BREWING A BETTER WORLD Doing business all over the world comes with important responsibilities that extend beyond just running a profitable business. We strive to have positive impact and sustainability is embedded in our business strategy - Brewing a Better World, as long-term approach for creating shared, sustainable value for all.

Sustainability is our business imperative and an integral part of our business. This means that Brewing a Better World is rooted in each of our activities – from sourcing, producing, marketing and selling our products all the way to how they are consumed, and how we can reuse and recycle waste.

We have defined new 2030 strategies for water and climate change and we are looking at how we can harness the power of wind and solar energy, biomass and biogas by making good progress and following Drop the C, the programme to reduce our carbon footprint. Water is vital to our business; beer is 95% water and great beer requires high quality water. Over the past decade, we have lowered our water use by almost a third. To keep watersheds healthy and communities thriving, we must replenish the water we use.

This is the basis of our water strategy – Every Drop Matters.

Even in these challenging times, we stand by our values: passion for quality, enjoyment of life, respect for people and for the planet.

We are committed to consistently improve the impact we make on the planet and to grow sustainably, never compromising on our mission to Brew a Better World.

HEINEKEN Srbija presents the brewer, which actively operates in two breweries.

While the brewery in Zajecar is proud of its long lasting tradition and brewing expertize dating back to 1895, Novi Sad brewery is one of the most technologically advanced and modern breweries in the region.

The Company’s core business is production, distribution and sales beer. Transparency in the daily work and communication, respect for the individual, local community and society, passion for quality and corporate social responsibility present the core values of the company. www.heinekensrbija.rs LinkedIn / HEINEKEN Srbija

Our passion for brewing great beers has been at the heart of our business for more than 150 years. Ever since we started, we’ve been translating our passion for brewing into building an unparalleled range of great beer brands. Today, we’re proud to be the most international brewer in the world. With over 300 brands available across more than 190 countries, every beer we make is part of its own story, with its own history and character, tailored to individual moments of joy the world over. In Serbia, our breweries in Novi Sad and Zajecar produce and distribute the following portfolio of brands: Heineken, Heineken 0.0., Amstel Premium Pilsener, Kapuziner Weissbier, Krušovice Imperial, Sol, Laško Zlatorog, Zaječarsko, Zaječarsko Crno, Zaječarsko Pšenično, Tiger, Red Stripe, Birra Morreti, Sajder Bandit, PilsPlus i Master pivo.

COVID-19

Lockdowns Clearing The Air As the novel coronavirus tears around the world, it’s exploiting our biggest weaknesses, from creaking health care systems to extreme social inequality. Its relationship with one pervasive and neglected problem, however, is more tangled: Air pollution has intensified the pandemic, but the epidemic has—temporarily—cleaned the skies

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hen new evidence emerged this week that dirty air makes Covid-19 more lethal, it surprised no one who has followed the science of air pollution—but the scale of the effect was striking. The study, which must still undergo peer review for publication, found that the tiny pollutant particles known as PM2.5, breathed over many years, sharply raise the chances of dying from the virus.

Researchers from Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health analyzed data on PM2.5 levels and Covid-19 deaths from about 3,000 U.S. counties covering 98 per cent of the U.S. population. Counties that averaged just one microgram per cubic meter more PM2.5 in the air had a Covid-19 death rate that was 15 per cent higher.

“If you’re getting Covid, and you have been breathing polluted air, it’s really putting gasoline on a fire,” said Francesca Dominici, a Harvard biostatistics professor and the study’s senior author.

That’s because the fine particles penetrate deep into the body, promoting hypertension, heart disease, breathing trouble, and

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diabetes, all of which increase complications in coronavirus patients. The particles also weaken the immune system and fuel inflammation in the lungs and respiratory tract, adding to the risk both of getting Covid-19 and of having severe symptoms.

Dominici and her colleagues illustrated the impact with a specific example: Manhattan, the current epicentre of the pandemic, where PM2.5 averages range as high as 11 micrograms per cubic meter, and where 1,904 deaths from Covid-19 had been reported as of 4th April. Had particle levels averaged just one unit lower over the past two decades, the researchers calculated, 248 fewer people would have died over the past several weeks. And of course, the toll has mounted since 4th April.

But while pollution inhaled in the past is still causing harm today, the temporary experience of cleaner air brought about by widespread shutdowns may offer lessons for the kind of world we want to build after the pandemic.

