Serbia is on track to join the European process of creating a green continent, with a commitment to a circular economy as a key tool for faster development based on environmental principles, Environment Minister Goran Trivan said at the Kopaonik Business Forum.
In a panel on Climate Change: A Local Challenge – The Role of the Circular Economy, he emphasized that private initiative and developed industry, responsibly applying environmental standards, are a prerequisite for achieving development that brings overall well-being to Serbia and the region.
According to him, the circular economy, with private initiative and the application of new technologies, plays a significant role in combating climate change and mitigating its effects, and is not only a first step towards a green economy, it is a business with 30,000 new jobs.
Trivan stressed that we are living in a time of “climate crisis” that confronts the world with changes that call into question the survival of humanity, and its consequences are also felt by Serbia, which has suffered damage of more than six and a half billion euros from droughts and floods.
He assessed that Serbia’s progress in the field of environmental protection can be observed over the past year, reminding that the Draft Law on Climate Change has been finalized and submitted to the Government for approval.
Trivan said that ten regional landfills have been completed in the past period, while another 17 are in operation, and thanks to a 27 percent increase in the environmental budget, the work of the recycling industry has been supported to keep Serbia clean.
He added that hundreds of millions of dinars have been invested in wastewater treatment, which is a crucial area, for project technical documentation and projects that will bring clean waterways to local communities.
Asked how he commented on the proposed deposit system within the framework of the amendments to the Law on Packaging and Packaging Waste, Trivan said that this was currently being considered by all interested parties and that the model that was judged to be the most useful and effective would be selected.
The head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, Sam Fabrici, outlined the Union’s goals in various fields to make Europe the first continent without carbon dioxide by 2050. He said the European Union wants to extend the “green deal” to the Western Balkans, adding that Serbia is part of the Union’s ambition to transform Europe into a carbon-neutral continent.
The factory urged Serbian businessmen to look up to Europe, to recognize the exceptional opportunities offered by joining a large European market, which is becoming greener, and to take advantage of all the opportunities offered by the latest technologies of EU member states.
The panel was also attended by Sekopak CEO Violeta Kokir Belanovic, economist of the European Investment Bank Hiki Paul, sustainability and regulatory affairs manager for Central and Eastern Europe of the company “Bol Packaging Europe” Jelena Kis and CEO of PE Vojvodinasume Kokai Roland, the environment ministry said, Danas reports.
