Antonio Jovanovski, the executive director of Go Green Skopje, was present at the Civil Society Forum in Trieste, giving his contributions in the Environment, Climate Change and Energy working group. Go Green welcomes the signing of the memorandum for the regional electricity market however we stress the importance of putting the Climate, Energy and Environment higher on the priorities, as we can read from the declaration of the Italian chair the topic is not mentioned explicitly.
We should all be aware that climate change consequences (floods, wildfires, earthquakes) do not know political borders and we hope that the Berlin process will continue in a manner that will put the environment and climate change at the core of its regional cooperation and integration of the WB6 in the European Union.
The topics of highest relevance for the Environment, Energy and Climate Change sector, that were presented as recommendations to the Prime Ministers of the WB6 countries were:
1. Energy poverty eradication through increased residential and overall energy efficiency and improving air quality by fighting against air pollution as the major threat to the economy and health of the citizens of the WB. Energy poverty, energy inefficiency, combined with air pollution, are the most pressing issues in all WB countries.
2. Promoting and focusing CSO resources on direct action, stimulating and inspiring a stronger link between think-tanks and grassroots, in parallel to policy making.
3. Adopting and promoting circular economy in WB6, ensure full and unobstructed implementation of national environmental legislation, work on environmental fiscal reform concerning subsidies for green companies/green employment/innovations and address topical issues of relevance.
Go Green supports these priorities and aims to link the green jobs and young people in the process.
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