The RCC and EU4Green collaborated to host an NGO conference on the Western Balkans’ Green Agenda on March 30 in Belgrade. In order to support engagement and strengthen the role of civil society, the forum participants discussed pressing environmental issues such as sustainable mobility, energy efficiency, greening of investments and jobs, as well as the regional and personal progress of the Western Balkans’ implementation of the Green Agenda Action Plan.

“The Green Agenda for the Western Balkans is a dynamic and evolving initiative that, like a living organism, requires collective efforts of both the governmental and non-governmental sectors to nurture, grow and shape towards a sustainable plan for the future. In a developing region, such as ours, the concerns are related to daily life, and this makes it more difficult to think about the form and ways the future is threatened. The future with all its colours of uncertainty seems distant when daily perspective is still challenging. Our region should remain steadfast on the sustainable, green transition and decarbonisation path as any long-term derails are detrimental, especially in such a climate change-vulnerable region like ours,” said Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC).

The forum gathered nearly 60 representatives of civil society organisations and coalitions and close to 20 representatives of donor community and international organisations, including representatives of governments from the region. Fruitful discussions covering major topics on the implementation of the GAWB collected valuable input and reflections from a diverse list of CSOs on the key challenges and progress on the implementation of the Agenda so far.