Secretariat and Agora Energiewende propose no-regret measures to advance the energy transition in the Western Balkans

Following the publication of the European Green Deal, which underlines the need to engage the Western Balkans in the decarbonisation pathway, the Secretariat and Berlin-based Agora Energiewende proposed a set of specific measures to advance the clean energy transition in the Western Balkans and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

They propose that each Contracting Party develops a national energy transition roadmap, which will include inter alia:

• Introduction of carbon pricing and regionally coordinated price of CO2 emissions, compatible with the EU ETS;
• Plans to set concrete dates for phasing out coal-fired power generation in line with commitments under the Energy Community Treaty and the Paris Agreement;
• Regulatory, administrative and financing frameworks to enable a massive and rapid scaling of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency measures; and
• Cooperation to make the best use of the highly interconnected transmission infrastructure within the Western Balkans and with the EU and tap the potential for creating one integrated power market in the region.

The document underlines the unique opportunity to take advantage of the political momentum of the European Green Deal and final negotiations on the EU’s budget to link concrete commitments by WB6 leaders with concrete pledges of the EU and some EU Member States to offer financial, administrative or technical support for a just transition.