Serbia - Overview

Status and trends of biodiversity, including benefits from biodiversity and ecosystem services

The surface of agricultural land in Serbia decreased from 65% of the national territory in 2003 to 60% (equivalent to 5,346,596 ha) in 2012. Traditionally the most important sector of the economy, the agricultural sector was transformed during the 1990s and early 2000s, a consequence of which was the privatization of public farms, especially in Vojvodina... More »

Main pressures on and drivers of change to biodiversity (direct and indirect)

Over the last 3 to 4 years, pressures on biodiversity have been mainly exerted by: fires in protected areas which have impacted forest ecosystems and led to changes in the biogeocenotic balance; agricultural production (exaggerated application of artificial fertilizers and pesticides, uncontrolled drainage of liquid manure... More »

Implementation of the NBSAP

Serbia’s Biodiversity Strategy (2011-2018) was adopted in 2011 in relation to the Law on the Verification of the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Biodiversity Strategy has been harmonized with the National Strategy for Sustainable Development, and with the principles of European Union (within the context of aligning Serbian legislation with EU legislation)... More »

Actions taken to achieve the 2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets

Serbia has determined that greater emphasis should be placed on objectives related to halting biodiversity loss through the integration of biodiversity in activities of Government and society (re Strategic Goal A of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020), and on factors which can lead to biodiversity threats (re Aichi Biodiversity Targets 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10)... More »

Support mechanisms for national implementation (legislation, funding, capacity-building, coordination, mainstreaming, etc.)

Examples of supporting legislation include:

Law on the Verification of International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

Law on Incitements in Agriculture and Rural Development

Law on Agriculture and Rural Development

Law on Energy

Law on Mining and Geological Researches

Law on Nature Conservation (which is the framework law)

Law on Organic Agriculture

Law on Game and Hunting

Law on Waters

Law on Environmental Protection

Law on the Means for the Protection of Plants

Law on the Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of the Fish Stock

Law on Tourism

Law on Planning and Construction

Law on Forests

Law on the Evaluation of the Influence on the Environment

Decree on the allocation of incentives in agriculture and rural development

Decree on the Ecological Network

The Law on National Parks is being drafted... More »

Mechanisms for monitoring and reviewing implementation

Strategic area 6 of the current NBSAP on the “Knowledge Database” aims to implement actions towards the creation of a national information system for biodiversity (NISB), biodiversity monitoring and biodiversity research. Work in this strategic area has just begun (however a work programme for the Biodiversity Information Centre, located in the Faculty of Biology of the University of Belgrade, has been defined)... More »