EU and Austria supported campaign to promote energy efficiency continues in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Three hundred white pine seedlings were planted today in Sarajevo in an effort to make the city greener. The trees were donated by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Union (EU) and Austria, as part of the Western Balkans Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF) which supports households to invest in energy efficiency improvements.
To mark the results of the GEFF programme and to symbolically contribute to the fight against climate change, the EBRD, the EU and Austria will plant 1,000 trees during November 2021 in six Western Balkan countries – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. The trees also represent the EBRD award for the 18 most active partner financial institutions, and 32 producers and sellers of energy efficient technologies, for their contribution to the success of the GEFF programme in the Western Balkans.
The action of planting trees started yesterday in Podgorica in Montenegro and continued in Bosnia and Herzegovina today.
Manuela Naessl, EBRD Head of Bosnia and Herzegovina, said: “Improving energy efficiency leads to lower energy bills and overall better quality of living, and we are glad that over 3000 households in Bosnia and Herzegovina have been able to feel these benefits thanks to our GEFF programme. With this tree planting action today we would like to thank all our GEFF partners including UniCredit Bank Mostar, UniCredit Bank Banja Luka, Sparkasse Bank, MKF Partner as well as vendors of green technologies Vokel, Aluplastik, AMD Sconto Brčko, ThermoFLUX, Aluplast and EPS Laštro for helping us to successfully promote the GEFF programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
Households that wish to improve the energy efficiency of their homes can apply for special-purpose loans in local partner financial institutions in BiH – UniCredit Bank Mostar and Banja Luka, Sparkasse Bank, MKF Partner, and ProCredit Bank BiH, which is a new partner financial institution in BiH.
Upon successful completion of the investments, households receive a grant funded by the EU worth up to 20 percent of the loan amount, making these investments more affordable to citizens.
“Air pollution is one of the biggest environmental issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Trees and forests play an essential role in mitigating the impact of climate change and this is one of the actions we can all contribute to the air that we breathe becoming cleaner and healthier. Depollution is one of the pillars of the EU Green Deal which sets out a vision for 2050 − a vision of a world where pollution is reduced to levels that are no longer harmful to human health. The European Union stands ready to help the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the reduction of air pollution. Together with our partners we are supporting numerous projects aiming to reverse the increasing levels of pollution. This includes a shift towards cleaner and renewable energy sources, more efficient heating and transportation systems, and increasing energy efficiency. One person alone, cannot do much, but joint actions can make the difference,” said Gilles Rebattet Head of Operations for Economic Development, Natural Resources, and Infrastructures at the EU Delegation to BiH.
The implementation of the GEFF program in the Western Balkans is supported by the Government of Austria.
“Austria is a proud partner to the GEFF programme in the Western Balkans and finances the technical support required to implement energy efficient measures within domestic households. To date, we have invested approximately EUR 5 million. A great success of this programme is that 3,000 households in BiH have been equipped with energy efficient technologies thus far, which in turn, has contributed to reducing CO2 emissions by 2,700 tons per year. The Austrian Embassy will continue to support those activities whose objectives are environmental protection,” said Nicola Ann Hardwick, First Secretary of the Austrian Embassy in BiH.
Today’s tree planting event in Sarajevo was realized with the support of volunteers of the NGO “Ruke” and Sarajevo high school students, and the action was joined and supported by the Deputy Mayor of the City of Sarajevo.
“The City of Sarajevo stands firm in providing support for all activities aimed at environmental protection which have a direct impact on creating a better future, not just for us, but for those generations yet to come. Youths today are our greatest supporters. Sarajevo’s secondary school students and volunteers have sent us a clear message with their turnout and involvement. If we make an effort, each of us can have a huge impact on our environment and thus demonstrate our gratitude to all that nature gives us. The planet Earth is our collective home and only by working together can we make it a comfortable place to live”, said Anja Margetić, Deputy Mayor of Sarajevo.
GEFF has supported almost 10,000 households in the region to improve energy efficiency over the past four years with investments in new windows, insulation, heat pumps etc. The programme, which offers specialised credit lines and grant resources, has financed green technology investments worth over €48 million.
The Western Balkans GEFF was established by the EBRD with the support of donors and provides specialised credit lines to individuals, together with incentives funded by the EU, for investments in energy efficiency. The programme is co-financed by the EU, the Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance, and bilateral donors to the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF). It is part of the Regional Energy Efficiency Programme (REEP) for the Western Balkans and implemented in partnership with the Energy Community Secretariat.