Health costs of coal plants prompt policy rethink

A study quantified public health costs of polluted air from coal-fired power plants in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro and Kosovo* at up to EUR 8.56 billion per year. The calculation is made up of costs including from premature deaths, respiratory and cardiovascular hospital admissions, new cases of chronic bronchitis and lower respiratory problems, […]

Strengthening capacities of SEE ministries responsible for energy efficiency

The GIZ Open Regional Fund for South-East Europe – Energy Efficiency, under the auspices of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), has initiated another important project supporting South-East European (SEE) countries in the process of transposition of EU acquis and fulfillment of relevant responsibilities in the energy efficiency sector. The project […]

Action Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change With Vulnerability Assessment for the City of Belgrade

Project: Climate Change Adaptation in the Western Balkans (CCAWB) Component 5: Integration of adaptation to climate change into urban planning and development Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) Countries: Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo*, Macedonia (FYR), Serbia Duration: 2012–2015 IMPLEMENTER Secretariat for Environmental Protection is the implementer and organiser of project activities […]

Understanding energy efficiency investments – a global perspective

By Qendresa Rugova, Burg Capital GmBH, Vienna esa.rugova@burgcapital.com This article is part of a series of two articles on energy efficiency investments covering (1) investment characteristics from a global perspective and (2) existing and emerging financing models for energy efficiency investments and their applicability in the Balkan region. Energy efficiency is an integral part of […]

Features February 25, 2016

Balkan countries must manage floods, droughts together

There are cooperation and communication mechanisms missing between neighboring countries, in order to take into account the transboundary nature of flood and drought risk at operational level, says Jelena Peruničić, Senior Manager at the regional German Development Cooperation (GIZ) project Climate Change Adaptation in Western Balkans (CCAWB).  There is much to be done at the local […]

Innovations in planning for urban resilience and sustainability: Blue Green Dream

Prof. Čedo Maksimović PhD: Imperial College, London, UK, and Director of the Blue Green Global (BGG-Ltd) company and Blue Green Global Group, E-mail: c.maksimovic@imperial.ac.uk INTRODUCTION This presentation introduces the innovative urban planning method developed by the Blue Green Dream (BGD) project, funded by the EIT (European Institute of Innovation and Technology) through its Climate_KiC program in the […]

EC’s contracting parties to cap pollution from plants

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Macedonia, Serbia and Ukraine submitted national emission reduction plans (NERPs) to the Energy Community (EC) Secretariat by the deadline of end-2015. This marks a highly important milestone in preparing for the implementation of the Large Combustion Plants Directive (as amended by Decision 2013/05/MC-EnC of the Ministerial Council), which is to commence […]