South-East European Platform to Beat Pollution (SEEPP)

About

The Challenge

Pollution is one of the most pressing health issues worldwide, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development offers, through the SDGs and its pollution reducing targets, a great chance for triggering concrete initiatives to tackle it.

Steel Mill Factory Chimney Air Pollution Environment Problem Global Warming. Smederevo, Serbia. October 31, 2021:

Steel Mill Factory Chimney Air Pollution Environment Problem Global Warming. Smederevo, Serbia. October 31, 2021:

Restoring the health of Lake Prespa. The beautiful but environmentally vulnerable region of the Prespa Lake Basin is home to more than 2,000 species of fish, birds, mammals and plants. Many of these species are unique and many are in danger of dying out if their habitat is not protected. This eco-system has suffered greatly over the last 40 years—above all from pollution caused by unsustainable farming practices, together with erosion and the presence of untreated waste and wastewaters. Photo: Ljubo Stefanov

Restoring the health of Lake Prespa. The beautiful but environmentally vulnerable region of the Prespa Lake Basin is home to more than 2,000 species of fish, birds, mammals and plants. Many of these species are unique and many are in danger of dying out if their habitat is not protected. This eco-system has suffered greatly over the last 40 years—above all from pollution caused by unsustainable farming practices, together with erosion and the presence of untreated waste and wastewaters. Photo: Ljubo Stefanov

The Solution

The Pollution Platform works to increase regional and national awareness on pollution sources, impacts and solutions and enhance education and capacity building at all levels. To reduce pollution and increase environmental protection practices, through strengthening institutions and capacities of the Western Balkan Countries in the identification and prioritization of their pollution-prevention and related environmental priorities, and the development of an evidence-based approach to develop policies and measures to tackle key pollution issues and fulfill the standards set forth by the EC-UNEP zero pollution policy dialogue.

What we do

The Pollution Platform aims to be be recognized as a sub-regional tool to combat pollution through raising awareness, sharing information, and providing region-specific solutions to facilitate the establishment of networks among scientific and technical entities in the Western Balkans and EU Member States.

Burning Illegal Garbage Trash at Road Side in the Balkans.

Burning Illegal Garbage Trash at Road Side in the Balkans.

This goal will be achieved by:

  • Consolidating knowledge onto one central platform to make information easily accessible to various stakeholders
  • Promoting information to relevant audiences, such as specialists, policy-makers, and donors to inform decision-making, secure financial and technical support and guide action take at the regional, national, and local level
  • Disseminating findings to the general public who are impacted by pollution in the region to enable a greater understanding of pollution challenges and potential solutions through knowledge products and social media

SEEPP Establishment-Regional Meeting

24-25 June 2019

The Regional Consultation Meeting convened representatives from the region at the technical level and lead to the establishment of the Platform Task Force. The meeting discussed the definition of the Terms of Reference of the Sub-Regional Platform, its governance and structure.

Summary Report - Sub Regional Consultation Meeting