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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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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.