Urban Research Institute, in collaboration with the Municipality of Elbasan, has prepared this publication in the framework of the project SGA NZC 101121530 – Subgrant – PCP3 – Elbasan, “Green and sustainable energy in Elbasan buildings”, implemented over the period 2024–2026 and funded by the European Union under the NetZeroCities programme. This document is a product of Activity A1.2.4, “Drafting the Energy Efficiency Guide,” and aims to improve the energy efficiency of residential buildings in Elbasan through data-driven interventions and increased public awareness.

The guide was developed based on an empirical study carried out with 108 families in the Vullnetari neighbourhood, applying a combined methodology, for instance, structured surveys, interviews, household observations, and energy audits. The findings confirm that minimal-cost interventions, such as replacing light bulbs with LEDs, insulating windows, installing a timer on the boiler, and eliminating standby power consumption, generate energy savings in the range of 15–25% per household, with a direct impact on reducing monthly bills.

The views expressed in this publication are the sole responsibility of the Institute of Urban Research, which assumes no responsibility for any use third parties may make of its content. The publication is subject to copyright; however, to encourage the dissemination of knowledge, its content may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial purposes, provided that the source is fully and clearly cited.

Prepared from Urban Research Institute
March 2026

Would you like to join the team at the Urban Research Institute?

Call description

The Urban Research Institute is seeking an Environmental Expert/Urban Planner to join our team in implementing projects related to environmental protection, urban development, sustainable planning, local governance, and public policy.

The selected candidate will contribute to the design, coordination, and implementation of technical and research activities, working closely with local and central government institutions, international partners, subject-matter experts, and civil society stakeholders.

Required profile

• A university degree in environmental studies, urban planning, environmental engineering, public policy, or a related field.
• At least three years of professional experience in the fields of environment, urban development, spatial planning, climate, energy, urban mobility, or local governance.
• Experience in project management or coordination, particularly in projects funded by international donors.
• Good knowledge of the functioning of local and central government institutions in Albania.
• Ability to prepare reports, analyses, technical documents, consultation materials, and clear summaries for institutional stakeholders.
• Strong communication, coordination, and teamwork skills.
• Excellent written and spoken command of both Albanian and English.
• Ability to work independently, meet clearly defined deadlines, and perform effectively in a dynamic work environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Preparation of technical analyses and supporting documentation for projects in the fields of environment and urban development.
• Supporting the implementation of field activities, consultations, stakeholder meetings, and institutional events.
• Supporting the URI team in developing project concepts, applications, and new proposals.
• Monitoring project deadlines, deliverables, and results in accordance with donor and partner requirements.

The following will be considered an advantage:

• Experience working on projects funded by the European Union, GIZ, SDC, UNDP, UNEP, the World Bank, or other international donors.
• Knowledge of the European Union acquis in the areas of environment, climate, energy, urban planning, or sustainable development.
• Experience in public consultations, community engagement, and participatory processes.
• Experience in preparing strategic documents, local plans, and legal or technical analyses.

Application Procedure

Interested candidates are invited to submit the following documents:

• An updated CV.
• A brief cover letter.

Principles of the Selection Process

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.

Apply by 10 July 2026 by sending your application to info@uri.org.al.

The training brought together partners from Italy, Albania, and Montenegro, focusing on strengthening inclusive approaches and improving accessibility in cultural and institutional spaces. The Art4All project is supported by the Interreg IPA South Adriatic Programme and aims to promote more open, accessible, and community-oriented cultural environments.

Throughout the three-day activity, participants worked on identifying physical, communicative, organizational, and social barriers, while also exploring concrete solutions and developing long-term strategies for more inclusive cultural institutions. The training agenda was structured around three main pillars: building a shared language on accessibility, transforming barriers into operational choices, and developing sustainable institutional strategies.

