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Civil society gave coal-mining regions a voice in the climate transition in Serbia

In Serbia, coal-dependent local communities risk having limited influence over the green transition.

When national plans began to be drawn up, there was a risk that the process would become overly technical and top-down, without sufficient consideration for jobs, local development and the people most affected.

During the year, the Palme Center’s partner organisation, the Democratic Dialogue Network (DDN), helped to change this. Together with BOŠ and CEPLOR, they brought together civil society, local authorities, experts and institutions in a joint process to promote a fairer and more inclusive transition.

There was a particular focus on the coal mining region of Lazarevac, where local stakeholders took part in focus groups and open discussions on the challenges and opportunities of the transition.

The work resulted in a policy document guiding Lazarevac’s development in the climate transition – with a focus on employment, the local economy and social sustainability. It was handed over to the municipality as a basis for future planning and decision-making.

The initiative helped to broaden the issue from a narrow expert discussion to a wider public and political process, with increased opportunities for affected people to influence their future.