Albania has become the second country to submit its draft plan on decoupling economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions to the Energy Community Secretariat.
The National Energy and Climate Plan (NCEP) includes targets and goals such as GHG emissions savings of 18.7%, a reduction in energy consumption of 8.4% and a renewable energy share in final energy demand of 54.4% by 2030. In terms of the last pledge, Albania currently produces almost 100% hydropower, but it sells much of it abroad, then buys back fossil fuel and sells it at a premium to consumers during peak months.
Albania is the second country to submit the draft pan to the Secretariat after North Macedonia did so in 2020. NECP Secretariat Director Artur Lorkowski said the country has a zero-emission domestic electricity generation sector which provides a head start for clean development.
Recommendations laid down by the NECP include decarbonizing industry which is one of the biggest emitters and is set to increase. They also recommend making more concrete plans and milestones through which progress can be adequately checked. They also recommend introducing an emissions trading system by 2030.
This should be introduced so Albania can start to yield results in emissions reduction before 2040, and the climate neutrality objective of 2050.
Other countries currently in the process of drafting their NECPs are Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Kosovo. The aim of the NECPs is to create an integrated policy framework to steer decarbonization efforts and align with the European Green Deal.
