Energy transition, use of renewable energy sources and encouragement of innovation and investment in sustainable technologies are key initiatives for achieving environmental goals and competitiveness of our region, is the conclusion of the third regional CORE Days conference – Response to ESG challenges, which was organized by NALED, with the support of the Swedish and German Governments in cooperation with the Partnership for a more competitive region
– In Serbia, we are not only aware of the importance of ESG principles, but we are committed to their integration into our policies and practices. Serbia submitted an initiative to the United Nations for the adoption of the Resolution on the International Decade of Science for Sustainable Development in order to solve global challenges, such as climate change, energy transition and the preservation of resources for future generations – said the Minister of Science, Technological Development and Innovation Jelena Begović at the opening of the conference.
In order to help this process, the Embassy of Sweden in Belgrade, in cooperation with NALED, will work in the next three years to encourage the sustainability of supply chains and their compliance with environmental, social and management standards of the EU so that domestic companies are more competitive on the market.
– The inclusion of the private sector is therefore very important. Namely, supply chains often rely on practices that can have a negative impact on human rights and the environment. The implementation of the new EU regulation is therefore an opportunity to respond to existing challenges and promote sustainable policies. Companies should conduct a “deep analysis” and map the risks related to the application of ESG standards in order to improve their operations in terms of sustainability – said the head of the Department for Development Cooperation at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden, Ann Charlotte Malm.
Great Britain’s Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Edward Ferguson, welcomed the development of the debate on climate change and highlighted as a particularly important initiative the decision of the Government of Serbia to adopt the Integrated Plan for Energy and Climate, which foresees that by 2030, 45% of electricity will be obtained from renewable sources. He added that Great Britain will support the Western Balkans with 15 billion pounds to finance exports.
In accordance with the goals of sustainable development, the fourth edition of the Certification of Municipalities with a Favorable Business Environment in Southeast Europe (BFC SEE) program is also in place, so the focus is now on digitization, environmental protection, innovation and EU integration at the local level.
– As many as 53 local governments from the entire region joined the process, and the BFC program became a tool for identifying best practices in implementing reforms. Thus, Serbia and Albania introduced electronic building permits following the example of North Macedonia, and now the economies of the region are taking over from Serbia the solution for online registration of seasonal workers – announced the executive director of NALED, Violeta Jovanović.
In order to improve and harmonize business conditions in the Western Balkans, in 2022, with the support of the German Development Cooperation, together with more than 20 institutional partners from seven economies, NALED established the Partnership for a Competitive Region (CORE Partnership). As a platform for dialogue and exchange of the best reform solutions, the Partnership implements the BFC SEE certification program and organizes the CORE Days conference, where topics of importance for the future of the region are raised every year.