Western Balkans EUKI Networking Conference

The 2023 Western Balkans EUKI Networking Conference will bring together practitioners and policy makers in the field of climate action from the six Western Balkan countries, Germany and other neighbouring EU member states. The conference will provide a space for dialogue between civil society, local and national policy makers on the pathway of implementing the Western Balkans Green Agenda. The participating EUKI projects will be able to share good practices in implementing and fostering the Green Agenda in the Western Balkans and learn from each other.

Landscape Photo: ©Ardit Hyka | Unsplash


Location

Tirana, Albania (+Livestream online)

Label
Academy Event
Date

25 September 2023 - 27 September 2023

Conference Report

The EUKI Academy summarised the full event, which consisted of keynotes, panel discussions, group sessions and other networking opportunities. Read the conference report here.

 


 

Registration

Registrations are now open until 25 September. To register please use this form.

 


 

Agenda


Day 1 EUKI CAPACITY BUILDING AND NETWORKING

09:00 – 09:30  Coffee and Registration

09:30 – 09:40 Welcome and Introduction – of EUKI capacity building session on the Green Western Agenda for the Western Balkans

A part dedicated to capacity building, further collaboration opportunities and knowledge exchange. Networking and thus strengthening the EUKI community in the Western Balkans. 

Welcoming statements and introduction

  • Elsa Benhöfer, EUKI Academy Coordinator, EUKI Secretariat
  • Zana Vokopola, Director, Urban Research Institute 
  • Rezart Kapedani, Expert on EU Acquis for Chapter 27

09:40 – 10:15 Presentation of EUKI programme & Getting to know each other

  • Julia Brennauer, Specialist Advisor, EUKI Secretariat 
  • Followed by introduction of project partners and further participants 

10:15 – 10:40 Session 1 – The road toward achieving Green Deal targets for the Western Balkan countries

  • Presentation by Rezart Kapedani
  • Followed by Q&A

10:40 – 11:00 Coffee Break

11:00 – 12:00 Session 2 – Where the EU is going for 2030 and the targets we should follow

  • Presentation by Rezart Kapedani
  • Followed by Q&A and discussion among participants

12:00 – 13:00 Session 3 – What civil-society-organisations can do to effectively engage in planning, implementing, and overviewing chapters of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans

  • Presentation by Rezart Kapedani
  • Followed by an exercise with participants

13:00 – 14:00 Lunch Break

14:00 – 14:15 Session 4 – Presenting the multitude of stakeholders relevant for the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans 

  • Presentation by Zana Vokopola, Director, Urban Research Institute
  • Followed by Q&A

14:15 – 15:15 Session 5 – How to prepare initiatives that can be supported targeting the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans

  • Presentation by Zana Vokopola, Director, Urban Research Institute and Rezart Kapedani, Expert on EU Acquis for Chapter 27
  • Followed by an exercise with participants

15:15 – 16:00 Closing Remarks and Coffee Break

16:00 – 17:30 Opening Words

by Ulrike Leis, Deputy Director, EUKI Secretariat 


Official Founding of the Climate Bridges Network

Joining the EUKI project Climate Bridges through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to found the “Climate Bridges Network.

Moderated by Wolfgang Pfefferkorn, Project Manager, CIPRA 


17:30 – 20:00 Evening Reception

Welcoming remarks by

  • Matthias Casper, Councellor of the European Climate Policy, German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK)
  • Anuela Ristani, Deputy Mayor of Tirana
  • Iven Schad, First Secretary, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Tirana
  • Hubert Perr, Head of Cooperation at EU Delegation to Albania

Moderated by Ulrike Leis, Deputy Director, EUKI Secretariat

Joint Networking and Dinner


Day 2 MAIN CONFERENCE DAY

08:30– 09:00 Registration of participants

09:00– 09:15 Welcome and Introduction

by Elsa Benhöfer, EUKI Academy Coordinator, EUKI Secretariat


09:15 – 10:30 Session 1 – Fostering the cooperation of civil-society-organisations and policy level for the implementation of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans

Project implementers and policymakers will go into groups to discuss challenges, potentials and needs especially in regard to cooperation between civil society and policy-level.


10:30– 11:00 Coffee Break

11:00 – 11:15 Official Opening

How to strengthen climate and energy policy issues in the region through dialogue between EUKI projects, national policy makers and civil society from the region, the EU and EU Member states.

  • Ulrike Leis, Deputy Director, EUKI Secretariat
  • Dr. Heinz Hetmeier, Deputy Director-General for European Policy, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK)
  • Almira Xhembulla, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Tourism and Environment

11:15 – 11:30 Keynote – Existing implementation measures of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans in the region: Challenges and Opportunities for Decarbonisation

  • Adam Cwetsch, Head of European Green Deal Unit, Energy Community Secretariat

11:30 – 13:00 Session 2 – Status Quo – Implementation of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans 

High-level representatives of the Western Balkan countries provide an outlook and discuss the next steps of implementing the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans in their countries and the region, with a focus on: Exploring decarbonization pathways for various sectors, Just Transition and Social Equity, Renewable Energy Transition and civil society engagement. 

Panel Chair/ Discussion (40 min):

  • Assistant Minister Dusan Čarkić, Ministry for Environmental Protection  
  • State Secretary Nebi Rexhepi, Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning 
  • Deputy Minister Almira Xhembulla, Ministry of Tourism and Environment 
  • Deputy Minister Avni Zogiani, Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure 
  • Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations (tbc) 
  • Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism (tbc) 

Q & A

Moderator: Edlir Vokopola, Director of Planning and Development, Urban Research Institute

Group Photo


13:00 – 14:30 Networking and Lunch Break

With a Market Fair by EUKI Projects


14:30– 15:45 Session 3 – How EUKI projects and EU policy can strengthen the implementation of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans

This session will provide an overview of EUKI’s engagement in the Western Balkans. Based on the topics and ideas discussed in the group work. The panel will shed light on potential ways to collaborate between CSO, EU and national representatives in implementing the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans.

Panel chair/ discussion:

  • Vedad Suljić, Managing Director at CETEOR in Bosnia and Herzegowina, representing EUKI Project Balkan Solar Roof 
  • Valbona Mazreku, Executive Director at Milieukontakt Albania, representing EUKI Project EUCENA 
  • Andrea Ferrero, Head of Operation Section II at EU Delegation to Albania 
  • Adam Cwetsch, Head of European Green Deal Unit, Energy Community Secretariat 

Q & A

Moderator: Edlir Vokopola, Director of Planning and Development, Urban Research Institute 


15:45 – 16:30 Closing, Coffee break and Time for Networking

  • Conclusions and closing remarks by Elsa Benhöfer, EUKI Academy Coordinator, EUKI Secretariat
  • Group photo

Moderator: Edlir Vokopola, Director of Planning and Development, Urban Research Institute 


From 17:00 Optional Walking Tour and Joint Dinner

DAY 3 EUKI FIELD TRIP

09:00 – 12:00 Visiting the Gustav Mayer School in Tirana with the project Sustainable Urban Transport in Tirana, implemented by the German Development Cooporation (GIZ). Participants will learn about the mobility transition in Tirana and hear what has been achieved in regards to decentralized solar energy and sustainable urban development.

 

The European Climate Initiative (EUKI) of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) contributes to the achievement of the goals of the regional climate partnership by funding civil society projects in the Western Balkans.

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