Podgorica - The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) organised the second meeting of the RWG GAWB in Podgorica on 14 May 2024.

Opening the meeting, Ivana Markovic Boskovic, RCC Senior Expert on the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, underlined the importance of the Western Balkans Six (WB6) climate resilience and adaptation to the inevitable impacts of climate change, and opened discussions on the development of the Climate Adaptation Roadmap for the Western Balkans.

RWG GAWB members agreed that RCC would launch a consultation process to determine the methodology for developing the WB Climate Roadmap, with active participation from all relevant stakeholders to be sought throughout the process.

Hristina Stevanovic Carapina, RCC consultant, presented the draft Regional Action Plan for implementing the Joint Statement on Preventing Plastic Pollution, including Marine Litter. Representatives of GIZ and the EU4Green project contributed by sharing insights into their respective activities in this context.

Marv Barbullushi, RCC Expert on the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, opened discussions on the current situation regarding air, soil and water pollution. Sabine Schindlbacher, Air Depollution Expert from the EU4Green project, gave an online presentation on air depollution, with a particular focus on the importance of aiming to reduce by 50% the number of premature deaths attributable to air pollution in the WB region by 2030 compared to 2005, in line with the EU NEC Directive. UNEP, UNECE and UNICEF also contributed to the discussions, providing additional perspectives and information.

Ivana Markovic-Boskovic informed RWG GAWB members and regional partners about the preparations for the 2023 GARI. She also emphasised that RCC, together with the European Commission and Germany, will organise the first Ministerial Meeting on GAWB on 8 October, alongside the Hamburg Sustainability Conference 2024. The GAWB Ministerial Meeting aims to provide strategic guidance and recommendations by endorsing the Joint Statement and enhancing cooperation to achieve shared environmental goals, including the adoption of the Regional Action Plan on Preventing Plastic Pollution and the Western Balkans Climate Adaptation Roadmap. Insights from the Ministerial Meeting will shape the 2024 revision of the GAWB Action Plan, ensuring alignment with evolving priorities and challenges. The ministerial endorsements will be integrated as political input into the Berlin Process Summit Chairs’ Conclusions 2024.

Other participants in the meeting included RWG GAWB members, the Standing Working Group on Regional Rural Development (SWG RRD), the Transport Community Permanent Secretariat (TCPS), the Energy Community Secretariat (EnCS), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the European Commission.

Agenda 

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Established in April 2023 through the transformation of the former RWG on Environment, the RWG GAWB provides the operational framework necessary to effectively fulfil its mandate under the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans Action Plan. It serves as the core intergovernmental coordination platform, composed of senior representatives from the WB6 ministries responsible for climate and environment. It represents the backbone of the GAWB implementation process, ensuring technical coordination, facilitating regional dialogue and monitoring progress against the commitments of the Sofia Declaration.