The Western Balkans is a region heavily affected by climate change and pollution issues, but at the same time a rich European biodiversity hotspot, which needs to be protected for future generations.
Since its establishment, the UNEP Vienna Office and Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention have been implementing an array of important projects aiming at addressing the main environmental and climate challenges in the Western Balkans, with the support of GEF and other donors.
This event aims at presenting the results achieved through the most significant projects implemented by UNEP together with its partners in the past years, thus contributing to the achievement of the Agenda 2030 goals and, at the same time, supporting the process of approximation of the Western Balkans Economies to the EU standards. Main expected outcomes of the event are the following:
- To showcase the main results of the GEF-funded projects implemented / under implementation in the Region from 2016 to 2022
- To present the results of the first phase of the Regional ClimaProof project implemented from 2016 to 2022 funded by Austrian Development Agency (ADA), as well as the objectives of the way forward.
- To present the results achieved through the policy governance mechanism titled “South East Europe Pollution Platform”, funded by the Italian Ministry for Ecological Transition (IMET) and implemented from 2019 to 2022, as well as its potential development and way forward, together with the regional studies on air pollution (2019) and waste management (2022).
- To discuss the importance of the regional initiatives, in particular the climate adaptation and pollution platforms developed within the above-mentioned projects, and UNEP role in supporting the Western Balkans Economies in implementing the Agenda 2030 as well as the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, in particular following the European Commission-UNEP Policy Dialogue on Pollution (November-December 2021) and the recent finalization of the UNEP’s Pillar Assessment procedure for the management of the EU funds[1].
- To discuss potential of Programming Framework for the WB aimed at spurring the long-term recovery and building resilience of the region with the support from the donors and through global funding mechanisms.
Description of the event
Title
Western Balkans forum: Environmental / Climate achievements and future challenges
Objective
- To present the UNEP mandate, strategy and its portfolio in the Region, together with the main environmental challenges and needs
- Presentation of the international cooperation in the region, the existing initiatives and future opportunities
- To discuss UNEP role in supporting the Western Balkans Economies in implementing the Agenda 2030 and the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans
Location
- In presence: Vienna International Centre – Vienna, conference room CR-4 7th floor, C building