People so accustomed to the pollution they hardly think about it may realise, “Actu-

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ally, I really do quite enjoy clean air: Do you think we could get it, or keep it?” says Simon Birkett, founder and director of Clean Air in London, an advocacy organisation. “There’s a chance to really get people to stop, take a deep breath,” and reflect on questions like “How was your asthma during this period?”

Although a near-halt in normal life and economic activity is no one’s idea of a good way to reduce pollution, the brief respite might, in Birkett’s view, turn this dark time into “a catalyst, or a tipping point, which could get us to say ‘Clean air—there’s something special about it.’”

CLEANER PANDEMIC SKIES From China’s Hubei province to industrial northern Italy and beyond, pollution levels have plummeted as lockdowns aimed at slowing the viral spread have shuttered businesses and trapped billions of people at home. In India, where air pollution is among the world’s worst, “people are reporting seeing the Himalayas for the first time from where they live,” Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst at the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, said in an email.

India’s hastily imposed shutdowns have been devastating, leaving hundreds of thousands of migrant workers without homes or jobs. But in Delhi, where air is normally choking, levels of both PM2.5 and the harmful gas nitrogen dioxide fell more than 70 per cent.

CORPORATE

We Plan To Enter New Markets MITECO Kneževac is the leading operator in the field of industrial and hazardous waste management in Serbia and the region. With a strategic approach to finding sustainable solutions, quality service and experience dating back 50 years, the company is positioned as the first choice of firms operating in various industries NEVENA ČOLIĆ MOHORA, DIRECTOR AT MITECO KNEŽEVAC

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o date we’ve invested more than 2.3 million euros, and for the future we’re planning the further development of the company in the processing industry through the improving of existing services, but also through the introduction of new recycling services, such as the reconditioning of packaging, says Mrs Čolić Mohora

» You are leaders in the industrial and hazardous waste management, particularly in the segment of soil remediation and the rehabilitation of PCB-contaminated sites. In which direction will you develop further?

- In order to grow and develop, companies must invest continually in new facilities and manufacturing techniques, but also new expertise. We have to date invested more than 2.3 million euros in order to give ourselves a chance for our services to grow

waste. The plan for the future is to further develop the company in the manufacturing and processing industry, through the provision of existing services, but also the introduction of new recycling services, such as the reconditioning of packaging.

Considering that MITECO Kneževac constantly listens to the needs of the market, our plan is to continue expanding our business in the region, but also to enter other markets that aren’t sufficiently recognised, such as the MENA region. » Many types of industrial packaging represent hazardous waste. How can these types of packaging be reused?

- Apart from the excessive use of plastic packaging, which is a problem not only in Serbia but globally, an even bigger problem is perhaps the inadequate and uncontrolled disposal of

Our plan is to continue expanding our business in the region, but also to enter other markets that aren't sufficiently recognised, such as the MENA region bigger and better. From its founding to this day, the company has gone through various development stages – from the trade with secondary raw materials, via various services, to today offering a holistic approach in strategic consulting, but also in the management of streams of hazardous and non-hazardous

such waste, which has serious ramifications for the environment. The reuse of packaging for industrial purposes is a relatively new circular approach that implies the logistics of collecting packaging and reconditioning it, along with the proper management of the leftovers of reconditioning, such as the

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treatment and recirculation of water. As a company that always focuses on protecting the environment, we recognised the importance of introducing such a circular system in order to create a renewable and sustainable recycling system. » Over the past few months, since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, incredible amounts of medical waste have been “produced”. How will the world tackle this?

- What the Covid-19 virus pandemic teaches us is that it is no longer sufficient to worry only about our own personal interests and that we will have to look at all the problems caused by this event in a much broader context in order for us to preserve human existence in the future and further develop society on healthy foundations. The lack of certain systemic solutions is felt now more than ever and, as a consequence, a lack of awareness about the proper treatment of waste has also emerged. These are issues that we constantly address at the MITECO Forum, an informative and educational platform for exchanging experiences and knowhow among numerous experts from the country and around the world, which is this year being organised for the sixth time. It is very important for us to work in this way to reach conclusions that can further represent important guidelines for the creation of an improved social and economic environment.

