Regional campaign to promote energy efficiency ends today in Belgrade
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), together with the European Union and Austria, donated 360 white ash trees to Belgrade, which were planted today near the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in New Belgrade. The trees were donated under the Western Balkans Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF), which supports households to invest in energy efficiency.
Matteo Colangeli, EBRD Director for the Western Balkans and Director of the Office for Serbia, said: “Energy efficiency is a key priority of the EBRD in Serbia. The potential for renovating buildings and improving their energy efficiency is huge. These investments have a direct impact on air quality in cities, and they open up opportunities for the local economy and ultimately pay off from savings due to reduced energy consumption. We look forward to continuing to expand the GEFF programme in the coming years, in partnership with local banks and our donors.”
Over 3,000 households in Serbia have so far taken advantage of the GEFF programme to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. The programme offers access to dedicated EU-funded credit lines and grants that make these investments more affordable. Households can use the funds to invest in new windows, insulation, heat pumps, solar panels. Upon successful completion of the investment, households will receive a grant of up to 20 percent of the loan amount, an EU donation. In Serbia, Erste, UniCredit and ProCredit banks participate in the GEFF programme.
Emanuele Giaufret, Ambassador of the European Union to Serbia, said: “The European Union is the first partner and, with more than EUR 3.6 billion in grants since 2001, the largest donor to Serbia. The EU is also a key trading partner, accounting for almost two-thirds of Serbia’s total foreign trade. In addition, two thirds of all foreign investment come from the EU.
The EU is Serbia’s main partner in environmental protection as well. All our projects are designed and implemented so that they have a positive impact on environmental protection and the quality of life of citizens. In the past 19 years, the EU has donated EUR 402 million in grants to Serbia for environmental protection. The biggest projects are in the construction of wastewater treatment plants, regional landfills, construction and renovation of water supply systems, air protection systems, biodiversity conservation, medical waste management systems.”
The implementation of the GEFF programme in the Western Balkans is supported by the Government of Austria.
“With over EUR 5 million that we have allocated for this programme to date, Austria has strongly supported the GEFF programme in the Western Balkans since its inception. We are pleased that the programme has achieved great results so far and enabled so many people in the region to improve the energy efficiency of their homes,” said Nikolaus Lutterotti, Austrian Ambassador to Serbia.
Today, white ash trees were planted with the support of volunteers of the NGO “Plant your shade” (“Posadi svoj hlad”).
The GEFF programme was launched by the EBRD with the support of the EU and Austria. In the past four years, over 10,000 households in the Western Balkans region were provided with funds to improve energy efficiency through the GEFF programme.
To mark the results of the GEFF programme and symbolically contribute to the fight against climate change, the EBRD, the EU and Austria planted 1,000 trees in November 2021 in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo and North Macedonia. The trees also represent the EBRD awards to 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.