While the 2030 climate and energy targets were adopted on the Energy Community level, CAN Europe showcased the pathway to reaching them and going beyond through delivering on ambitious and credible National Energy and Climate Plans.
“Unlocking the full potential of cross-border and regional cooperation in energy and climate planning is crucial. Therefore, the revised and new plans must take into consideration regional aspects, prioritising synergies and optimising countries’ capacities” Frosina Antonovska, Climate and Energy Policy Officer for the Western Balkans on Balkan Green Energy News
CAN Europe focused on making sure the Western Balkans countries stayed set on ambitious 2030 climate and energy targets, in a time when disinformation and insecurity prompted countries to keep their fossil fuel-oriented mindset. Therefore, delivering on credible and ambitious National Energy and Climate Plans (NECP) in the region prompted us to evaluate Albanian and North Macedonia NECPs, the only two drafted plans so far in the Western Balkans. The NECP report highlighted the limited ambition in the drafted plans, and emphasised the gaps in delivering credible plans. Our recommendations provided crucial insight to other countries in the Western Balkan region, currently drafting their NECPs, as well as to our members and partners who will use them for their national work.
Building on the 2021 Lazarevac report on the Just Transition, we engaged a local community in Serbia to join the advocacy for a Just Transition, resulting in a mural at an elementary school in Belgrade, based on our #EnergySuperheroes comics.