Projects

Short Description:

Overall goal

The project supports Kosovo municipalities in their transition towards zero emission development pathways by building on the results of the previous project “Support for Sustainable Prizren - Initiating Urban NAMAs (Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions)” in Prizren and extending it to sustainable rural development and the Municipality of Suharekë/Suva Reka. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and contribute to carbon neutral development through an integrated and gender-sensitive approach of supporting informed decision-making through data, with increased focus on rural areas, the dynamics between rural and urban areas, social innovation and stakeholder platforms, food systems and financing to enable a green recovery from COVID-19.

Expected results

This will be achieved through four outputs:

i) Strengthened local capacities to set ambitious and achievable GHG reduction targets and take gender-responsive climate Action;

ii) Local capacities utilized to implement cross-sectoral and gender-responsive mitigation actions in the rural and urban areas of the municipalities of Prizren and Suharekë/Suva Reka and contributing to the reduction of GHG emissions;

iii) Green transition and shift to sustainable development pathways advanced at municipal level through promotion of innovative financing;

iv) Transition towards more sustainable food systems accelerated in the municipalities of Prizren and Suharekë/Suva Reka through mainly women-led initiatives.

Target group / Beneficiaries

The project will target minimum 620 direct beneficiaries from public institutions and private sector with capacity development and awareness raising activities, of which at least 340 will be women. Through other actions, the project will have impact on overall population in both target municipalities. Local authorities are the key partners in project implementation, and will be directly involved in all project activities, i.e., identification, development, implementation, and monitoring in partnership with relevant national authorities, private sector and CSOs. With a participatory project implementation, the municipalities of Prizren and Suharekë/Suva Reka are the main beneficiaries and owners of the project results.

Activities

Activities include:

* Strengthen the capacities of Prizren Green Growth Center (PGGC);

* Establish the Municipal Green Growth Center of Suharekë/Suva Reka to support and identify climate-related priorities and mitigation actions;

* Create a GHG emission inventory and strengthen the Suharekë/Suva Reka municipality framework as a basis for measuring, reporting and verifying GHG emissions;

* Replicate and adapt solutions from Urban NAMAs and pilot new green smart solutions in Suharekë/Suva Reka municipality;

* Highlight potentials and the use of financial Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for climate action and green growth;

* Identify and pilot other financing mechanisms for green investments;

* Create a road map on how to increase local sustainable food systems;

* Pilot initiatives to reuse food waste in the private sector.

Context

Climate change has an unequal impact on different groups, and it is not gender blind – it influences women and men differently. Vulnerable communities suffer, deal with and are overall affected more from the consequences of climate change. In Kosovo, the most vulnerable groups to climate change include: the socio-economically fragile population, women and marginalized communities.

Targeted climate change mitigation actions are critical vehicles to transformation. The Project will be implemented in line with the Kosovo Climate Change Strategy. There is vast potential and need for development focused on climate solutions in both municipalities. Responding to key climate change challenges and advancing green development, this project proposes an integrated approach by promoting and enabling green smart development in urban and rural areas by engaging women and men of diverse backgrounds, and socially vulnerable groups, representing local authorities, private sector, civil society, youth, and by mobilizing necessary sustainable financing by working with IFIs and Kosovo institutions.