Budva - The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) organised the Extended Meeting of the Regional Working Group on the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans (RWG GAWB) on the WB6 Climate Adaptation Roadmap in Budva on 9 April 2025.

Opening the meeting, Ivana Markovic Boskovic, RCC Senior Expert on the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, introduced the draft WB6 Climate Adaptation Roadmap, developed following the Hamburg Declaration and in alignment with the EU Adaptation Strategy. The document aims to offer a structured approach to mainstreaming climate resilience at the regional level by identifying priority actions and areas requiring enhanced coordination and financial support.

Ivana Markovic Boskovic presented an update on the GAWB Action Plan revision process, outlining the timeline, distribution of roles and main objectives. Participants were informed about the launch of a public call for NGO contributions and the active engagement of key regional partners, donors, international organisations, the business community, local authorities and youth representatives in the revision process.

Holger Schroeder, Senior Adviser on GAWB, DG ENEST, emphasised the significance of the revision process in ensuring closer alignment of the Green Agenda with evolving EU priorities, including the Clean Industrial Deal. He reiterated that the GAWB remains an integral part of the EU enlargement process, serving as a tool to support the WB6 economies in their accession efforts. He welcomed the progress made and stressed the need for concrete, measurable actions in the updated Action Plan, while also appreciating RCC’s approach to facilitating an inclusive process.

Participants supported the draft WB6 Climate Adaptation Roadmap, highlighting the need for further fine-tuning, especially regarding responsibilities, financing mechanisms and monitoring frameworks. Emphasis was placed on the need to access various EU and international financial instruments, strengthen local capacities and involve a wider range of stakeholders, including the private sector. Participants agreed on the importance of enhanced coordination among regional actors and with EU and international partners to ensure effective and coherent implementation of the Green Agenda.

The meeting gathered 37 participants, including 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. International partners, including GIZ, UNDP, UNEP, OSCE, EEA and JRC, were also present in person and actively contributed to the discussions.

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.