"By protecting environment, we pay our debt to nature"

"By protecting environment, we pay our debt to nature" "We have achieved our first goal as a ministry: a revolutionary set of environmental laws has been adopted, regulating the area completely. In addition to this, we have initiated the campaign 'Clean up Serbia', hoping to resolve one of our biggest issues – illegal waste dumping – and to help the recycling industry to stand on its own two feet, so to speak. Most importantly, we want all these environmental projects and plans to continue even when our term of office ends." This is how Dulic answered Perspective’s question about his expectations, i.e. the three most important objectives he was hoping to achieve in the area of environment protection during his term of office. No doubt, Minister Dulic has mounted an offensive on securing a complete legal infrastructure not only in order to provide a healthier environment but also to ensure the development of a branch of industry that has been marginalized up until now – waste recycling and related operations. In his interview for Perspective, Minister Dulic has announced more order in the system of environment protection and paying back of at least part of the debt owed to nature that we have been taking from so irresponsibly for decades. A new set of environmental laws has been adopted recently, including the Packaging and Packaging Waste Act and the Waste Management Act. What are the main advantages of these laws, in comparison to previous ones? What are the principal legislative novelties that businesses and citizens will feel as a concrete change in their everyday lives and activities? The Waste Management Act the Packaging and Packaging Waste Act and related regulations to be passed will establish integrated waste management from the moment the waste is produced to its separation by type, transport, storage and final disposal. Waste generators will have to report to the Ministry on the quantities of generated waste, while producers and importers will have to report on the quantities of products placed on the domestic market. Regulations will prescribe conditions, ways and procedures for managing special waste flows, such as tires, batteries, electric and electronic equipment and oil. We will be issuing licenses for some waste management-related activities. Also, the principle “he who pollutes pays” will be introduced, whereby the polluter will bear all costs of the effects of his activities. The costs of production, treatment and disposal of waste must be included in the cost of the product. Implementation of these laws will create preconditions for the development of a recycling industry. Recycling is of utmost importance for the betterment of the environment, in terms of protection of resources, energy saving and pollution reduction. With the development of recycling a new branch of industry will be created and, along with it, new job opportunities. You are taking some concrete action within your “Clean up Serbia” campaign, such as removal of waste dumps and cleaning of lakes. What future steps are you planning, and what is the overall expected result of this project? Elimination of illegal waste dumps all over Serbia is currently underway. We will soon start cleaning national parks and other places of protected natural heritage. We plan to open recycling centers and islands in a number of municipalities. We will also introduce waste separation bins in tourist places. Is it expensive to "Clean up Serbia"? Does the Government have a long-term plan to keep these activities going? It is expensive, but it would be even more expensive if we left it for “better times”. The “Clean up Serbia” campaign is only the first of numerous government campaigns aimed at providing a healthy environment. Saving Serbian forests is another initiative of the ministry. How would you rate the level of involvement of other institutions in charge of this particular issue and do you have a mechanism for implementation of the natural forest protection? The ministry has been implementing the protection of natural forests. The managements of all national parks, special natural reservations, extraordinary landscapes and natural parks have their own annual programs under which they plan and implement forest protection against pests, drought, disease and, especially, fire. Some 28 percent of Serbian territory is currently under forest which is less than the European average. The Spatial Plan of the Republic of Serbia envisages its increase to 41.5 percent by the year 2050. In terms of business and individual mentality, is there any visible difference now compared to previous decades when it comes to understanding the importance of environmental protection and taking a proactive approach? The latest public opinion poll conducted by CeSID on the place of the environment in the lives of Serbian citizens shows that our citizens are aware of environmental problems and the consequences of environment pollution. Unfortunately, similar opinion polls were not done in past decades, and today we can compare environment-related opinions only with the responses we got in the first survey. If we do that, we will notice that the awareness of the need to protect the environment has progressed. But we expect these issues to become central with the implementation of new laws. However, it is worrying that, despite the fact that only one third of respondents said they were very interested in environmental issues, a proactive approach was not stressed in their replies. On the other hand, an increasing number of companies would like to get involved in environment protection-related projects. Are you satisfied with the current level of cooperation between the public and private sectors in the field of environment protection? Cooperation in the area of environment protection is better now than it was last year, but I believe there is still room for improvement. In fact, the obligation of the public and private sectors is to rehabilitate the environment wherever it has been degraded and then to improve its condition. Everybody pollutes. The entirety of Serbian production has developed thanks to the environmental resources we have been exploiting. Both these sectors will be obliged to Invest in environment protection. We have ensured this by passing a set of sixteen environmental laws and prescribing taxes and contributions for environment protection. Serbia has been taking from nature for decades, and it is now a pay-back time. Oliver Dulic (FoNet) Personal example What do you personally do to make your micro-cosmos greener? I do what many people in this country do, the people whose activism in the area of environment protection I find so inspiring. For starters, I have replaced ordinary light bulbs with the energy-saving ones in my home, I use my car only when necessary, I exercise outdoors, I have planted over a dozen trees that will become “the lungs of Serbia” in a couple of years, I take electronic and electrical appliances to the companies that specialize in recycling that type of waste and I use office materials sparingly. Thus, I was thrilled when the Serbian Government introduced e-sessions. This article originally appeared in AmCham Perspective Magazine Oliver Dulic, Minister for Environment and Spatial Planning, describes the expected impact of a new set of environmental laws designed to "Clean up Serbia" through measures including recycling and ending illegal waste dumping. "We have ensured this by passing a set of sixteen environmental laws and prescribing taxes and contributions for environment protection."

