Energy Policy and Poverty

According to data obtained by the CINS, between 2013 and 2017, EPS was the primary recipient of state funds for electricity produced by small hydro, while in second place were companies owned by Nikola Petrović or his business partners, with more than €10 million in income. Petrović is a former director of “Elektromreža Srbije", and godfather to President  Aleksandar Vučić.  

Coalition 27's latest shadow report, entitled "No-Progress Report" calls for much higher investments, hence more political will in the field of environmental and climate policies. Serbia has yet to open negotiations on Chapter 27 of the EU accession process.

Improving energy efficiency of wood burning stoves could not only significantly contribute to improving comfort and health but also to significant savings which could cumulatively exceed one hundred million Euros annually. This money could be spent on something else, thus creating much needed demand for goods and services which is the only way to sustainably increase employment. 

How did two engineers, with the help of a local self-government, start from scratch and made a well-rounded system which cares for the public spending on energy; how much did they save in their municipality and the problems they faced. 

Kosovo cannot absorb additional lignite-exploitation without fundamentally endangering its living environment. EU perspective of Kosovo dictates climate and energy policy framework and direction that is to a large extent incompatible with the current developments

"When you're stuck in a hole, the first rule is to stop digging. We can't solve the climate crisis if we're still digging more and more coal, oil and gas out of the ground. It's time for regulators to take climate risk seriously and push fossil fuel companies to show how their business plans comply with the global goal of limiting warming to below 2°C. Fossil fuels have always been a bad bet for our planet, they're now an increasingly bad bet for our investments, as well." (May Boeve, Executive Director of 350.org)  

The article is considering sustinable mobility in Belgrade and Serbia and the Foundation's work in the field of climate change and sustinable urban moblity, particularly in Belgrade. 

by Helena Stadtmüller