Various practical sessions and discussions among partners addressed:

• identifying barriers within museum spaces and internal institutional processes;
• practical approaches to accessibility solutions;
• integrating accessibility into communication, management, programming, and visitor experience;
• developing action plans and shared institutional policies.

The training was facilitated by accessibility expert Maria Chiara Ciaccheri and included interactive methodologies, case-study analysis, and exchange of experiences among partner institutions. An important aspect of the activity was the reflection on accessibility as a continuous institutional process rather than only a physical intervention in infrastructure.

At a time when cultural institutions are increasingly facing the need to create open and equal spaces for everyone, this training served as an important opportunity to reflect on how accessibility can be integrated into everyday institutional practices. Through cross-border dialogue and the exchange of experiences, partners shared concrete approaches and innovative ideas to make culture more accessible, inclusive, and closer to communities.

URI’s participation in this training further reinforces the institute’s commitment to promoting inclusive development, equal access to culture, and the advancement of policies and practices that place communities and diversity at the center of local and regional development.

The meeting brought together representatives from civil society, academia, and research institutions across the region, including participants from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Albania. It served as an important platform for strengthening cooperation and exchanging knowledge on the practical application of Nature-Based Solutions in different territorial contexts.

A central focus of the workshop was the advancement of ecosystem-based approaches that contribute to climate resilience, biodiversity protection, and sustainable land and water management. Discussions were closely linked to regional efforts to integrate NbS into policy frameworks and planning processes, including forest landscape restoration initiatives and broader environmental agendas in the Western Balkans.

URI actively contributed to the discussions by presenting its experience and case studies from Albania, particularly from Elbasan and Tropoja. These examples highlighted the role of Nature-Based Solutions in addressing environmental challenges such as erosion, land degradation, and ecosystem restoration, while also demonstrating the importance of data-driven and locally adapted interventions.

The workshop also included interactive group sessions, where participants collaboratively assessed different scenarios and developed tailored NbS solutions. These exchanges fostered a deeper understanding of how NbS can be effectively implemented across diverse environmental and socio-economic contexts, while encouraging the sharing of practical experiences and lessons learned.

Beyond technical discussions, the meeting reinforced the importance of regional collaboration in scaling up Nature-Based Solutions. It contributed to building a shared understanding of common challenges and opportunities, while also strengthening partnerships among institutions working towards a more resilient and sustainable Western Balkans.

The event concluded with a renewed commitment from participants to continue advancing Nature-Based Solutions through coordinated efforts, applied research, and policy integration.

URI’s Strategic Role in Advancing NbS in Albania and the Region

Through its continuous engagement in regional platforms and its applied work at the local level, URI is positioning itself as a key contributor in advancing Nature-Based Solutions in Albania and the Western Balkans. By linking scientific expertise with practical implementation, URI supports the development of scalable, evidence-based approaches that address environmental challenges such as erosion, ecosystem degradation, and climate vulnerability. Its participation in regional initiatives such as the CoP on NbS further strengthens its role in bridging local experience with regional policy processes and knowledge exchange.

The Urban Research Institute, in partnership with Brooks Hannas & Partners (Serbia), and with funding from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), in cooperation with the Municipality of Berat, with a total budget of €1.5 million (of which €700,000 were financed by SIDA), implemented the project “Source Separation of Municipal Waste in Berat Municipality” which was launched in May 2021.

This project, now with consolidated results in the field of waste management, has demonstrated a tangible impact and a successful model of intervention at the local level.

Residents and visitors of the city of Berat now benefit from a new and improved service through integrated waste management. A functional and accessible system enables recyclable waste, such as paper and cardboard, plastics, and metals, to be disposed of in blue containers and bins, collected by a dedicated truck, before being transported to the sorting center. At this facility, materials are inspected, packaged, and prepared for recycling. Meanwhile, mixed non-recyclable waste is disposed of in green containers and transported to the landfill.

