Round table on Possibilities for the Development of Green Economy in Montenegro

A round table on Possibilities for the Development of Green Economy in Montenegro has been organised in Nikšić today with the presence of representatives of national and local authorities, educational institutions and civil society organisations. Strategic framework and possibilities for the development of green economy, practical examples of green economy and projects and initiatives of civil society directed at development of green economy as a mechanism for achieving sustainable development were presented at the round table.

The speakers at the round table were Ivana Popović from the Ministry of Economy of Montenegro, Vladimir Urošević from the Municipality of Nikšić, Jelena Nikolić – a manufacturer of natural cosmetics, Jovo Radulović from NGO Župa u srcu, Miodrag Karadžić from NGO Društvo mladih ekologa Nikšić/Association of Young Ecologists of Nikšić, Radmila Bajagić on behalf of NGO Morakovo and Veselin Šturanović from FORS Montenegro.

The round table was organized within a three-year project GEAR – Green Economy for Advanced Region whose aim is to increase the impact of civil society organisations from Montenegro, Serbia, B&H, North Macedonia and Albania in environmental protection by promoting networking, strengthening their capacities and by promoting green economy through CSO local projects. The project is financed by the European Union within the Civil Society Facility and Media Programme 2016-2017, and implemented by FORS Montenegro in partnership with the organisations SMART Kolektiv from Serbia, Centre for Development and Support from B&H, EKO Svest from North Macedonia, EDEN Center from Albania and Association Slap from Croatia. In Montenegro the project is co-financed by the Ministry of Public Administration of Montenegro.

Some of the main activities of the project include a series of trainings for civil society organisations on Public Advocacy and Lobbying, Participation in Decision Making, Project Cycle Management, Monitoring of Public Policies, Analyses and Research and Improvement of Collaboration with Authorities. In addition to the trainings, the project includes a series of activities aimed to further improve CSOs’ capacities and impact in environmental protection, and  to promote green economy, such as: a sub granting programme for local CSOs; a study visit to Croatia to familiarise with good practices in green economy and green entrepreneurship;  presentations of good practices in the target countries; campaign of promotion of green economy; development of a study on the possibilities for development of Green Economy in the region; publications on these topics, etc. Within the activity of sub granting to local organisations, implementation of five projects of organisations from Berane, Nikšić and Pljevlja was enabled, that in this way got the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills gained on trainings for the realisation of initiatives of importance for environmental protection and development of green economy.