Think Globally, Develop Locally

The first Kosovo national roundtable event of "Think Globally, Develop Locally" programme was held on the 5 July 2012 in Prishtina, Kosovo. Main objective of the event was presentation of Association of Kosovo Municipalities Climate Change Action Plan. At the first programme international roundtable event held last December, the Association of Kosovo Municipalities made a commitment to develop a Climate Change Action Plan and host a national level roundtable event where additional relevant stakeholders would be invited to participate in the debate and provide suggestions of how best to address climate change at local level.

In addition to a presentation and discussions on the Climate Change Action Plan, other dominant themes of the roundtable were energy efficiency & GHG emissions in the country. The recently established Kosovo Energy Efficiency Agency under the Ministry of Economic Development was represented by Mr. Bedri Dragusha, Chief Executive Officer of the agency. Mr. Dragusha presented "Energy Efficiency in Kosovo" speaking about legislation, institutional framework, projects and challenges.

Participants included representatives from local government associations, local government, central government, NGOs, energy efficiency agency. They all agreed that "development of Association of Kosovo Municipality's Climate Change Action Plan has great value and that local level is key factor in fighting climate change".

Mayor of Municipality of Shtime Mr. Naim Ismajli, who recently was selected as President of Association of Kosovo Municipalities, during his opening speech at the event spoke about "the purpose of the Climate Change Action Plan, which is to ensure that municipalities build their resilience capacity to the risks and impacts of climate change through implementing adaptation actions; improving understanding of climate change and its effects; education and awareness raising; improving decision making and good governance; developing and strengthening partnership and cooperation." He emphasized that "by taking action to address climate change, municipalities will be taking action towards the development of a more sustainable society and economy".

Giving her professional opinion Ms. Shkipe Deda-Gjurgjiali from UNDP commended the development of the Climate Change Action Plan, calling it "an important milestone for future work in the area of climate change in local level in Kosovo".

The Action Plan is a first step in developing capacity of the local government associations to identify priority areas for their members that will promote actions to mitigate or adapt for climate change. The roundtable event also has also stimulated awareness at the central government for the need of involvement of local governments in implementation of strategies related to energy efficiency, energy management and ecosystem management.