In the first year of implementation alone (2021–2022), a survey conducted in cooperation with the company “Berat City Green” owned by the Municipality of Berat, shows a significant impact: out of 411 surveyed households and small businesses, 54.2% consider waste management a very important priority for the municipality, while 94% believe that waste separation and recycling can make Berat more attractive to tourists.

It is essential to emphasise that businesses, schools, and institutions have been integral to this initiative, equipped with dedicated containers and actively engaged in the process of waste separation at the source. Within the framework of the project, 14 businesses were directly involved in contributing to the implementation of the system.

The Urban Research Institute, with its partners, has developed a series of awareness-raising and information campaigns on the ground. These were implemented through door-to-door meetings in the main areas of the city, the distribution of informational materials, and the organisation of targeted training sessions on waste separation at source. In addition, the project has been accompanied by continuous monitoring and direct support for the beneficiaries in the city of Berat.

Between January and December 2025, the total amount of waste collected in Berat was 16,920.67 tons, of which 16,747 tons were collected and sent to landfill. The remaining 173 tons were collected for source separation as recyclable materials.

Of these, 146 tons were sold through a two-phase auction process in June 2025, generating approximately €9,000, and in December 2025, generating €11,000. Additionally, 9 tons of plastic were sold in another auction for approximately €2,800.

In total, approximately €23,000 were generated from the sale of recyclable materials collected from waste. According to information from the Municipality of Berat, these funds were reinvested in the city’s cleaning.

The Municipality of Berat, through its publicly owned company “Berat City Green”, proved to be successful in operating this system. The revenues generated were directly reinvested to improve public services.

Berat stands as a success story, where the involvement of civil society expertise, local and central levels of governance, as well as citizens themselves, has laid the foundations for a cleaner city and for an Albania more closely aligned with European Union standards.

Put very simply, EPR means that the company selling a product does not finish its responsibility once the product is placed on the market. It must also take responsibility for what happens to that product, or to its packaging, after it has been used and becomes waste.

This is particularly important for waste streams such as packaging, batteries, electrical and electronic equipment, as well as end-of-life vehicles. These are categories that generate substantial amounts of waste and require specific treatment.

The core idea is straightforward. Instead of the state or the municipality always paying for the collection and recycling of this waste, part of the cost is transferred to the company that placed the product on the market. In other words, whoever introduces the product also helps bear responsibility for managing the waste it creates.

This has several implications.

First, companies must know exactly what they are placing on the market: how many products, how much packaging, what materials are used, and how much each unit weighs. Without this data, the system cannot function.

Second, companies necessarily begin to have a direct interest in making products and packaging easier to recycle. Why? Because if they use less material, reduce unnecessary packaging, or choose more recyclable materials, the fees they are required to pay will usually decrease as well.

EPR is therefore also a way of encouraging businesses to consider their environmental impact from the very beginning of the process: how to produce and package a product so that it generates less waste.

In practice, companies often do not fulfil all these obligations individually. Usually, specific organisations are created or used to carry out these tasks on their behalf (Producer Responsibility Organisations). These organisations assist with registration, reporting, fee collection, organising collection systems, and reporting results. This makes the system easier to implement.

In Albania, this system is still under development. It is being discussed that it should initially be introduced for the main waste categories, such as packaging, batteries, electronic equipment, and end-of-life vehicles. Implementation is expected to take place gradually. At first, registration, reporting, and product traceability will be required. Later, once the relevant structures and databases are in place, payments and other practical obligations will also begin.

This is exactly where the role of URI becomes important. This issue often appears to be merely a legislative and theoretical one, but in reality, it is highly practical. It is necessary to know who reports, what is reported, how fees are calculated, how the relevant organisations operate, and how businesses should prepare. The 2025 guidance prepared with URI’s contribution is important because it translates these requirements into clear and understandable steps for companies.

This helps ensure that businesses are not left uncertain and that the implementation of this strategy becomes easier. In other words, it goes beyond merely explaining “what the law says” and also clarifies “what needs to be done in practice.”

