Organisations behind the Platform Initiative in Support of Coal Regions in Transition in Western Balkans and Ukraine agreed to join efforts to support the transition away from coal and towards a low-carbon and climate-resilient future in the Western Balkans and Ukraine, in a first meeting held online on 10-11 December. Participants including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development,World Bank Group, the College of Europe (Natolin campus), the Energy Community Secretariat, the European Commission and the government of Poland kicked off discussions on how to support the regions in phasing out coal while supporting local communities that remain economically dependent on the coal industry.With its extensive on-the-ground experience in the Western Balkans and Ukraine, and its strategic emphasis on an energy transition which is green and inclusive, the EBRD confirmed its commitment to providing finance for investments that will support the transition from coal. Such investments may include projects which promote clean energy, targeted support to workers in the coal industry, or economic diversification.The Platform Initiative in Support of Coal Regions in Transition in Western Balkans and Ukraine, created in September 2019, will assist the coal regions of the Western Balkans and Ukraine in developing and implementing comprehensive policies that enable inclusive strategies for transitioning to low-carbon energy systems. It brings together international institutions and partners in both areas to deliver knowledge, share lessons learned from regions in the European Union and beyond, and provide planning support and financing.The initiative was established after Western Balkan countries made a commitment to move towards clean energy in the Podgorica Joint Statement of 21 February 2019 and Ukraine expressed a similar wish through its 2050 Low Emission Development Strategy of November 2017.The establishment of the Platform mirrors a similar approach within the EU, where a “Just Transition Platform” supports the implementation of the Just Transition Mechanism. This pledges at least EUR 100 billion in investments over the period 2021-2027 to support workers and citizens of regions where high-carbon assets are located.
Organisations behind the Platform Initiative in Support of Coal Regions in Transition in Western Balkans and Ukraine agreed to join efforts to support the transition away from coal and towards a low-carbon and climate-resilient future in the Western Balkans and Ukraine, in a first meeting held online on 10-11 December. Participants including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development,World Bank Group, the College of Europe (Natolin campus), the Energy Community Secretariat, the European Commission and the government of Poland kicked off discussions on how to support the regions in phasing out coal while supporting local communities that remain economically dependent on the coal industry.With its extensive on-the-ground experience in the Western Balkans and Ukraine, and its strategic emphasis on an energy transition which is green and inclusive, the EBRD confirmed its commitment to providing finance for investments that will support the transition from coal. Such investments may include projects which promote clean energy, targeted support to workers in the coal industry, or economic diversification.The Platform Initiative in Support of Coal Regions in Transition in Western Balkans and Ukraine, created in September 2019, will assist the coal regions of the Western Balkans and Ukraine in developing and implementing comprehensive policies that enable inclusive strategies for transitioning to low-carbon energy systems. It brings together international institutions and partners in both areas to deliver knowledge, share lessons learned from regions in the European Union and beyond, and provide planning support and financing.The initiative was established after Western Balkan countries made a commitment to move towards clean energy in the Podgorica Joint Statement of 21 February 2019 and Ukraine expressed a similar wish through its 2050 Low Emission Development Strategy of November 2017.The establishment of the Platform mirrors a similar approach within the EU, where a “Just Transition Platform” supports the implementation of the Just Transition Mechanism. This pledges at least EUR 100 billion in investments over the period 2021-2027 to support workers and citizens of regions where high-carbon assets are located.