CARI on!

We started 2022 with an exciting workshop of the Clean Air Regions Initiative (CARI) program, joint project of the Western Balkans Green Center Nonprofit Llc. (WBGC) and the Energy Community Secretariat. Participants of the online conference, held on 26 January, discussed challenges affecting the municipalities of the Western Balkans region. Topics included the impact of coal-fired power plants on air quality, their role in society and possible best practices of a just transition.

László Örlős, Managing Director of the WBGC welcomed speakers and participants, then Barbara Botos, Deputy State Secretary for Climate Policy of the Ministry of Innovation and Technology (MIT) discussed Hungary’s latest climate policy successes and details of the LIFE-IP North-HU-Trans project. This is a long-term flagship project of the Hungarian Government, aiming just transition of the Mátra Power Plant region. The project management team described objectives and early results of the project, its air quality aspects, the roles of communication and media, and the best practices of stakeholder engagement. They pointed out that this is a project requiring long, precise planning and the involvement of many partners.

The workshop was closed by Géza Fülöp, Central European Regional Manager at Qamcom Research and Technology, who began his career in physics, continued as a research engineer and then worked as leader in multinational companies in telecommunications and IT industries. He presented the Qamcom's most important activities and projects in the green industry and opportunities for smart urban solutions.

The presentations generated exciting, forward-looking professional questions and discussions that enabled the participating municipalities to expand their expertise and knowledge.