For companies, the message is clear: they should not wait until the system becomes fully mandatory. They can start preparing now. They can better understand their role in the supply chain, begin keeping data on the products and packaging they place on the market, monitor legal developments, plan for possible costs, and review packaging in order to eliminate what is unnecessary.

The meaning of EPR is ultimately very simple: whoever profits from selling a product must also bear part of the responsibility for the waste that product leaves behind. This helps promote recycling practices and pushes companies to produce in a more responsible and intelligent way.

Through these projects, Elbasan aims to move from linear planning toward an adaptive model of urban governance, where policies, investments, and infrastructure interventions are supported by cycles of testing, measurement, and continuous improvement. This model creates greater certainty for public decision-making and opens the way for integrating the climate transition into standard processes of urban planning and management.

Why are energy and mobility in focus?

Elbasan is the third-largest city in Albania by population and a strategic hub in the centre of the country, positioned at the intersection of major national and European transport corridors. With an administrative territory of 872 km² that includes a compact urban core and a wide rural area, the city faces interconnected challenges related to urban development, mobility, and energy consumption. This territorial and functional context makes it essential to define sectoral priorities that directly affect emissions and everyday quality of life.

The emissions profile confirms this need. The first greenhouse gas inventory for 2023 for Elbasan shows that buildings and transport are the main sources of emissions in the city. In the buildings sector, energy consumption represents a significant share of total emissions, with 28.3% linked to electricity and 15.9% to non-electric energy. Within this sector, the main burden falls on private housing, which generates 96.8% of building-related emissions—mainly due to an ageing building stock, lack of insulation, and low energy efficiency.

At the same time, transport contributes 31.9% of the city’s total emissions. Over the past decade, the use of private vehicles has increased significantly, while walking and cycling have declined. This trend has been reinforced by an ageing vehicle fleet and limited infrastructure for active mobility, especially for bicycles. Traffic pressure is reflected not only in emissions, but also in road safety, air quality, and the use of public space in urban areas.

This reality places energy efficiency in buildings and alternative mobility at the centre of Elbasan’s vision for climate neutrality, as also reflected in the Climate City Contract. As one of the 112 selected cities in the EU Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, Elbasan has identified these two sectors among the most important areas where interventions can produce faster and more tangible impact.

In this context, GreenELB focuses on reducing energy demand in private homes through structured energy-efficiency interventions, while eCIM addresses the transformation of how people move in the city, aiming for safer, cleaner, and more efficient alternatives for everyday travel. Together, these two projects represent not only a response to the current emissions profile, but also a strategic choice to improve urban quality of life and make the climate transition tangible for citizens.

GreenELB: How is energy demand being reduced in homes, starting with the Vullnetari neighbourhood?

GreenELB focuses on one of the largest sources of emissions in Elbasan: energy consumption in private homes. The project does not treat energy efficiency only as a technical issue, but as a combination of how homes are built and how energy is used every day by households. For this reason, GreenELB interventions are built simultaneously on technical data and on understanding residents’ behaviours.

The Vullnetari neighbourhood has been chosen as a pilot area because it represents many of the typical challenges of Elbasan’s residential stock: buildings constructed before modern insulation standards, high energy consumption, and everyday practices that often lead to inefficient energy use. This makes Vullnetari a suitable ground to test solutions that are practical and suitable for replication in other parts of the city.

How does GreenELB translate into concrete results for residential energy efficiency?

GreenELB starts by collecting clear information on how energy is used in homes, through energy audits and on-site assessments. In this framework, 20 pilot buildings in the Vullnetari neighbourhood have been selected and consulted for free energy audits, with the aim of building a measurable baseline for further interventions.

