An action plan for sustainable future of Tirana was settled

Recently, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the municipality of Tirana joined forces to ensure the development of the sustainable future of the Albanian capital.

"EBRD has its Green Cities Programme to support municipalities addressing environmental challenges. Green - or sustainable - development is one of the six transition qualities the EBRD has identified in its approach to the countries where it invests, with competitiveness, resilience, governance, integration and inclusion the other key elements.

Cities face many environmental challenges, ranging from local air quality concerns, traffic congestion and limited land resources to pressure on water resources and the challenges associated with municipal solid waste. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), around two-thirds of energy use takes place within urban systems", says the bank message.

Concerning Tirana the Green City Action Plan was settled, facing the most urgent problems of its population. It is connected with the signed in 2015 Memorandum of Understanding between the EBRD and the municipality of Tirana. The main areas of partnership includes urban transport, urban roads infrastructure, water and wastewater services, solid waste management, street lights and energy efficiency.

"The Green City Action Plan is funded by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance under the Western Balkans DRIVE Fund. The methodology was developed by the EBRD with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives. The project will be led by Arup, a London-based consultancy specialising in urban transformation projects, in consortium with legal and accounting consultancy firms Abkons, Grant Thornton and LXL.

Promoting sustainable energy and environmentally sound investments is one of the EBRD’s priorities in Albania. To date, the Bank has invested over €1 billion in almost 80 projects. It is active in all sectors of the economy with a special emphasis on infrastructure and energy, where demand and potential are high", says the EBRD message.