Do not pollute, work with us!

The beginning of the campaign for a healthier and cleaner living environment in Serbia

April 22, 2024

On World Earth Day, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, in cooperation with the Delegation of the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), launched the campaign “Do not pollute, work with us”. This campaign aims to raise awareness of the importance of the green transition and environmental protection, calling the citizens and the business community to action in order to contribute to the creation of a healthier and greener environment. 

The campaign will underline the importance of adopting simple habits such as saving water as we brush our teeth, throwing waste into waste bins, using cloth tote bags instead of plastic bags, using public transport, riding a bike or walking instead of driving a car, and shutting down unnecessary lights at home or in the office. Even if these are small changes, when we implement them together, we can significantly contribute to the preservation of natural resources and our environment. 

The national campaign “Do not pollute, work with us” is part of the project “EU for Green Agenda in Serbia”, implemented by UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Environmental Protection, with the technical and financial support of the European Union, and in cooperation with the Embassy of Sweden and the European Investment Bank (EIB), with additional funds secured by the governments of Sweden, Switzerland and Serbia. 

“The aim of this campaign is to raise the people's awareness of the importance of protecting the environment, and to explain that every individual can make a big difference with only a few small steps. My Ministry is working hard to build green infrastructure and improve the state of our environment. However, it is equally important that we as a society and as individuals work to change our own habits, in order to live in a cleaner environment. I am pleased to launch this campaign symbolically on World Earth Day, because it is important to remember that we do not have a spare planet and that now is the time to help preserve it,” said Irena Vujović, Minister of Environmental Protection. 

The campaign “Do not pollute, work with us” is part of the activities that contribute to the achievement of the Green Agenda goals in Serbia. 

“The European Union supports Serbia in its green transition, which is important for the EU integrations, but even more important for providing the people with a healthier environment and ensuring the sustainability of economic development. This campaign aims to encourage every individual to participate in the European initiative to achieve climate goals and protect the environment. We believe that with joint efforts and cooperation we will preserve Serbia, Europe and our planet that we are celebrating today,” said Emanuele Giaufret, Ambassador and Head of Delegation of European Union to the Republic of Serbia. 

“The campaign we are launching today challenges us to think honestly about how our daily behaviour affects our environment and whether we are contributing to pollution and climate change. As the saying goes, before we blame others, we should first look in our own backyard and make our own habits more environmentally friendly. I hope that this campaign will be a wake-up call for all of us living in Serbia to work together and contribute to the green transition of Serbia's economy and society,” said Yakup Beris, UNDP Resident Representative in the Republic of Serbia.