"By protecting environment, we pay our debt to nature"

"We have achieved our first goal as a ministry: a revolutionary set of environmental laws has been adopted, regulating the area completely. In addition to this, we have initiated the campaign 'Clean up Serbia', hoping to resolve one of our biggest issues – illegal waste dumping – and to help the recycling industry to stand on its own two feet, so to speak. Most importantly, we want all these environmental projects and plans to continue even when our term of office ends."

This is how Dulić answered Perspective’s question about his expectations, i.e. the three most important objectives he was hoping to achieve in the area of environment protection during his term of office. No doubt, Minister Dulić has mounted an offensive on securing a complete legal infrastructure not only in order to provide a healthier environment but also to ensure the development of a branch of industry that has been marginalized up until now – waste recycling and related operations.

In his interview for Perspective, Minister Dulić has announced more order in the system of environment protection and paying back of at least part of the debt owed to nature that we have been taking from so irresponsibly for decades.

A new set of environmental laws has been adopted recently, including the Packaging and Packaging Waste Act and the Waste Management Act. What are the main advantages of these laws, in comparison to previous ones? What are the principal legislative novelties that businesses and citizens will feel as a concrete change in their everyday lives and activities?

The Waste Management Act the Packaging and Packaging Waste Act and related regulations to be passed will establish integrated waste management from the moment the waste is produced to its separation by type, transport, storage and final disposal. Waste generators will have to report to the Ministry on the quantities of generated waste, while producers and importers will have to report on the quantities of products placed on the domestic market.

Regulations will prescribe conditions, ways and procedures for managing special waste flows, such as tires, batteries, electric and electronic equipment and oil. We will be issuing licenses for some waste management-related activities.

Also, the principle “he who pollutes pays” will be introduced, whereby the polluter will bear all costs of the effects of his activities. The costs of production, treatment and disposal of waste must be included in the cost of the product.

Implementation of these laws will create preconditions for the development of a recycling industry. Recycling is of utmost importance for the betterment of the environment, in terms of protection of resources, energy saving and pollution reduction. With the development of recycling a new branch of industry will be created and, along with it, new job opportunities.

You are taking some concrete action within your “Clean up Serbia” campaign, such as removal of waste dumps and cleaning of lakes. What future steps are you planning, and what is the overall expected result of this project?

Elimination of illegal waste dumps all over Serbia is currently underway. We will soon start cleaning national parks and other places of protected natural heritage. We plan to open recycling centers and islands in a number of municipalities. We will also introduce waste separation bins in tourist places.

Is it expensive to "Clean up Serbia"? Does the Government have a long-term plan to keep these activities going?

It is expensive, but it would be even more expensive if we left it for “better times”. The “Clean up Serbia” campaign is only the first of numerous government campaigns aimed at providing a healthy environment.

Saving Serbian forests is another initiative of the ministry. How would you rate the level of involvement of other institutions in charge of this particular issue and do you have a mechanism for implementation of the natural forest protection?

The ministry has been implementing the protection of natural forests. The managements of all national parks, special natural reservations, extraordinary landscapes and natural parks have their own annual programs under which they plan and implement forest protection against pests, drought, disease and, especially, fire. Some 28 percent of Serbian territory is currently under forest which is less than the European average.

The Spatial Plan of the Republic of Serbia envisages its increase to 41.5 percent by the year 2050. In terms of business and individual mentality, is there any visible difference now compared to previous decades when it comes to understanding the importance of environmental protection and taking a proactive approach?

The latest public opinion poll conducted by CeSID on the place of the environment in the lives of Serbian citizens shows that our citizens are aware of environmental problems and the consequences of environment pollution. Unfortunately, similar opinion polls were not done in past decades, and today we can compare environment-related opinions only with the responses we got in the first survey.

If we do that, we will notice that the awareness of the need to protect the environment has progressed. But we expect these issues to become central with the implementation of new laws. However, it is worrying that, despite the fact that only one third of respondents said they were very interested in environmental issues, a proactive approach was not stressed in their replies. On the other hand, an increasing number of companies would like to get involved in environment protection-related projects.

Are you satisfied with the current level of cooperation between the public and private sectors in the field of environment protection?

Cooperation in the area of environment protection is better now than it was last year, but I believe there is still room for improvement. In fact, the obligation of the public and private sectors is to rehabilitate the environment wherever it has been degraded and then to improve its condition. Everybody pollutes. The entirety of Serbian production has developed thanks to the environmental resources we have been exploiting. Both these sectors will be obliged to Invest in environment protection. We have ensured this by passing a set of sixteen environmental laws and prescribing taxes and contributions for environment protection. Serbia has been taking from nature for decades, and it is now a pay-back time.

Personal example

What do you personally do to make your micro-cosmos greener?

I do what many people in this country do, the people whose activism in the area of environment protection I find so inspiring.

For starters, I have replaced ordinary light bulbs with the energy-saving ones in my home, I use my car only when necessary, I exercise outdoors, I have planted over a dozen trees that will become “the lungs of Serbia” in a couple of years, I take electronic and electrical appliances to the companies that specialize in recycling that type of waste and I use office materials sparingly.

Thus, I was thrilled when the Serbian Government introduced e-sessions.

This article originally appeared in AmCham Perspective Magazine