December 27, 2024 | Friday
Throughout the years, the EU has contributed significantly to the energy sector in Kosovo, with the goal of promoting sustainable energy use and renewable energy sources also through our #ForGoodEnergy campaign. The #ForGoodEnvironment campaign was a continuation of these efforts, working on many levels, including direct support to institutions and work with children and young people to promote a cultural and behavioural shift towards environmental protection.
In 2024, we continued our efforts to promote green energy and good environment by carrying on activities that brought together writers, children, schools, civil society organisations, public institutions and communities across Kosovo in contributing for a more environmentally and energy-conscious future.
The EU continues to support a better environment in Kosovo by investing in the most crucial components of its social life, starting from direct support to public institutions to implement greener and more sustainable policies to supporting capital investments and, most importantly, working directly with the children, to ensure that the future generations will be the ones to fully practice sustainable living. This year, the EU in Kosovo carried out outreach activities in public elementary schools, organised composting workshops, book publications, and also produced fun and educational short social media videos with children and renowned actors, in order to reach out to people.
Through outreach activities in elementary schools, the goal was to raise awareness for environmental protection, the green future and renewable energy by engaging in fun and informative activities with pupils. Short lectures on green energy were followed by games such as the Green Energy Bingo, through which pupils were taught the principles of green energy.
In summer, we teamed up with the Green Festival Mitrovica, , where we organised a reading of the ‘Planet Defenders’ book series published by Europe House. In addition to an inspiring launch of ‘Planet Defenders’ book series authored by Arben Kllokoqi with children at an interactive event at Europe House Pristina, we also took the chance to discuss with the author about his work and engagement for a better environment.
Marking the beginning of the school year for children and the celebration of the World Clean Up Day on 20 September, we were in overdrive to ensure that good energy reached all over Kosovo. Throughout September, we implemented the “Composting Champions” workshop series, organised in collaboration with local partners in Pristina and Mitrovica North. . The workshops provided youngsters aged 8-12 and 12-16 with hands-on learning experience on how to compost organic waste through presentations and do-it-yourself activities.
Participants connected with nature while discovering how composting helps reduce waste, supports biodiversity and promotes a zero-waste lifestyle. The workshop aimed to teach and inspire children to adopt eco-friendly habits and become environmental advocates by equipping them with practical knowledge on composting and waste reduction as well as empowering them to start their own composting journey and contribute to a greener future.
We also marked the #EuropeanMobilityWeek, in collaboration with the Municipality of Pristina, starting with an educational tour bus with children, moving to educational games and collective bike rides in the urban area of Pristina.
Zooming in on EU investments in this area: with the solar panels installed in the Gërmia National Park, through a 72,000 EUR investment from the EU, Germia will have better street lightning and electrical car charging stations. The Good Energy reached Jashanica too where the “3 dëshmorët” school benefited from energy efficiency improvements through the project implemented by the Kosovo Energy Efficiency Fund. Thanks to this initiative, the children and staff of the school will now work in a building with external thermal insulation and roof insulation, new energy-efficient doors and a new central heating system using pellet. Thanks to the EU-funded project, the pupils and staff of the “Migjeni” school in Drenas/Gllogovac will now work in a school with external thermal insulation, new triple-glazed windows, newly installed entrance doors, thermal roof insulation, new pellet boiler for central heating, thermodynamic valves on every radiator and a LED lighting system. We also spoke to Kosovo Energy Efficiency Fund’s FIllojetë Konjuhi, who told us more at length about the EU-funded initiatives that they are carrying out with the mission for a greener future for Kosovo.
In 2024, Kosovo’s KEK also signed its first solar project. This project, part of the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans, was made possible with the EU grant financing provided through the Western Balkan Investment Framework in partnership with KfFW Bankengruppe and European Investment Bank. The projectwill guide KEK and the Pristina-Obiliq/Obilić area toward cleaner energy while supporting the implementation of Kosovo’s Energy Strategy by increasing the share of the renewable energy sources in the energy mix.
A gift that kept on giving throughout 2024 was the EU’s #EnergySupport Package. The 75 million EUR package so far has supported over 70,000 vulnerable families who have received direct support, 300,000 families who have benefited from electricity subsidies, 1,800 homes with thermal insulation, and 40,000 households with efficient appliances. Earlier in 2024, we spoke to Johannes Madsen, the Head of Cooperation at the European Union Office in Kosovo, who presented in more detail about the impact of the EU’s Energy Support Package for Kosovo.
The EU remains committed to supporting a green transition for Kosovo through direct initiatives and continued efforts in education, and we remain excited to keep you in the loop!