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CORPORATE

Green Projects Are A Development Opportunity German Development Cooperation, through its development partnership mechanism and the develoPPP.de programme, combines forces with companies with the aim of responding jointly to the biggest challenges, most notably the challenges of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ZORICA BILIĆ, COUNTRY COORDINATOR, OPEN REGIONAL FUNDS FOR SOUTHEAST EUROPE - MODERNISATION OF MUNICIPAL SERVICES, GIZ GMBH

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ssues related to environmental protection are similar if not the same in all Western Balkan countries, so joint efforts through cooperation and exchanges of experience and solutions are not only useful, but rather essential.

» German Development Cooperation aimed at supporting sustainable development has for many years encouraged the inclusion of the private sector in the implementation of joint projects. What are development partnerships with the private sector like and how are they implemented?

- Considering that there can be no sustainable development without the involvement of the private sector, German Development Cooperation, through its development partnership mechanism and the develoPPP.de programme, combines forces with companies with the aim of responding jointly to the greatest challenges, primarily

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challenges in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Sustainable business initiatives are thus jointly funded and implemented, which, in addition to commercial goals for companies, also brings long-term benefits to the local populations in developing countries.

Through this mechanism, the economy can find a strong partner in projects that are implemented by GIZ, on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), whether bilateral projects implemented in Serbia or regional projects at the level of Southeast Europe, such as the Open Regional Fund for the Modernisation of Municipal Services - ORF MMS. » How much space in such projects is taken up by environmental protection?

Will this area be increasingly important at the global level in the coming years?

- Our experience shows that the largest number of development partnerships in Serbia and the region relate specifically to environmental protection, while this topic holds a high third place globally, immediately behind economic development and agriculture. This shows that

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businesses operating in this part of Europe are increasingly seeing their development opportunity and business success in so-called green projects. From the aspect of development cooperation, reforms that lead to environmental sustainability, such as rational use of natural resources and adequate waste management, certainly comprise the biggest contributors to the sustainable development goals. » It was also through this mechanism that the recently completed project “Towards Better E- Waste Management in Serbia” was implemented. How satisfied are you with the results you’ve achieved?

- In cooperation with companies Gorenje and Coca Cola HBC, in the past two and a half years we’ve implemented a project aimed at improving the framework conditions, including the legal and institutional framework, as well as raising awareness for the management of electrical and electronic waste. Thanks to a partnership with the Ministry of the Environment, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Alliance for Local Economic Development (NALED), the collection and analysis of data on streams of this waste

has been improved significantly, as has the collection of eco-taxes through a more transparent and efficient process and the use of digital solutions in conducting procedures.

As the fastest growing category of waste in the world, there is still a lot that needs to be improved, especially with regard to adequate disposal and recycling, but I think that all project partners can be satisfied with the basis that have been established through this project.

on concerns are similar, if not the same, in all Western Balkan countries, and joint efforts through cooperation and exchanges of experience and solutions are not only useful, but rather essential. All parties are undoubtedly aware of this, judging by their openness to cooperation and the increasing number of projects being implemented in this way. Cooperation also takes place between companies and institutions and, of course, civil society organisations.

- The Call for the develoPPP.de programme is open year-round, with projects submitted quarterly. EU-based companies can apply for support through the mechanism of development partnerships with the private sector, but also, as of more recently, domestic companies too. In addition to its regularly open call, through this programme BMZ is currently supporting measures from private companies that alleviate the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic in developing countries. Private

Under conditions of the Covid-19 pandemic, the most important aspect for GIZ is the health of the employees, and providing support to the healthcare systems in all countries where we work

companies can apply for such projects at any time until 30th September this year.

» What is the situation with other waste streams? What projects are active at present and how important to their implementation is the development partnership with the private sector?

- Thanks first and foremost to the good experience on the project “Towards Better E- Waste Management”, but also the great interest of companies in this field, German Development Cooperation, through GIZ ORF MMS, has been able to initiate the solving of problems of various waste streams in Serbia and the region in the previous period. Some of the projects we

are implementing include addressing food waste issues in partnership with EsoTron company, then increasing the rates of recycling for batteries and light bulbs, in partnership with companies Božić i sinovi and E-reciklaža, as well as managing glass packaging waste that we carry out together with companies Sekopak in Serbia, Ekopak from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Pakomak from North Macedonia. » These projects also include regional cooperation between Serbia and other Western Balkan countries. Is it improving year on year? Are we making progress?

