A CARAVAN FOR THE CLIMATE
BY MARINA PENEVA
Climate change is still only a fringe issue in Serbia but now things are changing with a ‘Climate Caravan' trying to spread more awareness about environmental issues.
This summer, a Climate Caravan passed through Serbia for the second year in a row, marking one of the most direct attempts to bring awareness about climate change to this country.
Climate change is still only on the fringes of the issues spotlighted in Serbia, even environmental issues, but new efforts are being made to push it forward.
Mladi Istrazivaci Srbije (Young Researchers of Serbia, or MIS), a non-governmental organization most recognized for its volunteer camps and environmental projects, is one of the first organizations spreading awareness of this issue in Serbia.
Although MIS is best known for its volunteer program, it has been highly active on the environmental front since the beginning – 33 years ago.
Spreading awareness
"In fact, our volunteer program came out of our environmental and research programs, as one way in which we personally can improve the quality of our environment", says Dušica Trnavac, Project Manager in MIS.
The Climate Caravan is MIS's first project that focuses entirely on the issue of climate change. It is a global awareness action organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), with MIS serving as a local host since the Caravan first passed through Serbia last year.
The Caravan passes through countries of Central and Eastern Europe with the same climate change awareness program.
Last year, MIS was WWF's first partner for the Caravan in Serbia and it was joined by two more organizations this year. Both years, the Caravan passed through three major Serbian cities.
A growing movement
"The Caravan signifies movement – from city to city, location to location. The activities are conducted in the same way at every location, with the idea that our part of the caravan consists of one car which contains all of the necessary equipment for the conducting of those activities: instruments, games, pamphlets etc. We only put it in action", explained Trnavac, adding that MIS has been satisfied with the turnout both years.
Targeting children
The project especially targets children at a very young age, because MIS believes that the project will have the most effect on those who are exposed to the information at the youngest age.
Activities during the one day long Caravan include toys that move through the use of solar panels, energy-producing bicycles, panda and polar bear costumes etc.
"The intention is to show in an informal way and at a very basic level what energy is and how much of it is used to power a blow drier, a tv or a computer", said Trnavac, noting that the activities were accompanied by more in-depth information pamphlets.
In addition to the Caravan, Trnavac stressed that climate change awareness is a part of practically all of MIS's environmental projects.
"Our focus is not exclusively on the issue of climate change. However, one of our main goals is improvement and protection of the environment, which is often very closely, directly or indirectly, related to the prevention of climate change. We are attempting to lessen the negative effects of human actions in order to prevent or mitigate climate change", explained Trnavac.
Still overlooked
She noted that MIS is always involved with the environmental issues that are the most important at that moment and that climate change is certainly among them, even though it is still mostly overlooked in Serbia.
"In my personal opinion, as a geographer and an activist within MIS, all transition countries, Serbia included, frequently overlook the very important issue of environmental protection," said Trnavac.
She added that the term "sustainable development" is increasingly present in Serbia, but that there does not seem to exist a full understanding of that term and that much more information is needed in order to be able to deal with these issues effectively.
A lack of concern
"We don't really know what we don't have and what are shortages are, or how much of our national resources we have left. At the core of the problem is the lack of concern about natural resources - the spending of that which should last much longer than just during our generation," explained Trnavac.
In Trnavac's opinion, the lack of concern about environmental issues is "a part of the 'growing process' of a nation – in the political, economic, social and other senses. We will become more involved with this issue the moment we realize how important it is."
"That is our mission: envision a lot, do at least a little – as much as we can do with our capacities – but start the avalanche," she concluded.
Marina Peneva has a BA in English literature from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. She has worked as a journalist, freelance writer and language editor in Europe and the United States. Before Aarhus, she lived in Serbia, USA and Australia and is enrolled in the Erasmus Mundus Masters in Journalism with the hopes of getting more experience of life and work in the European Union and exploring the workings of journalism across the world.
