Support for Sustainable Environmental Policies at the Local Level

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Belgrade Open School (BOS), as part of the "PRO – Local Governance for People and Nature" program, organized dialogues on various environmental protection topics with representatives of local self-government units and other stakeholders in Šabac, Bela Palanka, Knić, Tutin, Žagubica, Medveđa, Prijepolje, Ražanj, and Malo Crniće.

As part of the program aimed at strengthening the capacities of local self-governments to improve environmental protection management, the Belgrade Open School recently conducted a series of consultative meetings with 20 local self-government units, as well as a survey on the current state of environmental protection management at the local level.

In line with the mapped priorities and planned activities, 10 local self-government units were selected to receive expert support in developing new or improving existing local policies in the field of environmental protection.

From the end of November 2024 to January 2025, BOS organized dialogues with stakeholders in nine local self-government units, focusing on topics such as waste management, nature protection, energy efficiency, air quality, and the establishment of Green Councils. The goal of these dialogues was to bring together representatives of local self-government units, civil society organizations, relevant institutions, and independent experts to discuss the most important issues for the local community.

Key achievements:

Knić and Tutin: Green Councils were established – institutional mechanisms that enable the involvement of all relevant stakeholders in improving and protecting the environment.
Šabac: Expert support was provided for the development of an Air Quality Plan.
Bela Palanka: Efforts were made to improve energy efficiency through the application of best practice examples.
Medveđa: Alternative financing mechanisms for protected areas were designed, along with the involvement of civil society organizations. Additionally, waste management was also improved.

The work done so far on these topics represents an important step toward strengthening the capacities of local self-governments in the field of environmental protection and involving citizens in decision-making, thereby directly contributing to the sustainable development of local communities in Serbia.

The Joint UN Programme "PRO – Local Governance for People and Nature" is implemented by the United Nations agencies in Serbia – UNOPS, UNICEF, UNFPA, and UNEP – in cooperation with the Government of Serbia and with the financial support of the Government of Switzerland.