- Regional dialogue and cooperation are certainly very important for the realisation of these projects. Environmental protecti-

» What role is played in such projects by the civil sector and civil society organisations?

- As without the private sector, sustainable development is not possible without civil society organisations. They are an indispensable and key partner for us. We wouldn’t be able to realise the majority of these projects if NALED and the Network for business friendly environment BFC SEE weren’t engaged in the front row, working on generating ideas and developing projects, but also bearing the greatest burden on realisation. » Who can get involved in these projects?

Are there currently open invitations for companies to join developmental partnerships?

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» To what extent has Covid-19 influenced your current operations and functioning?

Are you considering adjusting the plans you had for this year?

- Like GIZ globally, the Open Regional Fund for the Modernisation of Municipal Services also continues to work with together our partners during the pandemic, but with approaches adapted to the current situation. In cooperation with our partners, we adapt plans and activities within the scope of all the projects that we’re implementing. Unusual circumstances require us to adopt new ways of working, and digital technologies and creative concepts help us to cope with these challenging conditions. Certainly the most important aspect is the health of our employees, and providing support to the healthcare systems in all countries where we work.

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CORPORATE

Targeting Network Expansion Steel Impex is a Serbian market leader in scrap metal recycling and has the latest state-of-the-art recycling centre. The company also has contemporary, very well-equipped recycling centres, where the best mechanisation is always used MAJA MUŠKINJA LOGISTICS AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGER, STEEL IMPEX

MAJA ŽIVKOVIĆ, MANAGING DIRECTOR, STEEL IMPEX

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e are competent at what we do, mostly calling on our almost two decades of experience competing against sector giants. We are defined by swift decision making and a straightforward approach to clients and suppliers, says Steel Impex Managing Director Mrs Maja Živković with pride.

» Your network of business partners and suppliers extends across Serbia, the Balkans and the EU. Is this prevalence one of the reasons why Steel Impex is the Serbian market leader in scrap metal recycling and has the latest, state-of-the-art recycling centre?

- Scrap is a tradition for us. We have been working with scrap since the early 2000s, as a buyer, seller, handler and operator. As a commodity, it always evolves from ferrous and non-ferrous metals, to ELV (End life Vehicles), plastics and WEE (Electronic scrap).

The more you focus, the more waste you’ll find to collect and to expand in the recycling

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business. Competition on the market is strong and there is always someone trying to do more, or in a different way that leaves more margins for doing it. We aim to increase the waste categories that we are handling and expand our network. As a member of the BIR (Bureau of International Recycling) and the EURIC (European Recycling Industries Confederation), we operate not only in Serbia, but also in Hungary and Austria as well, while we have just opened a new market in the Netherlands, under our main body of Black Gold Holding Gmbh (www.bgholding.at).

This is important for us as a company, because when you are competing outside of your local market there is no room for mistakes. We are competent at what we are doing, mostly by using our almost two decades of experience to compete against sector giants. We are defined by fast decision making and a straightforward approach to clients and suppliers. By always thinking how differently, what else or in which other way

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we can do business, we constantly strive to cut costs and increase our profitability in waste management.

We are proud that we have contemporary and very well-equipped recycling centres, where we always use the best mechanisation (trucks, handlers and treatment equipment such as shredders, shears, balers,strippers, granulators etc...) » All of your processes, procedures and products are accompanied by international accreditations and certification. Without that you would not be so successful on both the local and foreign markets? Do you insist on quality, but also on setting high goals?

- Our processes and procedures need to satisfy both local and global regulations, and we need also to follow international quality guidelines. We plan high but reachable targets. To achieve them, we need to be smart and highly motivated. As a company, we have succeeded in having a young and

dynamic employment structure, while we also support open conversations with our team, and we have additional education and a promotion plan for every member of our team. Our every day goal is to improve ourselves, our team and our business. Steel Impex has major competition on the market, which is why it needs to be present for its customers and their needs, and to reduce the possibility of claims as much as possible. At the same time, we also need to collect, sort and treat the waste at the lowest possible cost. With this model of operation, we can realise our previously projected targets.

our main goal was to ensure the safety and security of our employees. When we equipped them with all the equipment they need, we started listening our customers - their needs, and of course the needs of our country. This is not the first time that we’ve been undertaking humanitarian actions – it is something regular, and we believe that every company should have social responsibility by contributing back to our system. When we are projecting the

- This was a completely new situation for us, so we had to act smart and fast. We reorganised our colleagues and followed the instructions from the Serbian Government.

