The assembly of Serbia’s capital city approved the Assessment of Vulnerability to Climate Change and the Action Plan for Adaptation. Nataša Đokić, assistant to the environment secretary of Belgrade, said the document is strategic, and a first step for the establishment of a system for future events, the city’s official website reported.
„Climate change is one of the greatest challenges we face. Belgrade must be aware of that in order to prepare in time for the adaptation to new conditions. The rise in temperature, extreme weather conditions, floods and storms will have a negative impact on the quality of life in Serbia, and these are the challenges we must face. Our cities must be prepared for the consequences of climate change, because they are especially sensitive as built structures and urban living environment,” she said. At the same time, cities which function successfully are one of the most important preconditions for sustainable economic development, according to Nataša Đokić.
„We are aware that even a document drafted like this still needs to be worked on, first and foremost through coordinating the sectors, as the climate change issue is not just a question of the responsible secretariat, but the overall preparedness of the city’s infrastructure to respond to challenges,” she concluded.
The assessment and action plan were developed within the regional project Climate Change Adaptation in the Western Balkans, implemented by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ). Podgorica and Tirana are two other capital cities for which recommendations are to be integrated into urban planning and development. The document in Serbian can be downloaded from the official website of the City of Belgrade.