Based on this diagnosis, retrofit packages tailored to building typologies and real needs will be developed, along with a practical guide that makes the measures understandable and applicable. This includes developing building energy profiles and designing renovation solutions. The project also addresses the behavioural dimension of energy use, by testing simple, low-cost interventions aimed at improving everyday energy-use practices. In parallel, a regulatory testing approach for energy efficiency is being developed, so that the Municipality has a controlled space to test instruments and procedures before scaling them up.

An important component of GreenELB is youth engagement, in cooperation with the University of Elbasan and the Elbasan Student Council, who contribute to field assessments and to communicating sustainable solutions with the community. This approach connects the technical process with education, awareness-raising, and building a local culture of energy efficiency.

To ensure implementation and scaling over time, GreenELB develops a technical and financial plan by building local capacities through trainings and hands-on support for local actors, so that the methodology, assessment standards, and project planning and management skills for renovations remain within the city.

GreenELB is implemented from 01/09/2024 to 30/08/2026 and contributes to Elbasan’s transition toward climate neutrality, showing that change starts at home and through everyday practices.

eCIM: How is everyday mobility being transformed through a demonstrator corridor on Aqif Pasha Boulevard?

eCIM is a project focused on transforming urban mobility in the city of Elbasan, with interventions designed to be tested, measured, and improved, and to serve as a model for other interventions in this city and in other cities across the country. The key element is the creation of a demonstrator corridor on Aqif Pasha Boulevard, where interventions become visible, verifiable, measurable, and suitable for scaling.

What is being delivered together with the Municipality of Elbasan through eCIM?

eCIM is implemented in partnership with the Municipality of Elbasan and turns active mobility into a planned process, tested on the ground and supported by data. The project supports the drafting of a Detailed Local Plan that takes citizens’ needs into account and guides improvements in urban infrastructure, with the aim of making walking and cycling easier. The plan also proposes interventions in the road infrastructure of the central area to build an integrated and functional network of bicycle lanes, with clear priorities and network logic.

On the ground, a demonstrator corridor is being built and tested on Aqif Pasha Boulevard, where changes become visible and measurable before they are scaled up. In this context, a pop-up bicycle lane of around 1,000 metres is being piloted, accompanied by a measurement system and real-time data, to understand usage, behaviour, and the impact of the intervention. In parallel, safety and urban technology elements are being added, such as smart pedestrian crossings, bicycle counting systems, and monitoring components, to ensure continuous evidence on flows and how mobility changes.

To ensure these interventions do not remain only pilots, the project also strengthens how decision-making is coordinated within the city. Support is being provided for establishing an interdepartmental task force with more than 40 actors, including municipal structures and local stakeholders, to ensure coordination across planning, services, municipal police, education, communications, and the community. At the same time, a testing space for rules and instruments (“policy sandbox”) is being built, where the Municipality can trial standards, procedures, financing instruments, and procurement approaches—including green procurement and public-private partnerships—without exposing implementation to irreversible decisions.

Finally, eCIM invests in local capacity and a culture of measurement. Through trainings for municipal staff on climate budgeting, data interpretation, behavioural insights, and sustainable transport planning, as well as through the Mobility Students programme with the university, monitoring and data collection become part of everyday urban management practice.

eCIM runs from 01/04/2025 to 30/09/2026.

How do GreenELB and eCIM connect into a single transformation pathway?

GreenELB and eCIM share the same way of working—based on data, testing, measurement, procedures, and implementation capacities—applied in two areas: energy and mobility. In both cases, interventions are evidence-based. In GreenELB, audits and building energy profiles are used to understand consumption and savings potential, while in eCIM, flow measurements, counts, and corridor monitoring are used to analyse how the city moves. These data systems form the basis for informed decision-making and measurable interventions.

GreenELB and eCIM use a shared approach by testing policies and procedures before turning them into durable implementation. In GreenELB, this relates to instruments for energy efficiency and how retrofit is organised at municipal level, while in eCIM it relates to mobility rules, street-space management, procurement, and financing mechanisms.

