eKapija: Switzerland has excellent results when it comes to recycling and is known for promoting circular economy and preserving nature, which is evident by the fact that almost a third of its territory is made up of forests. What are the key factors that contributed to Switzerland becoming an example of good practice for others when it comes to environmental protection?

Driven by scientific advances on the one hand, and painful real-life experience with ecological damage and disaster on the other, Swiss environmental legislation has developed over the past 50 years into a comprehensive, integrated system of law.

The economic boom of the 1950s and 1960s, and the growing pressure that this put on the environment, caused serious environmental problems. Wastewater from Switzerland’s factories, businesses and homes were flowing practically untreated into the country’s streams, rivers and lakes. Mushrooming construction and a rapid rise in traffic brought about noise, air pollution and dwindling farmland. Action became inevitable. Since then, environmental legislation has gradually been expanded and adapted to current requirements. The effects of environmental regulations are felt across the board, in areas as diverse as spatial planning, industrial production, agriculture, infrastructure and the power grid.

Apart from legislation, sensitization and education are extremely important as well. There has been huge work done by authorities, associations, schools, and media to promote responsible behavior such as recycling, favoring public transport, avoiding littering, reducing energy and water consumption, etc. Children are key drivers of these environmentally friendly behaviors; they are often the ones telling their parents that their old habits are no longer acceptable!

eKapija: What goals has Switzerland set for itself in the future, for example when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions (NDCs), and how does your country plan to reach these goals?

Switzerland’s updated and enhanced NDC is to reduce global CO2 emissions by about 45 percent from 2010 levels by 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 in order to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The pivotal instrument is a climate protection law, which the Swiss parliament passed last autumn but is subject to a referendum in June 2023. The law, if accepted by Swiss voters, envisages financial incentives to promote the use of renewables and energy efficiency measures. A focus area of support is the replacement of fossil fuel or electricity based heating boilers in households with biomass fired boilers or heat pumps, insulation of buildings to increase their energy efficiency and subsidies for the industry to use and develop innovative and climate friendly technologies. The main sectors that are targeted by the law are the building sector, industry and mobility. 

eKapija: Is there a recipe, an example of good practice that Serbia could "copy" from Switzerland in the field of environmental protection, while also taking into account adaptation to the local context?

Swiss Environmental law builds on a series of fundamental principles that influence the overall nature of acts and ordinances and play a role in the practical implementation of those provisions:

• "Prevention is better than cure" is the guiding principle behind Swiss environmental law. The idea is that forward-looking, environmentally sound planning and action is more cost-effective in the long term, and causes less environmental impact than subsequent improvements or attempts to remediate environmental damage.
• The polluter pays principle: This principle is based on the belief that the costs of remediating environmental pollution or damage should be borne not by the public but by those who are directly responsible for them.
• The holistic approach: The aim of environmental law is to reduce the overall burden on the environment. Its various aspects should therefore be given equal consideration.
• The sustainability principle: Our planet has a limited supply of natural resources. According to the sustainability principle, they should be used only to an extent that preserves them intact for future generations. The concept of sustainable development demands that both economic efficiency and social solidarity be strengthened in the interests of reducing environmental burdens and resource consumption to a level that can be sustained long term.
• The cooperation principle: Swiss environmental law is not simply ordained, but rather developed and jointly implemented in a broad-based decision-making process.

These principles can be applied in the Serbian context to elaborate locally adapted measures to enhance its environmental protection. What is critical is that appropriate financial means support the implementation of the measures, and that their implementation is regularly monitored.

eKapija: Switzerland supports various initiatives in Serbia in the field of environmental protection. What motivated you to join the "EU for Green Agenda in Serbia" platform?

Switzerland is supporting Serbia’s green transition and reforms related to the EU accession process relevant for Cluster 4: Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity. The implementation of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, envisaged by the EU Green Deal, is an important factor for Serbia’s aspiration to join the EU and its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. "EU for Green Agenda in Serbia" platform responds in a highly relevant manner to the country’s needed green transition. The project will reinforce the traditional Swiss focus on the local level.

eKapija: Which areas are you focused on when it comes to the implementation of that project, and is there an area of the Green Agenda in which Switzerland will provide specific support?

Switzerland will support all 5 pillars of the Green Agenda: decarbonisation, depollution, circular economy, biodiversity and sustainable food systems. With its comprehensive approach, covering all Green Agenda pillars, this programme will provide a solid basis for potential future more targeted interventions by Switzerland.

eKapija: How do you assess the state of the environment in Serbia? Where do you see the space for improvement?

Serbia made significant progress in terms of alignment with the EU acquis on waste, air quality and nature protection. Still, further key strategies and plans need to be developed and adopted, such as for example the Green Agenda strategy, the Environmental Protection strategy, the Low Carbon Development strategy and the National Energy and Climate Plan. Following the adoption of key strategies, the focus should of course be on implementation. On a more personal note, I must admit that air pollution in Belgrade is sometimes very bad and has dire consequences on people’s health. This is an area where I hope that Serbia will make progress in the short term.

eKapija: One of the arguments made by ordinary people when they oppose green policies is the fear that the green transformation will cost a lot, either in the form of higher utility bills or increased product prices. From Switzerland's experience, is the investment in the green transition worth it and what are the benefits for the citizens?

The main argument in favor of green policies is that acting now and preventively is much cheaper than to repair huge damage later. The transition to a green economy certainly has a price but the right financial incentives also can result in sizable savings and trigger the development of new innovative industries and new jobs.  A well-known Swiss example is the fee for household garbage. After the introduction of the fee for the garbage bag, the volumes of waste were reduced substantially and it strengthened both recycling habits and the recycling industry. Another example of very affordable or even free green measures is eco-behavior and investments in energy efficiency in buildings (insulations, quality doors and windows, etc.), the payback period of energy efficient investments is often below 10 years.

Finally, let us not forget that the right to a healthy environment is a human right! In 2021, Switzerland and other countries successfully put forward a resolution calling on the UN Human Rights Council to recognize the right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a separate human right.