According to the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans (2020), the Western Balkans ‎is recognized as one of the regions in Europe most heavily affected by climate change. In addition, climate risks are not sufficiently covered at the local level in the documents and activities implemented. Still, there is no understanding that climate change (heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, ‎coastline erosion, rising sea levels) affects not only the environment but also the local ‎economy and the health of the population, due to a lack of awareness raising among the local population. In its report for Western Balkan countries, European Commission in 2021 stated that they must align with the EU Strategy on Adaptation to ‎Climate Change.

The project Local Communities’ Climate Adaptation and Resilience (LOCCAR) aims to assist local authorities in better understanding, preparing for, and managing climate risks, as well as developing innovative solutions to build resilience. The project will also contribute to establishing sustainable regional cooperation in building climate resilience in the Western Balkans, having in mind that efficient cooperation mechanisms among neighboring countries in the focus of this project (Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina) are missing, even though the transboundary nature of climate-related risks at the local level is reality.

The objective of LOCCAR project is to accelerate climate change adaptation on the local level in Western Balkans through enhancing Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) role in the transformation towards climate resilience, by empowering CSOs visibility in policymaking, raising awareness of local decision-makers on the impacts of climate change on the local communities and supporting sustainable regional cooperation in building climate resilience in the Western Balkans.

A regional round table with the participation of main stakeholders from all three countries will be organized at the end of the project. Based on consultations with selected municipalities, Brochures/Guidelines for the local decision-makers on climate change adaptation in local strategic and policy documents will be prepared and distributed. It is expected that in total 9 selected municipalities in two rounds of meetings with municipalities.‎will provide their contribution. Using the digital dissemination of the Brochure/Guidelines via websites and digital platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter) of the 3 CSOs and 9 municipalities, a significant portion of the population in Western Balkans will be reached with the Joint Project’s outputs.

Project partners are Center for Climate Change, Natural Resources and Energy of the University of Donja Gorica (leading partner, Montenegro), a Resource Center for the Environment REC BIH (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and Environmental Ambassadors for Sustainable Development (Serbia).

LOCCAR project is financed by the Western Balkans Fund and co-financed by the EU in the frame of IPA.

Final LOCAL project publication (- Jačanje otpornosti i kapaciteta prilagođavanja lokalnih zajednica na klimatske promjene u Crnoj Gori, Bosni i Hercegovini, Centar za klimatske promjene, prirodne resurse i energiju Univerziteta Donja Gorica, Podgorica, juli 2023 )