On September 7, Russian and Serbian experts came together for the international online roundtable “Think Globally, Act Locally: Challenges of Sustainable Development in Russia and Serbia”, organized by the Presidential Academy in St.Petersburg and the Institute for Political Studies in Belgrade.

This roundtable started the series of expert events dedicated to regulating development issues and exploring «green» competencies.

The event was moderated by Dmitry Novik, PhD in History, Director of the Center for International Project Activities, International Cooperation Department, and Petar Matić, PhD, Head of the IPS Center for Political System and Public, on the part of Russia and Serbia, respectively.

Boris Levitanus, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, addressed the effective use of forests as a mechanism for implementing the provisions of the Paris Agreement. Alena Tarkinskaya, Senior Lecturer, discussed the legal, practical, and ESG aspects of the transition to a low-carbon world.

The research presented by Andrea Matijević, PhD Candidate, Research Assistant, showed that while sustainable development at the local level in Serbia is well-articulated in theory and increasingly embedded in national legislation, it remains insufficiently effective where it matters most: at the city, municipal, and district levels. Nenad Spasojević, PhD Candidate, Research Assistant, highlighted the issue of air pollution in Serbia.

Students from both Russia and Serbia joined the experts for the discussion. Particular attention was paid to the environmental and social issues and consequences associated with the transition to new technologies in the automotive industry.

In conclusion, the participants noted that the issue of development is of particular importance in the modern world and underscores the cooperation between Russia and Serbia in this area.