Jules Striffler, researcher for the regional NGO “Balkan Forum”, says that very often the Western Balkan countries are on the list of the most polluted countries in the world, and precisely the fight for clean air is one of the goals that needs to be fulfilled in order to get closer to the “Green scenario”.
“I lived in Sarajevo, later in Skopje and now in Pristina, and therefore I have some experience with air pollution. Last week I was in Berlin at the Civil Society Forum within the framework of the Berlin process. There I heard the numbers on the victims of air pollution in the region, and it is startling. I think that the change will come – certainly we will give our contribution, but I think that we leave a moving point because we need to sufficiently deal with the environment, that is, the citizens in regards to air quality or in regards to waste management”, says Striffler.
He highlighted that his focus is on the circular economy, as well as regional cooperation and EU integration, and precisely because of this the “Logex” network has been formed, which is a consortium of organization from all six countries of the Western Balkans, united with the same will to promote circular economy in the region.
Striffler adds that last year an event titled “Western Balkans Circular Economy Week” was also organized, where the roadmap that these countries need to follow to improve both the economy and the environment was discussed.
Balkan Forum is one of the initiators of the establishment of the “LogEx“ network.
*
The LogEx community was established in December 2021. It is a partnership between universities and academics, civil society organizations and business actors from the Western Balkans and the diaspora in the region. LogEx is a consortium of different organizations with a common idea such as circular economy, security, development of strategies on how to continue the focus on these topics, with the purpose to promote and include different entities of society, such as the business sector, local authorities, central governments, to improve legislation, as well as measures that need to be supported. The primary goal is how to attract the attention of the young people for them to be more aware about the potential, personal development and certainly employment through circular economy.
