Working towards a better environment is not a luxury.

This was a key message during a UNMIK-sponsored environmental conference held in Pristina on 27 June, which brought together civil society and government authorities.

It even featured a video address by Pat Smith, the British pensioner who began a petition in Cornwall to stop use of plastic straws. So far, 285 businesses have signed on.

“Kosovo was making good strides in waste collection and protecting waterways, with better days coming,” said Kosovo Environment Minister Dardan Gashi.

“Never before has there been greater [environmental] mobilisation or a greater need,” he told the 200 gathered participants at the EverGreen Forum.

Different environmental problems were brought to light during the first panel with mayors from around Kosovo, including illegal garbage sites and the leaching of sewerage and heavy metals, including arsenic, into public waterways and reservoirs.

Gracanica Municipality Urban Planning and Environmental Protection director Dejan Jovanović appealed to the Kosovo government and international community to help municipalities tackle the growing problem of a lack of wastewater treatment plants.

“This waste is polluting the earth, air and soil. It is the original problem and we all have to make efforts together to prevent an ecological disaster,” he said.

Robert Pulver, UNMIK Deputy Special Representative to the Secretary-General, said, “We saw the communities had a good idea of their biggest problems and where there are opportunities to safeguard the future of the planet.”

He said that it was inspiring to see environmentalists from all corners coming together to formulate solutions and thanked Senior Environmental Affairs Lara Larsen for travelling to the event from UNHQ.

The United Nations Development Coordinator Ulrika Richardson told participants that when she first arrived in Kosovo a year ago she was told: “We don’t have time to work on the environment – that’s a luxury”.

“It’s a threat that is happening right now and it’s not a matter of doing it next year or 10 years…we have to take action now.”

A call for action was agreed to by participants on environmental priorities, action and slogans. Another grassroots conference is planned within the next six months.