Bor residents have been facing environmental pollution problems ever since mining began in the city. They breathe air of extremely poor quality due to exceeding the limit values of sulfur dioxide. The water supply is threatened by increased copper production that threatens to dry up Bor Lake. Agricultural land absorbs heavy metals by disposing of mining waste. Numerous examples of non-compliance with environmental standards can be summed up with one infamous statistic - the life expectancy of Bor citizens is 10 years shorter than the average! Are the citizens of Bor doomed to trade their own health for the sake of certain economic gain? The principles of sustainable development tell us they're not.
Clouds of polluted air looming over the city center itself may become a thing of the past by installing modern systems for filtering unwanted particles. Water surfaces can be preserved by the treatment of communal and industrial wastewaters. The expansion of the heavy industry facilities does not need to go at the expense of the residents of the surrounding villages. The shift in the way we treat our own environment must come from the initiative of the citizens themselves, with the support of representatives of the state, local self-governments, but also representatives of large companies whose actions affect all aspects of a community's life. The Belgrade Open School visited the citizens of Bor with whom we discussed the challenges related to environmental degradation. Watch the reportage "The Sustainable Future of Bor", below:
It is important to keep in mind that an economy that involves nature conservation brings alternative development directions. Sustainable tourism provides that opportunity to the inhabitants of Bor. Visitors who would choose to spend their holidays in this city would be only a half an hour's drive away from the steep trails of Crni Vrh. According to the recommended tour, on their way back from the ski resort, they would bathe in the healing waters of Brestovacka Banja, and after a well-deserved relaxation, try their luck to see the elusive lynx of Lazar’s canyon. Nevertheless, a future in which Bor is not an ecological black spot but a green gem of eastern Serbia can only be created by residents of this city who are motivated and included in the decision-making process by local authorities. You can find out more about the potential of the city of Bor in the second part of the reportage "Sustainable Future of Bor":
The reportage was created within the framework of the Sustainable Development for All Platform, supported by the Governments of Switzerland and Germany, and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The project partners are the Belgrade Open School, Foundation BFPE For a Responsible Society, Center for Advanced Economic Studies, Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation, Center for Democracy Foundation, Timok Youth Center and Smart Kolektiv.
The Sustainable Development for All Platform implies the establishment of a public dialogue among the most important non-state actors in Serbia, such as civil society, corporate sector, academic and research community, professional associations, media, and citizens, on aligning Serbia’s development priorities with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The idea is to facilitate interaction with decision-makers on aligning Serbia’s development priorities with the goals contained in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
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