From this situation we learn a few things: • to use our time more efficiently (instead of an hour-long meeting, we are now making 15-minute conference calls); • how to maintain social distance (except our colleagues in the field, we are working at the level of one person per office space);

» The volume of purchases of scrap metal increased in the last two weeks of March, only to be followed by a drop in prices and levels of purchases. What are your expectations for the period ahead? How will Covid-19 impact on the economy, the business world, and the scrap metal market in particular?

- We are used to having regular price changes in this business, but we are optimistic. There are limited buyers on a limited market. Most of the markets are still closed, but we need to admit that recyclables are also limited. It is definitely true that the economy is out of balance due to Covid-19. We will continue working on controversial sectors that de-

We support an open conversation with our team, we provide education and have promotion plans for every member of our team pend on steel, such as construction and the automotive industry. As you know, this is a circular economy in which the buyer, seller, producer and consumer all depend on each other. Therefore, with all government support programmes around the world, perhaps the market will bounce back, with limited profits. » Although demand for steel products has fallen during the state of emergency, Steel Impex hasn’t halted its operations or its humanitarian actions. How did you make such a decision?

- When we decided to continue our operations and thus preserve job positions,

coming year, we do so on a turnover basis and separate a percentage of what we can use for humanitarian activities. Regarding the state of emergency and Covid-19, our opinion is that we can overcome the problem by focusing only on our citizens: if we are all healthy, we will work, buy, sell, consume, and the economy will recover faster. » You have managed to organise your operations by complying with and applying all the prescribed safeguards. What have you learned during this situation; and what do you still you need to learn?

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• to always be ready for possible crises and to have a prepared plan; • a clean working environment is key. We must continuously develop and provide our employees with that. » Your company helps those in need. Is it true that you gave a donation of two million dinars to the Serbian healthcare system?

- Over the past few years, we’ve created a culture in the company to provide support every time that our support is needed. We are honoured to answer this question and confirm that we donated two million dinars to Unicef Serbia. Our donation this time was for protective gear for healthcare workers, such as gloves, uniforms, masks etc. As that has by now become a habit, we will also continue contributing in the future.

THINKING GREEN & LIVING CLEAN

COMMENT

A Green Reboot After The Pandemic In addition to threatening millions of lives and the global economy, the Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated that human societies are capable of transforming themselves more or less overnight. In fact, there's no better time than now to usher in systemic economic change

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financial institutions, and corporate crisis managers to respond.

Indeed, the “coronacrisis” has already done so.

The Club of Rome issued a similar warning in its famous 1972 report, The Limits to Growth, and again in Beyond the Limits, a 1992 book by the lead author of that earlier report, Donella Meadows. As Meadows warned back then, humanity’s future will be defined not by a single emergency but by many separate yet The coronavirus pandemic is a wake-up call to stop exceeding related crises stemming from our fathe planet’s limits. After all, deforestation, biodiversity loss and ilure to live sustainably. By using the climate change all make pandemics more likely Earth’s resources faster than they can be restored, and by releasing wastes and pollutants faster than they can be absorbed, we have long European Commission’s European Green Deal, which offers been setting ourselves up for disaster. several ways to support the communities and businesses most On one planet, all species, countries, and geopolitical at risk from the current crisis. issues are ultimately interconnected. We are witnessing how Covid-19 reflects a broader trend: more planetary crises the outbreak of a novel coronavirus in China can wreak havoc are coming. If we muddle through each new crisis while maon the entire world. Like Covid-19, climate change, biodiverintaining the same economic model that got us here, future sity loss, and financial collapses do not observe national or shocks will eventually exceed the capacity of governments, he Covid-19 coronavirus has forced entire countries into lockdown mode, terrified citizens around the world, and triggered a financial-market meltdown. The pandemic demands a forceful, immediate response. But in managing the crisis, governments also must look to the long term. One prominent policy blueprint with a deep time horizon is the

