Context
The Western Balkan countries are already severely affected by climate change due to an increase in extreme weather events and long-term climate change. The impacts of rising temperatures and lower rainfall are immensely challenging for society and the economy. The region urgently needs to adapt to the changed climatic conditions in order to minimise climate-related loss and damage. However, a lack of regional cooperation and knowledge sharing is hampering adaptation efforts.
This is where the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans comes in. In 2020, the region’s countries agreed as part of the agenda to implement measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote climate change adaptation and protect the environment.
Objective
The Western Balkan countries are implementing climate adaptation measures in line with the Green Agenda more efficiently and effectively.
Approach
The project promotes climate change adaptation in the Western Balkans, especially with regard to agriculture and urban transport, by:
- Developing decision-making tools and strategies so that adaptation measures can be better planned and implemented
- Implementing scalable demonstration projects for agriculture and urban transport, with due consideration for gender equality and nature-based solutions
- Promoting regional knowledge sharing and running training courses
It also improves the capacities of regional, national and local actors by providing them with technical and process-oriented advice. This makes it easier for them to select and implement demonstration projects and establish and use digital platforms for consultation processes. In this way, the project improves foundations for decision-making, enhances technical capacities and boosts regional knowledge sharing.
The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), the Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East Europe (NALAS), the Transport Community and the Regional Rural Development Standing Working Group in South East Europe (SWG RRD) play a key role in the project’s implementation.
Last update: August 2024