Balkan Green Foundation’s conference on climate change

The Balkan Green Foundation (BGF), in collaboration with the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the European Office in Kosovo/EUSR, organized a high-level regional conference to discuss matters regarding sustainable development, climate change, and Western Balkan countries pathway towards Europe. ATRC participated in the conference.

The conference tackled energy, climate change, and environmental policies, in the context of the Western Balkans. Specific focus is afforded to national strategies on energy and climate change, targets and obligations within the Energy Community Treaty, and the potential of a liberalized energy market. Ministers of the Environment and Energy/Economic Development from the region presented their commitments for the abovementioned topics, especially with regard to the Paris agreement.

Additionally, representatives of the European Commission and other EU institutions addressed achievements and what path each country should undertake towards a sustainable energy policy. High-level representatives of agencies working on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, the Secretariat of the Energy Community Treaty, and IFIs, highlighted the targets, commitments, achievements, and joint means of financing environmentally friendly energy projects throughout the region.

The conference was organized in three panels. First Panel – The Aftermath of the Paris Agreement: perspectives from the Western Balkans and the EU; Second Panel – The Western Balkans 6 Connectivity Agenda: Regional market, An Integrated Solution; Third Panel – Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Sources.