Environmental degradation and climate change pose an existential threat to all countries of the world. To address the challenges in this regard, through the European Green Deal, Europe aims to become carbon neutral by 2050. Therefore, the European Union is promoting strong climate action, sustainable development and environmental protection.

According to the latest report of the European Commission on Kosovo, the latter is in the early stage of preparation for the environment and climate change. In this report, it is emphasized that stronger political will is needed to address environmental degradation and climate change challenges.

Kosovo currently faces serious challenges in terms of environmental protection and climate change, taking into account the limited human and financial capacities for addressing them. In this regard, the greatest burden and responsibility belongs to the central level of government.

However, since environmental problems are mainly related to the impact of human activity on environmental resources, a more efficient way to address them is to implement strategies or action plans in a decentralized manner. This is because the municipal bodies have better knowledge of the terrain as well as environmental and socio-economic problems and are the first contact.

A look at the websites of Kosovo's municipalities shows that very few municipalities have separate directorates for the environment. In this aspect, the municipalities of South Mitrovica and Obliq are singled out, where the relevant directorates have the responsibility to commit to the gradual reduction of pollution, degradation and environmental damage, as well as the reduction or prohibition of those economic aspects and other activities that pose a risk to health of man and the environment. While the Municipality of Prishtina has the Directorate of Parks, which is committed to the creation and administration of recreational parks within the territory of the municipality of Prishtina, as well as the protection and care of green areas within the territory of the municipality of Prishtina.

Meanwhile, most of the other municipalities have framed the issue of the environment as a sector or unit, either in the Department of Urbanism or in the Department of Public Services. Researches done previously by non-governmental organizations have highlighted the lack of human capacity in municipalities for environmental protection.

The report on the monitoring of the environment sector in the Municipality of Prizren (published in May 2021) shows that in this municipality the body responsible for environmental planning and management is the Environment and Waste Management Sector that operates within the Directorate of Public Services. The DSHP staff consists of a total of 14 employees, of which 5 are engaged in the Environment and Waste Management Sector. During this mandate, the Municipality of Prizren has also established a Green Development Center, which will serve as an information center and will organize workshops to promote environmental awareness. The leaders of this municipality have emphasized that Prizren is the only city in Kosovo that has drawn up the intersectoral intervention plan for climate change. But, according to the statements of municipal officials, the number of employees engaged in SMMM is not sufficient to perform the tasks defined by the legal framework. For example, they announced that based on the program of the Environment and Waste Management Sector, the number of officials engaged in this sector should be 16. In addition, they consider that limited financial resources inhibit efforts for more effective protection of the environment. On the other hand, they insist that the creation of a separate directorate for the environment would be the right step in this direction.

Since the municipal elections will be held in the fall of this year, the recommendation for the candidates for mayor of municipalities would be to include in their programs the establishment of environmental directorates, taking care of the increase of human and financial capacities for the protection of the environment. and sustainable development. In this way, they could contribute to the acceleration of steps in addressing the challenges of environmental protection, sustainable development and climate change.