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By SANDRINE DIXSON-DECLEVE

on the principle of living within our planetary boundaries. In even physical borders. These problems can be managed only other words, we must work within the planet’s natural limits through collective action that starts long before they become (the outer boundary of the doughnut) while also ensuring full-blown crises. that marginalised communities do not fall behind (into the The coronavirus pandemic is a wake-up call to stop exceedoughnut hole). ding the planet’s limits. After all, deforestation, biodiversity For policymakers responding to the current crisis, the goal loss, and climate change all make pandemics more likely. Deshould be to support citizens’ livelihoods by investing in reforestation drives wild animals closer to human populations, newable energy instead increasing the likelihood that zoonotic of fossil fuels. Now is the viruses like SARS-CoV-2 will make time to start redirecting the cross-species leap. Likewise, the the $5.2 trillion spent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate on fossil-fuel subsidies Change warns that global warming every year toward green will likely accelerate the emergence infrastructure, reforestaof new viruses. tion, and investments in Governments that succeed in cona more circular, shared, taining epidemics all tacitly follow the regenerative, low-carbon same mantra: “Follow the science and economy. prepare for the future.” But we can Humans are resilient do much better. Rather than simply and entrepreneurial. We reacting to disasters, we can use the science to design economies that will mitigate the threats of climate change, We must work within the planet’s natural limits (the outer biodiversity loss, and pandemics. We must start investing in what matters, boundary of the doughnut) while also ensuring that marginalised by laying the foundation for a green, communities do not fall behind (into the doughnut hole) circular economy that is anchored in nature-based solutions and geared are perfectly capable of beginning again. If we learn from our toward the public good. failings, we can build a brighter future than the one that is The Covid-19 crisis shows us that it is possible to make currently in store for us. Let us embrace this moment of uphetransformational changes overnight. We have suddenly entered aval as an opportunity to start investing in resilience, shared a different world with a different economy. Governments are prosperity, wellbeing, and planetary health. We have long since rushing to protect their citizens medically and economically exceeded our natural limits; it is time to try something new. in the short term. But there is also a strong business case for using this crisis to usher in global systemic change.

For example, there is no good reason not to be phasing out fossil fuels and deploying renewable energy technologies, most of which are now globally available and already cheaper than fossil fuels in many cases. With the recent oil-price plunge, perverse fossil-fuel subsidies can and should be eliminated, as the G7 and many European countries have pledged to do by 2025.

Shifting from industrial to regenerative agriculture also is immediately feasible, and would allow us to sequester carbon in the soil at a rate that is sufficient to reverse the climate crisis.

Moreover, doing so would turn a profit, enhance economic and environmental resilience, create jobs, and improve wellbeing in both rural and urban communities.

Regenerative agriculture features prominently in many of the new economic models that are now being explored by city governments around the world – all of which are based

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ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION

Effects Of Environmental Degradation

Environmental degradation is the disintegration of the earth or deterioration of the environment through consumption of assets, for example, air, water and soil; the destruction of environments and the eradication of wildlife. It is characterised as any change or aggravation to nature’s turf seen to be pernicious or undesirable. Ecological effect or degradation is created by the consolidation of an effectively substantial and expanding human populace, constantly expanding monetary development or per capita fortune and the application of asset exhausting and polluting technology. It occurs when earth’s natural resources are depleted, and the environment is compromised in the form of extinction of species, pollution in the air, water and soil, and rapid growth in population

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uman health might be at the receiving end as a result of environmental degradation. Areas exposed to toxic air pollutants can cause respiratory problems like pneumonia and asthma.

Millions of people are known to have died off due to indirect effects of air pollution.

Loss of Biodiversity: Biodiversity is important for maintaining the balance of the ecosystem in the form of combating pollution, restoring nutrients, protecting

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water sources and stabilizing climate. Deforestation, global warming, overpopulation and pollution are few of the major causes for loss of biodiversity.

Ozone Layer Depletion: Ozone layer is responsible for protecting the earth from harmful ultraviolet rays. The presence of chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere, is causing the ozone layer to deplete. As it will deplete, it will

a country may have to borne due to environmental degradation can have a big economic impact in terms of restoration of green cover, cleaning up of landfills and protection of endangered species. The economic impact can also be in terms of loss of tourism industry.

As could be seen, there are a lot of things that can affect the environment. If we are not careful, we can contribute to the

There are a lot of things that can affect the environment. If we are not careful, we can contribute to the environmental degradation that is occurring all around the world emit harmful radiations back to the earth.

Loss for Tourism Industry: The deterioration of the environment can be a huge setback for the tourism industry that rely on tourists for their daily livelihood. Environmental damage in the form of loss of green cover, loss of biodiversity, huge landfills, increased air and water pollution can be a big turn off for most of the tourists.

