Andjelka Mihajlov
You have been active in environmental matters for some time, and have played a prominent role in Serbia and the Western Balkans to promote a sustainable future. What do you see as the key challenges facing the waste management industry in your region?
Allow me to begin within a broad framework. I am convinced that the precondition to work in any profession, including – but not limited to – waste management, is to have education and knowledge, as well as the mindset to transfer good, practical knowledge and capabilities through sharing of experiences and quality training. These tools are the stepping stones to improved environmental quality and practices, particularly in regions where such practices are in the beginning stages.
A main challenge facing transition countries is that the ‘short-term economic’ view will undermine environmental considerations. To create a stronger voice for environmental concerns, it is important to translate environmental goals into beneficial objectives that can be understood by economists and decision-makers.
Another important task is to build and strengthen partnerships between scientists and NGOs, trade unions, industry, vulnerable groups, parliamentarians, decision-makers and others. It is not an easy short-term task, but it is this area where I can best use my skills and capabilities. I like to call this approach ‘environmental diplomacy’. Fundamentally, through the use of pragmatic technologies, encouragement, and persuasion (among other tools), it is a means to work for proper change.
As an example, the National Waste Management Strategy in Serbia was approved in 2003. To some, it may seem that the changes from that action have been slow. But in this field, the approval of such strategies is the key step towards changing direction, giving others the opportunity to make small but influential changes in how and where waste is managed.
You are on a UNEP list of influential women in the field of the environment, that UNEP believes should be honoured and whose work should be recognized. Do you see any emerging changes in the future?
On the basis of employment and executive positions, the waste management sector by tradition has been rather male dominated. Possible explanations include the propensity of engineers that went into waste-related positions, the need for manual labour forces (particularly for collection systems), and the sector’s business and finance-driven aspects. I see some trends for change.
In my view, women are among the key groups to be represented in the decision-making processes related to environmental and waste management issues. If we take into account that women are usually responsible for tasks related to consumption, household waste separation, and education of children, then the absence of women on the decision-making side seems odd. In my role with UNEP, we are working to improve instruments for positioning skilled women at decision-making positions in municipalities, companies and institutions.
How do you see your efforts reaching a broader network of environmental professionals?
With young assistants at the University, I am working on issues of linking climate change and waste management practices in Serbia and the Western Balkans. We are specially focusing on projects related to developing instruments for Climate Change Impact Assessment and implementation of the Clean Development Mechanism. Hazardous waste management remains one of our continued interests, particularly from the research side of things. We in the waste industry, must continue to engage the young researchers, to put their tremendous energies and curiosities towards finding solutions for waste management-related problems.
Secondly, raising awareness through regional events is an essential element. In my consulting capacity and with other partners, we are preparing the 5th SEE Regional Conference ‘Environment towards Europe’, to be held in Belgrade in June 2009. This conference will focus on climate change and sustainable tourism. Other planned events are targeting municipal and industrial waste generators, to be aware of how proper waste separation and disposal can be beneficial to customers, businesses, etc.
Thirdly, I see a significant role for involvement and participation within the international associations. For example, our Serbian Solid Waste Association (SeSWA) serves as the National Member within ISWA: this co-operative arrangement allows Serbian waste managers to access and examine emerging practices, cost-effective products and equipment, and to network with solid waste managers with similar challenges and problems. (We have organized annual waste workshops in Novi Sad since 2006 and are looking at establishing an ISWA Beacon Conference in the region for 2009 as a means to assemble the various stakeholders on a regular basis). ISWA’s certification program has an interest for our SeSWA members as well, principally because such programs do not yet exist nationally.
Interviewer for the International Solid Waste Association, (ISWA): Helena Bergman, ISWA Project Manager e-mail: hb@iswa.dk
