Climate Bridges

In November 2020, leaders from the Western Balkan countries signed the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans. It aligns with the EU Green Deal and offers guidelines on how to foster climate action in the region. Effective climate policy does not stop at boarders and requires a trans-national approach. Lots of civil society organisations in the region already work in the climate protection field. What had been missing so far, was a network to connect these actors. While various climate action networks already existed on the European level, there was no civil-society-driven network yet in the Western Balkan.

Triglav, Soča, Slovenia. © Photo: Joris Beugels | Freepik

The team of Climate Bridges strengthened climate action in the Western Balkans by establishing a climate network of civil society organisations and (semi-) governmental bodies. This made use of the advantage that civil society organisations are more flexible when connecting on a trans-national level.

The climate network platform fostered exchange, discussion and collaboration on a trans-national level to mitigate climate change in the region. Experiences gained from similar processes in the Alps, like the Alpine Partnership for Local Climate Action or the Alpine Climate Board supported these activities.

To display the status quo in the region, the project team collected 30 good practice examples of climate action and awarded the best ones with a climate price. Additionally, three climate mitigation strategies were elaborated with pilot regions in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Croatia. Representatives from the Alpine region supported the elaboration of the strategies and thus empowered and motivated participants from the Western Balkan countries to replicate successful approaches.

Climate Bridges – YouTube

The Climate Bridges Network, a pioneering network of around 30 organisations supporting the implementation of the GAWB, has been established – and continues to grow – with members from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Greece, Slovenia, and Austria. In collaboration with experts from institutions such as the Austrian Environment Agency and the Austrian Ministry for Climate Action, the project has facilitated the transfer of knowledge, best practices, and experiences from the Alpine region.

In March 2024, the report Climate Governance Analysis and Capacity Development Strategy in the Western Balkans was published, providing an overview of the current climate policy landscape in the region. The report examines aspects such as the alignment of national climate policies with EU regulations, outlines relevant binding strategies at the national level, and assesses their implementation status, as well as bilateral and transnational strategies.

As part of a competition, 40 best practices aligned with the GAWB were collected and presented at an award ceremony in Sarajevo. The five most outstanding initiatives were honoured as Climate Champions, including an environmental education project in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a citizen-led energy facility in Križevci (Croatia), and the cross-border protection of coastal dunes between Albania and Montenegro.