Economic Impact: The huge cost that

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environmental degradation that is occurring all around the world. We can, however, take action to stop it and take care of the world that we live in by providing environmental education to the people who will help them pick familiarity with their surroundings that will enable to take care of environmental concerns thus making it more useful and protected for our children and other future generations.

CORPORATE

Green Wall As A Source Of Energy ŽARKO MILJANIĆ, B.SC. EE, GREEN WALL PLUS

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f you want your employees to enjoy the scents of nature every day, to be 20 to 30 per cent more productive, to have more energy and willingness, provide them with a natural environment in the form of green walls, says Žarko Miljanić, speaking to CorD

required to work, and it has been proven that workers who work in the natural environment are 20 to 30 per cent more productive. That’s why all major world companies invest major resources in installing them in business and other premises, hotels, schools, nurseries etc.

» Your walls are true works of art, while they also represent the perfect coupling with nature. How does spending time in spaces with green walls reflect on health, mood, working atmosphere etc.?

- Green walls in an interior are one of the most effective ways to link that interior with nature and thus introduce a specific freshness. They are designed in such a way as to enrich the

» What are among your most sought-after products? Do you mainly use imported or domestic materials?

- Moss walls and pictures are currently most sought after. The moss is 100% natural, dehydrated and doesn’t demand any additional maintenance, while it also has excellent sound insulation.

Most of the mosses come to us from France,

Green Wall Plus is a branch of the Green Wall company and brand, which has been operating successfully for many years on the territories of Serbia and the region, and which enriches its clients' commercial and residential premises with natural materials such as moss, flowers or wood

We use the highest quality natural material to decorate walls in office buildings or residential units ambiance without taking up too much space, while there is also the aesthetic element, which is certainly one of the main reasons to envisage vertical greenery in some future facility.

The strongest feeling is that of being in the natural environment, in the forest with the scents of nature. The colours and 100% natural environment provide the energy and will

Germany and Iceland, as raw materials, and our workers do the design, assembly and final installation together with the customers.

Green plus d.o.o –Beograd, www.greenwall-plus.rs, Tel: 063 294 520

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EU WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE

Guide To European Water Legislation Early European water legislation began, in a "first wave", with standards for those of our rivers and lakes used for drinking water abstraction in 1975, and culminated in 1980 in setting binding quality targets for our drinking water. It also included objective quality legislation on fish waters, shellfish waters, bathing waters and ground waters. Its main emission control element was the Dangerous Substances Directive

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n 1988 the Frankfurt ministerial seminar on water reviewed the existing legislation and identified several improvements that could be made and gaps that could be filled.

This resulted in the second phase of water legislation, in 1991, the adoption of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, providing for secondary (biological) wastewater treatment, and even more stringent procedure where necessary.

Other legislative results of these developments were Commission proposals for action on a new Drinking Water Directive, reviewing the quality standards and, where necessary, tightening them (adopted November 1998), a Directive for Integrated Pollution and Prevention Control (IPPC), adopted in 1996, addressing pollution from large industrial installations, later transformed into the Industrial Emissions Directive.

Getting Europe’s waters cleaner by ma-

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naging water on a river basin scale: the new European water policy Pressure for a fundamental rethink of Community water policy came to a head in mid-1995: The Commission, which had already been considering the need for a more global approach to water policy, accepted requests from the European Parliament’s Environment Committee and the Council of Environment Ministers and the outcome of a broad process of consultation.

RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT The best model for a single system of water management is management by river basin - the natural geographical and hydrological unit - instead of according to administrative or political boundaries. Initiatives taken by the States concerned for the Maas, Schelde or Rhine river basins have served as positive examples of this approach, with their cooperation and joint objective-setting across

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Member State borders, or in the case of the Rhine even beyond the EU territory.

CO-ORDINATION OF OBJECTIVES There are several objectives in respect of which the quality of water is protected. The key ones at European level are general protection of the aquatic ecology, specific protection of unique and valuable habitats, protection of drinking water resources, and protection of bathing water. All these objectives must be integrated for each river basin. It is clear that the last three - special habitats, drinking water areas and bathing water - apply only to specific bodies of water (those supporting special wetlands; those identified for drinking water abstraction; those generally used as bathing areas). In contrast, ecological protection should apply to all waters: the central requirement of the Treaty is that the environment is protected to a high level in its entirety.

