Draft Enviromental Protection Activity Description.pdf

Draft Activity Description

1. Introduction

USAID/Serbia is seeking assistance to help advance Serbia’s Biodiversity and Environmental protection by provision of capacity building, advocacy support, public awareness and cross sectoral cooperation through the Improving Serbia’s Environmental Protection (ISEP) Activity.

This multi year activity is intended to contribute to advancement of equitable prosperity, which we define as the economic and social well-being of citizens in Serbia.

Background

Serbia is a country with rich natural resources and a terrain that varies from fertile flat plains to high mountains, gorges and valleys with rivers large and small.Due to its complex geological history, a moderate-continental climate and close aquatic and terrestrial connections with the rest of Europe, Serbia has a high level of biodiversity. Nevertheless, the biodiversity of Serbia faces a number of direct threats and drivers (indirect threats) that challenge species and ecosystems throughout the country. This was also highlighted by the EU Progress Report Chapter 27 review which found that Serbia made limited progress in this area and should “should considerably step up ambitions towards a green transition.” Serbia’s limited commitment to environmental protection is a clear issue affecting the quality of life for its citizens and is also a challenge for the country's sustainable development and EU accession progress. This became even more apparent in 2020 when in-country rural tourism exponentially increased as a result of COVID-19 travel restrictions, resulting in increased visits to national parks many of which were not well prepared and equipped to deal with this influx; when a number of cases of illegal construction and logging surfaced in environmentally protected areas and when citizens increasingly began to demand action on improving air quality.

While Serbia is a country with rich natural resources, the lack of attention to resource management, conservation, financial investment and diversification as well as low citizen participation in policy making has seriously impeded Serbia’s potential for sustainable, eco-friendly and innovative development, citizen prosperity and well being, especially in rural areas.

Serbia has about 7% of its land under some version of protected area status which is less than 1 the regional average of 19.9%. In addition, management of existing protected areas is challenging due to limited available technical support for land managers, lack of financial resources and limited cooperation between different relevant environmental protection stakeholders from the governmental, private, public and civil society sectors.

Per the 2018 USAID Serbia Biodiversity Analysis, the main drivers behind biodiversity and environmental protection threats are the following policy, institutional and economic factors:

1 World Bank Indicators Terrestrial and marine protected areas (% of total territorial area) - Serbia 2018.

https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00WM6Z.pdf

● Lack of Sustainable Biodiversity Financing Mechanisms

● Weak Enforcement and Implementation of Existing Mechanisms

● Limited Capacity in Environmental Conservation Efforts

● Lack of Accessible and Shareable Data

● Limited Administrative and Management Coordination

● Low level of public awareness regarding the importance of biodiversity

● Ineffective Management of Protected Areas

● Poverty in Rural Areas

Various research notes that there is insufficient funding for environmental protection initiatives made available from the government, donors and private sector resources. According to findings and recommendations of the Serbian Fiscal Council related to environmental protection investments , government budget allocations were not fully used while its 2020 budget was 2 reduced by 25% to address urgent COVID-19 related needs. In addition, the Fiscal Council notes that the government 2021 budget proposal for “investments into communal infrastructure and environment protection have, once again, been neglected. The 2021 budget does not plan for a major increase in capital expenditures for these purposes - although these are probably the most neglected segments of public infrastructure which pose a serious risk for the health of the population... Fiscal Council’s analyses, however, show that Serbia should invest, at the very least, 4 times as much in these areas ” In addition, income generated from environmental fees 3 is not earmarked for environmental purposes and there is limited investment capital coming from the private sector.

Cooperation on environmental protection between citizens, civil society and the public sector remains spotty although there has been an increase in the number of formal and informal civic groups and actors engaged in this area that have gained significant public tracktion. Examples of this include groups focused on protecting Stara Planina mountain from mini-hydro construction, establishment of authentic Serbian seed banks and initiatives focused on preventing illegal commercial construction in protected areas. Despite this, there are still very limited opportunities for non state actors to participate in the policy and decision-making processes in the field of environment at both the national and local levels which is an issue affecting not only environmental protection but government transparency as well.

2. Program Objectives and Expected Results

In order to improve the overall quality of life and Serbia’s sustainable development, USAID’s Improving Serbia’s Environmental Protection Activity will look to increase Serbia’s commitment by working with relevant actors across sectors on capacity building, piloting sustainable financing mechanisms, building greater demand for valorization of Serbia’s natural resources and increasing citizen engagement in oversight and decision making.

2 http://www.fiskalnisavet.rs/doc/analize-stavovi-predlozi/FS-Rezime-Investicije-u-zastitu-zivotne-sredine.pdf 3 http://www.fiskalnisavet.rs/doc/analize-stavovi-predlozi/2020/FC_Summary_Assessment_of_the_draft_budget_2021.pdf

Overall Goal: To improve Serbia’s commitment to Environmental and Biodiversity Protection

Objective 1: Increased % of protected areas and management capacity improved Expected Results:

● Result 1.1 New protected areas established

● Result 1.2 Improved capacity of relevant nature protection actors, including protected area managers

● Result 1.3 Established cooperation with international/US based Environmental protection actors

Objective 2: Enabled sustainable biodiversity financing mechanisms Expected Results:

● Result 2.1 Increase in commited/invested GOS resources focused on EP

● Result 2.2 Eco-friendly revenue generating services, products and initiatives piloted at the community level

● Result 2.3 Private sector resources for environmental protection mobilized

Objective 3: Increase citizen demand for environmental, biodiversity protection and clean air Expected Results:

● Result 3.1 Increased citizen knowledge regarding environmental protection including air pollution

● Result 3.2 More opportunities for citizen participation in environmental policy and decision making created

● Result 3.3 More civil society and non-traditional civic groups engaged in environmental protection advocacy and monitoring, including on topics related to air pollution

Cross Cutting Themes:

● Improved cooperation between relevant government and non-gov stakeholders on environmental issues

● Increased engagement of women and youth in management, policy setting & revenue generating activities