Series of lectures ‘Geohazard in 21st Century Serbia’

What are the challenges we are faced with when it comes to the seismic situation in Serbia? What is the risk assessment regarding water shortages, frequent droughts and landslides? What are the consequences of soil contamination and climate change? These are some of the questions that our top experts in the field of geohazard will try to answer through the series of lectures, Geohazard in 21st century Serbia: Knowledge is the best defense against the elements.
The speakers at the opening of this event on Tuesday, April 10, were Academician Vladimir S. Kostić, SASA President, and SASA Corresponding Member Vladica Cvetković, who also chairs the series. The first lecture, titled “Seismic risk in Serbia: maps, limitations and challenges”, was given by Prof. Slavica Radovanović.
“The series of seven lectures on geohazard concerns geosciences and deals with the most frequent geological hazards with which Serbia is faced in the 21st century. Unfortunately, some of them, such as earthquakes and landslides, are well known to us, whereas others, such as shortages of good quality water or serious soil contamination, which is on the increase, are knocking on the door, whereas we find some other geohazards less alarming, as they are, seemingly, far from us,” explains Corresponding Member Vladica Cvetković. He also points out that scientists know a lot about geohazards, but society at large knows little, much too little to “sleep peacefully.”

Also organized in April was the lecture, “Risk assessment regarding water shortages in Serbia”, given by Prof. Zoran Stojanović, and, in May, Prof. Slaviša Trajković will give a talk on “The spatial and temporal characteristics of droughts in Serbia” and Prof. Biljana Abolmasov about “Landslides in Serbia”. In June, Academician Vidojko Jović will give a lecture on soil contamination, Prof. Dejan Prelević will deal with the topic of volcanic eruption hazard in the Balkan peninsula, and SASA Corresponding Member Slobodan Marković will give a talk on climate change from a geological perspective.