EU and Austria supported campaign to promote energy efficiency continues in Montenegro
Ten linden trees were planted today in Podgorica in a symbolic effort to make the city greener and to promote energy efficiency. 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, 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 today in Podgorica in Montenegro and will be continued tomorrow in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Remon Zakaria, EBRD Head of Montenegro, said: “Improving energy efficiency leads to lower energy use and bills and overall better quality of living, and we are glad that households in Montenegro are now able to feel these benefits thanks to our GEFF programme. We would like to thank all our GEFF partners including CKB and vendors of green technologies for helping us to successfully extend the GEFF programme in Montenegro.”
Households that wish to improve the energy efficiency of their homes can apply for special-purpose loans in the local partner financial institution in Montenegro – CKB.
Upon successful completion of investments, households receive EU incentive grants worth up to 20 percent of the loan amount, making these investments more affordable to citizens. So far the EU has contributed more than €27 million for investment grants.
Yngve Engstroem, Head of Cooperation at Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, said: “Investing in energy efficiency is a win-win. For citizens, it reduces the costs of energy, it creates a more comfortable home and it reduces the damages to the planet. Energy efficiency is not only green; it is green growth. It creates jobs, innovation and growth of the economy. The EU will help Montenegro on the road toward Green Growth. “
The implementation of the GEFF program in the Western Balkans is supported by the Government of Austria.
“I am pleased that parallel with the COP26 held in Glasgow, the focus of which is on climate change, we today are in a position to raise awareness in terms of energy efficiency. By soft landscaping Podgorica, we are in a position to symbolically reduce the consequences of climate change. The effects of energy efficient technologies are manyfold – primarily, they contribute to reducing energy consumption and cut costs, and finally, to decrease pollution. We must not forget that green technologies provide us with a more comfortable lifestyle. Austria provides technical support in the amount of EUR 5 million to the GEFF programme in the Western Balkans,” said Karl Müller, Austrian Ambassador to Montenegro.
Today, linden trees were planted with the support of employees of the company “Zelenilo” d.o.o. in Ivana Vujoševića Street in Podgorica.
“As you can see, Putevi d.o.o. is currently performing works on the rehabilitation of Ivana Vujoševića street, that is, the company is working on the rehabilitation of the roadway and pedestrian pavement, 99 parking spots and the sanitary sewer system. This is one of the most important thoroughfares in the Preko Morače neighbourhood in Podgorica. Furthermore, the Capital City works tirelessly to enrich its green space. I’m glad to see that this time we have the support of serious institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Delegation of the European Union and the Austrian Embassy in Montenegro”, said Marjan Junčaj, City Manager of Podgorica.
GEFF, which is developed by the EBRD and co-financed with grant resources from the EU and Austria, 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.
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