Working Groups

The activities in the project are implemented through a system of Working Groups, which establishment creates the opportunity to reach more people, to go more into depth and to anchor the key messages thus contributing to actual change.

The Working Groups will cover elements and fields of expertise targeting specific areas defined within the project:

Working Group 1 – Horizontal Climate Policy

is consulted for the activities defined under Component 1 (Support implementation of commitments under the Paris Agreement and the EU Climate and Energy Framework, the EU Green Deal and the corresponding Green Agenda for the Western Balkans) and Component 5 (Compliance check of selected legislative acts). Team leader Violeta Philippitsch leads this working group in coordination with the Contracting Authority representative and National Focal Points from the Western Balkan Countries and Turkey. It is targeting members of the public administration, responsible for strategic climate action & energy transition, including target setting, institutional arrangements, pre-accession negotiations, budgetary & financial issues, specific laws, legislative drafting requirements, organisational development and capacity building.

Working Group 2 – Greenhouse Gas (GHG)

is consulted for activities defined under Component 2 (Capacity Building on Domestic Greenhouse Gas inventories, including legislative framework). The Working Group is led by Team Leader, Violeta Philippitsch, in coordination with the Contracting Authority representatives and National Focal Points and targets members of the public administration responsible for GHG inventory preparation and management, as well as universities, CSOs and industry.

Working Group 3 – EU Emission Trading System (ETS)

is consulted for the activities defined under Component 3 (Strengthened monitoring, reporting, accreditation and verification requirements targeted at operators, authorities, verifiers, and CSOs under the EU ETS). The Working Group is led by Key Expert 3, Monique Voogt, in coordination with the Contracting Authority representatives and National Focal Points, and targets members of the public administration responsible for EU ETS transposition and implementation, as well as operators, authorities and verifiers, civil society organizations (CSOs).

Working Group 4 – Adaptation

is consulted for the activities defined under Component 4 (Support to the national and regional adaptation planning and actions). The Working Group is led by an adaptation non-key expert Markus Leitner in coordination with the Contracting Authority representatives and National Focal Points, and is targeting members of the public administration responsible for environment and climate policies. Due to the cross-cutting and multidisciplinary as well as interdisciplinary nature of climate change adaptation, this Working Group is involving different sectorial representatives from other public administrations, other agencies, donors and projects in the region as well as NGOs, civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector where relevant and agreed.

Overall, close cooperation with European Commission (e.g. DG CLIMA, DG ENV, DG NEAR, DG JRC, DG ENER, DG ECHO and the European Union Delegations in the beneficiary countries), other EU/EEA Member States/countries, the European Environment Agency, the Energy Community, the Transport Community, the RCC, Covenant of Mayors as well as UNDRR Regional office for Europe will be fostered within all working groups.