Consultations and a workshop for the preparation of the proposal of the Strategic Plan of the “Green Chair” network were organized within the third cycle of the EKO-SYSTEM support program “Cities Ready for Climate Change”, in October 2023. The lead partner is the Centre for Modern Skills, and the partners are the Aarhus Centre Novi Sad, the BFPE Foundation for Responsible Society and the Environmental Ambassadors for Sustainable Development. The project aimed to improve further the work and strengthen the “Green Chair” network. The topic of the project is adaptation to climate change at the local level.
During the implementation of the project, another activity was consultations held with representatives of local communities: Kruševac, Pirot, Požega, Sremska Mitrovica and Subotica, to encourage advocacy at the local level, related to climate change.
The representative of the Environmental Ambassadors for Sustainable Development, Aleksandra Mladenovic, supported the preparation of a model of a local initiative for the city of Kruševac, which contains measures to mitigate climate change at the local level. As part of the mentoring work, two online thematic meetings were held, with the team for drafting a local initiative. It includes the concept of measures that will be proposed to the local self-government unit. The mentoring work resulted in greater cohesion of the local team, strengthening mutual communication and reaching an agreement on joint climate action at the local level.

Proposal of measures and recommendations for adaptation to climate change and mitigation of the impact of climate change, for local self-government units

General Measures
1. Include a set of measures and recommendations for adaptation to climate change in the development of spatial planning and strategic documents, Development Plans, and Local Environmental Action Plans.
2. Building, strengthening and improving capacities at the municipal level to a) adapt to climate change to introduce adequate measures into policies and decision-making processes at the local level, b) plan and implementation of climate policies, as well as modeling GHG emissions at the local level, and c) data collection, analysis and use (with a focus on the use of GIS), especially those related to river basins, flood maps, water source protection zones, erosion risk zones, etc.
3. Organizing trainings and seminars on available funds for the implementation of projects directly related to climate change (renewable sources, energy efficiency), joint training and seminars to strengthen institutional capacities and improve multisectoral cooperation.
4. Preparation of educational manuals to improve the understanding of the vulnerability of certain sectors to the impacts of climate change and to build resilience and adaptive capacity of the local community.
5. In cooperation with higher levels of government, strengthen the capacities (technical and human) of protection and rescue services at the local level to undertake organized and effective protection and rescue measures.
6. Establishment of an early warning system for the management of extreme climatic events (for all types of climate hazards: floods, droughts, landslides, forest fires, etc.).
7. Use of digital technologies to monitor extreme climatological situations (e.g. drone monitoring, real-time monitoring, etc.).
8. Establish a single database on droughts, floods and landslides and their damage.
9. Adapt Local Fire Protection Plans in the context of adaptation to climate change; ensure reserve amounts of water, by building or installing water tanks, etc. for effective fire protection (especially in open spaces).

Measures by sector

– Agriculture
1. To improve the knowledge of farmers about the impacts of climate change and to introduce them to examples of good practice from the countries of the European Union, but also from the surrounding countries.
2. In organized agricultural production, establish a hail protection system.
3. Improve irrigation infrastructure and ensure sufficient water for irrigation of arable land, in particular for agricultural production that takes place outdoors and is therefore exposed to weather conditions.
4. Receive and capsulate large waters when they exist and make them available in conditions of need through the construction of artificial reservoirs, which, in addition to the production of electricity, also create conditions for the development of tourism, provide flood protection of the downstream area and provides water for irrigation.
5. Implement measures to improve cooling in agriculture (construction of shelter from the sun, adequate accommodation, installation of fans and sprinklers).
6. Subsidize small agricultural producers, especially in the context of reduced incomes and agricultural yields during dry periods.
7. In agriculture, encourage the use of adequate varieties that are more tolerant to heat and drought, change crop patterns, target land management practices, farm structure, and adaptive capacity of farmers.
8. Application of measures aimed at preventing plant diseases, soil heating, etc.
9. Create the conditions and strengthen the awareness of farmers for adequate management of agricultural waste to reduce emissions from methane.

– Forestry
1. Maximize illegal logging control and implement forest health protection measures (occurrence of pathogenic fungi, occurrence of forest fires, define measures in response to snowstorms, wind gusts, frosts, etc.).
2. Intensify afforestation in landslide-prone areas and land erosion to reduce the risk of new landslides.
3. Establish comprehensive monitoring of areas at risk of erosion and landslides, with the preparation of plans and maps and action plans for prevention and control over their implementation.

– Civil engineering
1. To reduce the risk of landslides, establish continuous monitoring and documentation of illegal and unplanned construction of residential and other buildings and consistently implement regulations governing construction conditions.

– Water management
1. Plan the construction of a system for connection to the sewage network and wastewater treatment plants
2. Provide for continued investment in preventive protection and rescue measures, as well as full coordination with all actors having an impact on floods.
3. Procurement of adequate material and technical means and equipment is important for the provision and organization of all measures that affect the degree of vulnerability of people and material goods from floods.
4. To ensure timely and complete information to citizens about all measures and actions taken by the municipality to reduce the risk of floods, as well as to raise awareness of citizens about the possible consequences of floods.
5. Establishment of uniform inter-municipal and regional flood protection measures and a unified system of warning and notifying the competent structures of the upcoming danger, as well as the need to build a common (single) management system for hydropower facilities that have a regional character.

– Nature protection
1. Application of Nature Based Solutions, such as the maintenance and restoration of natural aquatic ecosystems (e.g. rivers, connecting river channels and meanders), afforestation, restoration and maintenance of grasslands, buffer zones, adequate land management, etc., because nature-based measures are more effective than technical infrastructure for flood protection (embankments, canals, etc.), both in environmental and economic terms.

– Waste management
1. Implement measures to reduce the waste that is deposited and adequate collection of municipal waste (collection networks in rural areas, construction of recycling yards, procurement of specialized equipment for waste collection, as well as activities to educate and raise awareness among the local population about the importance of this topic).

-Gender equality and human rights
1. At the local level, work on linking gender equality and climate change, as well as the realization of equal rights for all, especially vulnerable groups (e.g., youth, Roma, women, persons with special needs…), by implementing climate change mitigation measures.