Novi Sad

Novi Sad and ecology

Novi Sad faces significant challenges in waste management. The city has two illegal dumps, and 30 more are located near the Danube, contributing to the pollution of the river as water carries waste downstream. The city landfill in Klisa is unsanitary, lacking adequate environmental protection measures, while the absence of an operational waste disposal and recycling center further complicates the situation. Although plans are in place to transform the city landfill into a Regional Waste Management Center with the goal of recycling 90% of waste, progress is slowed by public disinterest and insufficient infrastructure for systematic waste separation.

The Danube, the main water source for Novi Sad, is significantly polluted. Industrial wastewater, agricultural activities, acid rain, inadequate sewage infrastructure, and flooding contribute to the problem. The lack of a water treatment system and overexploitation of water resources worsen the situation, endangering ecosystems, reducing biodiversity, and compromising drinking water quality, which could have serious health consequences for residents.

Urbanization and the expansion of construction zones threaten green spaces in Novi Sad, which currently account for only 13% of the city’s urban areas, including private gardens. This percentage is far below global standards of 20–30% and continues to decline due to intensive construction. The loss of greenery increases air pollution, contributes to the urban heat island effect, reduces biodiversity, and raises the risk of flooding. A storm in 2023 further worsened the situation by toppling 600 trees in the city.

Workshop

The high school students from Novi Sad demonstrated their strong interest in ecology and their ability to voice their concerns! Aware that their city, as a large and densely populated area, faces numerous challenges—from wastewater and a polluted river to litter found on streets, riverbanks, and even in the Fruška Gora National Park—they have stepped up. They particularly focused on improper waste disposal, illegal dumping sites, poor air quality, and unhealthy traffic density, while promoting cleaner forms of transport, such as cycling and public transit. Additionally, some students highlighted the pollution of the Danube River, emphasizing that improper disposal of waste and wastewater has a detrimental impact on the Danube ecosystem and the rich biodiversity it supports.

Although they believe that “it’s not hard to be nice” and throw trash in a bin, they noted the lack of serious infrastructure for waste separation and recycling in their city to make such efforts meaningful. They would gladly see more recycling stations for various materials and better processing of waste that ends up in sanitary landfills. Moreover, reforestation is not unfamiliar to them—after a storm last year severely damaged the greenery in their city, they are ready to roll up their sleeves and plant trees whenever necessary. This team thinks globally and acts locally—and we are confident their city can look forward to a brighter, greener future!

During the workshops, the students were given a task – to create a creative video where they chose one environmental problem in their city that bothers them the most and explained the best way we could solve it! You can check out the competition results at the following link: https://www.tiktok.com/@zeleni.sad?_t=8qe8gTVP0Kc&_r=1

Joint working meeting

Since one of the project’s priorities was connecting young people with a desire for activism, a joint working meeting was organized at our Green Co-working Center for this purpose. All the best teams gathered there, along with their peers from other cities and our expert team, to discuss solutions to environmental problems. During this meeting, the youth shared innovative ideas, exchanged experiences with their peers, and discussed opportunities for joint collaboration to address environmental issues in their communities, as most of these environmental problems are not isolated but shared among many of the participating cities.

The collaborative meeting sparked active discussions among the students about the problems in their communities. They shared their impressions and observations about the state of the environment in their cities, focusing on specific issues such as improper waste disposal, air pollution, and the lack of green spaces. Most students expressed a desire to contribute to their communities through education, organizing environmental actions, and involving the community.