Workshop “Towards the development of Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan in Montenegro” held in Podgorica

The workshop “Towards the development of Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) in Montenegro” was held in Podgorica on May 28, 2019.

The workshop was held as part of the Western Balkans Energy Transition Dialogue (WeBET Dialogue), a regional project financially supported by the Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism of the Republic of Austria and jointly implemented by a consortium of think tanks and civil society organisations from Southeast Europe gathered in the Southeast Europe Energy Transition Network (SE3T.NET) and the renowned think tank Agora Energiewende.

The event gathered representatives of relevant institutions and stakeholders in Montenegro, making a contribution to the discussion on the future development of the NECP in Montenegro.

National Energy and Climate Plans will be aligned with the Energy Community’s future 2030 targets

Representatives of the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism and the Ministry of Economy underlined the significance of activities launched as part of a project to produce National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs). These plans will be aligned with the Energy Community’s future 2030 targets, while determining interactions between different dimensions, primarily contribution to renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, and the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Participants heard that Montenegro, as a country seeking EU membership, must ensure that ambitions and contribution to the fight against climate change are in line with those of the EU in the period until 2030, but also in the long-term period until 2050. This is especially important alongside adopting and implementing the Regulation on the governance of the energy union and climate action (EU) 2018/1999, which will provide a unique opportunity to achieve the goal.

Ešef Husić, Director General for Climate Change and Mediterranean Affairs at the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism, said that the workshop represented an ideal opportunity to promote Montenegro’s climate change and energy policy, headed for alignment with the EU policies in the period ahead. The EU regulations for the implementation of these policies will be transposed into Montenegro’s legislation as part of the country’s EU accession process.

Marko Radulović, Director General for Energy Efficiency at the Ministry of Economy, pointed to the significance of developing the NECP in Montenegro, as well as the expected benefits and challenges of the process. He also noted it was necessary to harmonise strategic energy and climate change documents in the period ahead.

One of the messages was that the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism, together with the Ministry of Economy, will continue working diligently on the realisation of National Energy and Climate Change Plans (NECPs), to enable the standardisation and implementation of necessary measures to meet the strategic 2030 targets within the Energy Community and NDC in line with the Paris Agreement, alongside achieving the long-term goal and vision of a low-carbon economy by 2050.

Presentations by Sonja Risteska of Agora Energiewende, Ilka Starrost, Senior Project Leader, Capacity Capacity Development for Climate Policy in the Countries of Southeastern, Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia – Phase III (CDCP III), which supports Montenegro in developing the NECP, and Đorđije Vulikić on behalf of the SE3T.NET regional think tank network contributed to the constructive and meaningful discussion.