Turkey and Western Balkans to combat climate change together

Turkey and the Western Balkans should join forces in reducing the consequences of climate change and they have EUR 90 million already available from European Union’s funds, according to participants at a regional workshop earlier this month in Macedonia’s capital Skopje.

The event was organized by Environment and Climate Regional Accession Network (ECRAN) and the Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (TAIEX) instrument of the European Commission.

Western Balkans and Turkey are vulnerable to climate change and the joint work on reducing its consequences is essential, the participants at the workshop in Skopje have agreed. Stevo Temelkovski, Minister for Environment and Spatial Planning in the Macedonian Government said the main work in climate change effects should be in the area of water resources, biodiversity, agriculture, forestry, tourism, cultural heritage, and healthcare.

Skopje workshop was the final event of the cycle of ECRAN’s support to the region following a three-year programme. The event followed  a kick-off conference in Skopje, series of workshops in Zagreb, Ankara, Podgorica and Tirana as well as three technical training seminars water management, urban development and planning and energy planning.

ECRAN is strengthening   regional cooperation between the EU candidate countries and potential candidates in the fields of environment and climate action and assists their progress in the transposition and implementation of the EU environmental and climate acquis.

The workshops’ participants included Environment and Energy Ministries, Environment Agencies, Statistics Agencies and technical institutions.