Sustainable energy solutions in the Western Balkans

1. Sustainable energy solutions in practice
among countries in the Western Balkans
Robert Pasicko, PhD
UNDP Croatia
Renewable energy cooperation between the European Union and the Western Balkans
Wednesday 10 December 2014, UN House Brussels

2. Energy challenges in WB
• Most countries spending 15-20% of GDP on energy
• Overdependence on fossil fuels
• Inefficient energy sector
• 35% of energy consumption in building sector
• Renewable energy – tremendous but untapped potential
• 10-25% households not able to keep their houses warm
• Several thousand families still lack electricity access
• Energy demand expected to rise 70% in next 20 years

3. Brundtland report („Our Common Future”, UN, 1987):
„There are not separate crises: an environmental
crisis, a development crisis, an energy crisis. They are all
one, interlocking crise.“
Sustainable energy - single action bringing several
results:
Economic growth, environmental sustainability, slowing climate
change, human development and poverty reduction

4. Investment barriers in sustainable
energy in WB
• Governments still prioritize centralized energy sector based
on fossil fuels
• Complicated and non-transparent license and permit
processes are discouraging investments
• Capital scarcity for investments (expensive lending)
• Grid access – often prioritized to chosen projects
• Subsidies for fossil fuels
• Monopolistic energy markets
• Limited experience with RES or EE
• Political instability and country risk

5. EU energy policy in Western Balkans
2020 targets addressed through commitments to EU targets (for
Member States) and Energy Community targets (for others):
- binding share of renewable energy until 2020;
- energy savings target;
- emission reduction targets.
• 2030 EU targets will be addressed in the future:
– 27% RES, 27% EE, 40% CO2 reduction

6. SE4ALL in WB
SE4ALL – global targets for 2030:
• Universal Access to Modern Energy Services
• Doubling the Rate of Improvement in Energy Efficiency
• Doubling the Share of Renewable Energy in Global Energy Mix

7. What is UNDP doing in WB countries?
EU 2020 and
2030 targets
(the same as EU!)

8. UNDP activities in WB

10. *References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).

12. UNDP role in the region
• Creating an environment for investments;
• Catalyzing investment in sustainable energy;
• De-risking by strengthening policy, institutional and regulatory
frameworks;
• Stakeholder engagement and working from grassroots level to
policy making level;
• Policies and/or strategies; action plans; roadmaps
• Awareness rising, education;
• Special focus on vulnerable and excluded groups (women,
rural area, disabled, Roma, poor…).

13. Delivering results
• Sharing and using best practices at the regional level (speeds
up the implementation)
(example: EMIS implementation, shorter introduction)
• Job creation, reduced emissions and the improved energy
access
• Sound partnership with all key stakeholders, assuming the
responsibilities and ownership of the outcomes;
• UNDP works with the same partners and beneficiaries in the
countries as EU

14. Thank you!
For more info: robert.pasicko@undp.org