Budget shortfalls in mitigation impacts of extreme weather events: a new challenge for Serbian sustainable development

Mitić, Petar and Radović, Vesela and Raspopović, Neda (2013) Budget shortfalls in mitigation impacts of extreme weather events: a new challenge for Serbian sustainable development. In: Proceedings of the 4th International conference of economic sciences. Kaposvár university, Faculty of economic sciences, Kaposvár, pp. 199-207. ISBN 978-963-9821-62-0

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Abstract

Extreme events, closely connected to the global climate changes, are among the most serious risks in the world. In developing countries extreme events cause setbacks to economic growth and social development, jeopardizing the sustainable development. Extreme events in the Republic of Serbia (RS) represent the most significant risk in implementation of its sustainable development, especially in the northern part, Vojvodina. This paper presents limitations of Serbian government to provide sufficient budget for emergency services and for other activities in the process of reducing disaster risks. The hypothesis of this article is: Is the threat of extreme event recognised among policy makers, and how to convince them to provide adequate funds in the national budget, and also funds for budgets of local self governments which would be sufficient for the prevention and mitigation measures? Authors include the analyses of the budgets of local self government following parameters like: size of the municipality/city; the level of resources allocated by affected municipalities in relation to municipalities that have not been affected by the disaster; types of existing hazards; level of economic development of municipality/city and percentage of total funding commitment of some municipalities. Serbian public still does not have the opportunity to participate in the process of creating national budget, neither of budgets in local self-governments. The main goals of this paper are to initiate public discussion on necessary budget, needed for mitigation measures after extreme events, as a serious risk to the concept of sustainable development and involvement of all interested parties in creating specific donor programs for communities affected by extreme events. The methodology used in this article is usual for social researchers: historical analysis, comparative analysis and data analysis. It allows authors to use various documents from electronic databases, books, scientific journals, official documents and positive practice from international communities. All data were arranged and used for the purpose of achieving article’s objectives. The paper shows that Serbia still lacks in adequate policy which enables local self government troughout Serbia to strengthen and increase the financial capacity for timely response to any kind of emergency. Conclusion remarks review actions that should be implemented in Serbia in order to strengthen the nation’s ability to prevent, prepare, respond to and mitigate short or long term consequences which might be caused by extreme weather events. These remarks could be helpful for policy makers in a process of preparing and adapting Budget proposal for Serbian Parliament and in local selfgovernment in their future efforts to provide all necessary conditions in improving the response to extreme events. Projecting appropriate budget, in regard to its own needs, threats and opportunities, Serbia could increase its security and strengthen national resilience. Therefore, performing those activities Serbia could improve its position, set by the last World Risk Report (2012), as one of the most risky country in the region.

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