Recent democratization, decentralization, and a move towards EU accession have put considerable pressure upon local communities in region to take responsibility for their own economies, environment, and overall quality of life. Most communities in the region face considerable difficulties due to lack of management, planning, and communication skills related to the new responsibilities. At the same time, several decades of serious neglect, combined with the recent armed conflict, have resulted in highly visible environmental pollution and serious ecosystem damage throughout the region.

Regarding to this, REC has initiated the process of local environmental planning by applying LEAP methodology developed in cooperation with the US-based Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC). The process involves assessing and ranking environmental problems, setting priorities, and developing an action plan to address the main priorities. This kind of projects REC has lead out in 25 other municipalities in Serbia, emanating overall development of the region.

Netherlands Ministry for Development Cooperation has supported creating of LEAP. The project activities will improve cooperation across national borders, ethnic and religious groups in SEE through cooperation in environmental planning in four municipalities in the section of the Drina river basin which stretches across the Serbia (Ljubovija and Priboj), the Federal Republic of Bosnia, and the Republika Srpska (Bratunac and Rudo), both part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The all project stages will be implemented until the beginning of 2008.

REC is currently working on a multi-country effort funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) to promote LEAP throughout five countries of the Western Balkans. This project takes the LEAP one step further, by offering municipalities the chance to apply for grant funds to implement a priority environmental action. This serves to encourage them to begin implementing the plans immediately, and reduces the risk that the plans exist only on paper.

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