Politike ozelenjavanja postale su centralni stub savremenog ekonomskog razvoja. Srbija se nalazi na 62. mestu od 180 zemalja (2024) prema Indeksu ekoloških performansi (EPI), što je svrstava oko globalnog proseka. Međutim, u protekloj deceniji njeni rezultati su značajno pogoršani, pa se po napretku nalazi među najlošijima na svetu (171. mesto od 180). To ukazuje ne samo na ograničenu efikasnost ekoloških politika, već i na strukturni jaz između njihovog dizajna i implementacije.
Indeks ekoloških performansi, koji je razvijen na Univerzitetu Jejl, predstavlja kompozitni indikator za procenu efikasnosti ekoloških politika. On meri koliko uspešno zemlje štite ekosisteme, unapređuju kvalitet životne sredine i odgovaraju na klimatske promene. Politike ozelenjavanja obuhvataju širok spektar mera – od smanjenja emisija CO₂ i upotrebe fosilnih goriva, do promocije obnovljivih izvora energije, unapređenja kvaliteta vazduha i vode, kao i ulaganja u održivu infrastrukturu i ekološke inovacije.
Efikasnost ovih politika ne zavisi samo od njihovog dizajna, već i od implementacije i merljivih rezultata, a još više deljenja njenih uspeha i uvida. EPI objedinjuje 40 indikatora u 11 kategorija i tri ključna cilja: vitalnost ekosistema, zdravlje životne sredine i klimatske promene. Zemlje se ocenjuju na skali od 0 do 100, pri čemu više vrednosti ukazuju na bolje performanse.
Na globalnom nivou postoji jasan obrazac: razvijene ekonomije, posebno u Evropi, ostvaruju najviše rezultate zahvaljujući snažnim institucijama, većim investicionim kapacitetima i doslednoj implementaciji politika. Skandinavske i zapadnoevropske zemlje dominiraju vrhom liste. U 2024. godini, Estonija zauzima prvo mesto (75,7), zatim slede Luksemburg, Nemačka, Finska i Ujedinjeno Kraljevstvo, što odražava stabilan napredak u ključnim ekološkim indikatorima.
Srbija, nasuprot tome, pokazuje drugačiju putanju. I pored 62. mesta u 2024. godini, njen dugoročni učinak je negativan. U periodu od 2014. do 2024. Srbija beleži pad od -4,7 poena, što je svrstava među najslabije globalne performere po pitanju napretka. Ovo pogoršanje izraženije je nego u najlošije rangiranim zemljama EU, poput Rumunije (-2,6), Mađarske (-2,4) i Bugarske (-1,7), kao i među zemljama regiona Zapadnog Balkana.
U evropskom kontekstu, rezultati Srbije su posebno zabrinjavajući. Zaostaje za većinom zemalja EU i ima slabije performanse od pojedinih zemalja regiona. Na globalnom nivou svrstava se među 10 najslabijih zemalja po napretku, zajedno sa državama poput Vijetnama, Tadžikistana i Malavija. Ova pozicija ukazuje na strukturni problem: ekološke politike postoje, ali njihov efekat ostaje ograničen.
Ključni izazov nije odsustvo regulative, već jaz između obaveza i rezultata. Bez dosledne implementacije, ulaganja i institucionalnih kapaciteta, politike ozelenjavanja ne mogu se pretočiti u merljiva poboljšanja kvaliteta životne sredine niti u održiv ekonomski rast.
Pozicija Srbije ne odražava nedostatak ambicije, već nedostatak rezultata. Politike zaštite životne sredine koje ne donose merljiva poboljšanja ostaju simbolične. Dugoročno gledano, ovo nije samo ekološko pitanje – to je ograničenje ekonomskog razvoja, konkurentnosti i javnog zdravlja.
Izvor: Univerzitet Jejl – Indeks ekoloških performansi (EPI)
Napomena: EPI kombinuje 40 indikatora u 11 kategorija i tri cilja politike: Vitalnost ekosistema, zdravlje životne sredine i klimatske promene.
Greening policies have become a central pillar of modern economic development. Serbia ranks 62nd out of 180 countries (2024) according to the Environmental Performance Index (EPI), placing it around the global average. However, over the past decade, its performance has deteriorated significantly, ranking among the worst globally (171st out of 180) in terms of progress. This indicates not only limited effectiveness of environmental policies, but also a structural gap between policy design and implementation.
The Environmental Performance Index, developed by Yale University, is a composite indicator used to assess the effectiveness of environmental policies. It measures how successfully countries protect ecosystems, improve environmental health and address climate change. Greening policies include a wide range of measures – from reducing CO₂ emissions and fossil fuel use, to promoting renewable energy, improving air and water quality, and investing in sustainable infrastructure and environmental innovation.
The effectiveness of these policies depends not only on their design, but on their implementation and measurable outcomes, and sharing its successes and insights. The EPI aggregates 40 indicators into 11 categories and three core objectives: Ecosystem Vitality, Environmental Health and Climate Change. Countries are scored on a scale from 0 to 100, with higher values indicating better performance.
Globally, a clear pattern exists: developed economies, particularly in Europe, achieve the highest scores due to stronger institutions, higher investment capacity and consistent policy implementation. Scandinavian and Western European countries dominate the top of the ranking. In 2024, Estonia ranks first (75.7), followed by Luxembourg, Germany, Finland and the United Kingdom, reflecting strong and consistent progress across key environmental indicators.
Serbia, by contrast, shows a different trajectory. Despite its 62nd position in 2024, its long-term performance is negative. Between 2014 and 2024, Serbia recorded a decline of -4.7 points, placing it among the weakest performers globally in terms of progress. This deterioration is more pronounced than in the lowest-ranked EU member states, such as Romania (-2.6), Hungary (-2.4) and Bulgaria (-1.7), as well as among the countries of the Western Balkans region.
Within the European context, Serbia’s performance is particularly concerning. It lags behind most EU countries and performs worse than several regional peers. At the global level, it is grouped among the 10 weakest performers in terms of progress, alongside countries such as Vietnam, Tajikistan and Malawi. This positioning highlights a structural issue: environmental policies exist, but their impact remains limited.
The key challenge is not the absence of regulation, but the gap between commitments and results. Without consistent implementation, investment and institutional capacity, greening policies cannot translate into measurable improvements in environmental quality or sustainable economic growth.
Serbia’s position does not reflect a lack of ambition, but a lack of results. Environmental policies that do not deliver measurable improvements remain symbolic. In the long run, this is not only an environmental issue – it is a constraint on economic development, competitiveness and public health.
Source: Yale University – Environmental Performance Index (EPI)
Note: EPI combines 40 indicators into 11 categories and three policy objectives: Ecosystem Vitality, Environmental Health and Climate Change