Albania’s Ministry of Environment has just been equipped with a strategy and plan that will guide the country towards an economy with low carbon output and adapt various sectors towards climate-friendly targets.

Experts from the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Energy discussed the new documents today at the presentation event.

“The new strategy summarises and rationalises existing plans and strategies, providing a comprehensive assessment of climate-relevant actions planned in Albania, exploiting synergies and filling gaps”, said Lucia Perugini, senior researcher at CMCC Foundation, Italy, expert with the EU-funded IBECA project team together with her colleagues from CMCC, Maria Vincenza Chiriacò, Andrea Bigano and Claudia Ponti, which drafted the documents to be approved by the government. She mentioned that Albania’s priorities are to reduce carbon emissions by 11.5% by 2030 as outlined in the country’s obligation under the Paris Agreement, and to establish data collection for sectors with high emissions such as energy, transport, agriculture, land use, and forestry.

Several other experts presented the targets and objectives for each of the sectors that contribute to climate change through high carbon outputs. In the energy sector two key priorities for climate change mitigation will be promoting sustainable and renewable energy and improving energy efficiency. Actions are foreseen also in the area of transport by promoting the use of environmentally-friendly vehicles as well as improving public transport and introducing new regulations for car emissions. In agriculture and forest sectors measures for low carbon management of land are crucial for a sustainable use of natural resources.

For all sectors a financial analysis is also included that specifies the costs necessary to carry out all the actions. The total amount needed for implementing the strategy is 40 million Euros by 2020 which is related to climate relevant actions already foreseen in existing plans and strategies.

This latest draft document sets the stage for aligning legislation and policies to EU directives in the area of climate change. Since Albania signed the Paris Agreement in 2016 it is obliged to determine its share of contribution to global climate change, to raise its capacity to mitigate effects of climate change, to establish monitoring mechanisms for carbon emission, and to promote awareness and education in order to cut down on emissions. This calls for action in sectors such as energy, transport, agriculture and forestry.

For more information:
Mauro Buonocore, [email protected] ; 0832 671060
Sonila Guna, [email protected]; 0692083763