SURFACE WATER – ECOLOGICAL PROTECTION For this reason, a general requirement for ecological protection, and a general minimum chemical standard, was introduced to cover all surface waters. These are the two elements “good ecological status” and “good chemical status”. Good ecological status is defined in Annex V of the Water Framework Directive, in terms of the quality of the biological community, the hydrological characteristics and the chemical characteristics. As no absolute standards for biological quality can be set which apply across the community, because of ecological variability, the controls are specified as allowing only a slight departure from the biological community which would be expected in conditions of minimal anthropogenic impact.

GROUNDWATER - CHEMICAL STATUS The case of groundwater is somewhat different. The presumption in relation to groundwater should broadly be that it should not be polluted at all. For this reason, setting chemical quality standards may not be the best approach, as it gives the impression of an allowed level of pollution to which the Member States can fill up. A very few such standards have been established at European level for particular issues (nitrates, pesticides and biocides), and these must always be adhered to. But for general protection, we have taken another approach. It is essentially a precautionary one. It comprises a prohibition on direct

QUANTITATIVE STATUS Quantity is also a major issue for groundwater. Briefly, the issue can be put as follows. There is only a certain amount of recharge into groundwater each year, and of this recharge, some are needed to support connected ecosystems (whether they be surface water bodies or terrestrial systems such as wetlands).

For good management, only that portion of the overall recharge not needed by the ecology can be abstracted - this is the sustainable resource, and the Directive limits abstraction to that quantity.

One of the innovations of the Directive was that it provided a framework for integrated management of groundwater and surface water for the first time at European level.

CO-ORDINATION OF MEASURES There are a number of measures taken at Union level to tackle particular pollution problems. Key examples are the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive and the Nitrates Directive, which together tackle the problem of eutrophication (as well as health effects such as microbial pollution in bathing water areas and nitrates in drinking water); and the Industrial Emissions Directive, which deals with chemical pollution. The aim is to co-ordinate the application of these to meet the objectives established above.

At this point, the effect on the problems of each body of water of full implementation of all existing legislation is considered. If the existing legislation solves the problem, well and good, and the objective of the

Historically, there has been a dichotomy in approach to pollution control at the European level. Each approach has potential flaws discharges to groundwater, and (to cover indirect discharges) a requirement to monitor groundwater bodies so as to detect changes in chemical composition and to reverse any anthropogenically induced pollution trend upward. Taken together, these should ensure the protection of groundwater from all contamination, according to the principle of minimum anthropogenic impact.

framework Directive is attained. However, if it does not, the Member State must identify exactly why, and design whatever additional measures are needed to satisfy all the objectives established.

These might include stricter controls on polluting emissions from industry and agriculture, or urban wastewater sources, say. This should ensure full co-ordination.

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THE COMBINED APPROACH Historically, there has been a dichotomy in approach to pollution control at the European level. Each approach has potential flaws. Source controls alone can allow a cumulative pollution load which is severely detrimental to the environment, where there is a concentration of pollution sources. And quality standards can underestimate the effect of a particular substance on the ecosystem, due to the limitations in scientific knowledge regarding dose-response relationships and the mechanics of transport within the environment.

For this reason, a consensus has developed that both are needed in practice - a combined approach. The Water Framework Directive formalises this. It does so as follows.

On the source side, it requires that as part of the basic measures to be taken in the river basin, all existing technology-driven source-based controls must be implemented as a first step. But over and above this, it also sets out a framework for developing further such controls. The framework comprises the development of a list of priority substances for action at EU level, prioritised based on risk; and then the design of the most cost-effective set of measures to achieve load reduction of those substances, taking into account both product and process sources.

THE RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT PLAN All the elements of this analysis must be set out in a plan for the river basin. The plan is a detailed account of how the objectives set for the river basin (ecological status, quantitative status, chemical status and protected area objectives) are to be reached within the timescale required. The plan will include all the results of the above analysis: the river basin’s characteristics, a review of the impact of human activity on the status of waters in the basin, estimation of the effect of existing legislation and the remaining “gap” to meeting these objectives; and a set of measures designed to fill the gap. One additional component is that an economic analysis of water use within the river basin must be carried out. This is to enable there to be a rational discussion on the cost-effectiveness of the various possible measures.

THINKING GREEN & LIVING CLEAN

THINKING GREEN & LIVING CLEAN

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