The projects build capacity within the Municipality and among local actors, with a focus tailored to each sector. GreenELB strengthens skills for assessment, planning, and management of energy renovations, while eCIM focuses on mobility planning, data interpretation, cross-sector coordination, and building a monitoring practice.

Implementation is treated as a process that requires financing and procurement instruments, not only technical design. This makes pilots scalable. In practice, these two projects are helping Elbasan create a new working standard: evidence-based decisions, tested interventions, and institutional capacity that keeps momentum even after the projects end.

URI’s role and what is being left to the city

URI’s role in Elbasan is to connect analysis with implementation. In GreenELB, this translates into audit methodologies, retrofit packages, a technical and financial plan, regulatory testing instruments, trainings, and engagement models. In eCIM, this translates into pilot design, data structures, a mobility “policy sandbox,” trainings for municipal staff, a student programme, and support for coordination with stakeholders.

The intended outcome for Elbasan is clear: a working model that can be scaled up—with standards, procedures, data, capacities, and implementation instruments—so that the transition toward climate neutrality becomes a day-to-day practice of urban management.

Why this experience is seen as a standard

Waste management remains one of the most tangible challenges for local governance and quality of life in Albania. According to official INSTAT data, 862,241 tonnes of waste were managed in 2024, with an average generation of 360 kg per capita. The treatment profile shows that the system continues to rely primarily on disposal: 76.3% of waste was landfilled, while 18.8% was recycled and 4.9% treated through incineration with energy recovery.

In this context, the standard set by “Berati Riciklon” lies in the fact that it does not treat source separation as a sporadic initiative, but as a service with clear rules, operational capacity, maintenance mechanisms, and a functional value chain for recovered materials. This is the key distinction that makes the model transferable.

Results that underpin the credibility of the model

The experience in Berat is turning source separation into material that is genuinely valuable for recycling, building trust among citizens and institutions alike. To date, tangible results include:

• 140+ tonnes of cardboard recovered
• 8.5+ tonnes of plastic sold

Cardboard is sold to companies producing cardboard packaging (boxes), while plastic is sold to operators who process it and convert it back into raw material. This direct link to the market is one of the elements that makes the system sustainable and credible: separated material does not “disappear” within the system, but is transformed into an economic product.

The study visit of 29 January 2026: seeing the standard in practice

An important milestone in consolidating this experience was the study visit of 29 January 2026, involving representatives of Swedish embassies in the region, during which the established system and its practical functioning were presented. The visit focused on how the service has been built and how its quality is maintained over time, beyond the pilot phase.

Discussions addressed the elements that make the model reproducible: door to door organisation, continuous education of citizens and businesses, and the mechanisms used to maintain the system. It was emphasised that the service does not rely on temporary actions, but is integrated into municipal services, with maintenance financed through the waste service fee, ensuring operational continuity.

During the meeting with the Mayor of Berat, Mr Ervin Ceca, it was noted that the model has attracted the attention of the Municipality of Përmet, which is interested in replicating it. International interest was also highlighted, including from the Republic of Armenia, and a further study visit led by the OSCE was announced, focusing on service organisation, documentation of results, and the linkage between source separation and market value chains.

How the model was built and who made it possible

The model was financed by Sida / the Swedish Embassy and led by Brooks, Hannas & Partners (Serbia), with Urban Research Institute (URI) as the implementing partner and with the support of the Municipality of Berat for organising the service at local level. URI contributed to the development of the source separation methodology, technical assistance and capacity building for local and national authorities (management, replication, and monitoring of material flows), as well as to the public communication package supporting the rollout, implementation, and follow up of the model.

For operational implementation, the Municipality of Berat established the company BERAT CITY GREEN – BCG SH.A, as the structure responsible for managing the service and the sorting facility, as well as organising recovery processes and placing materials on the market.

What Berat’s experience shows for Albania and the region

In a country where landfills remain the primary destination for waste, “Berati Riciklon” demonstrates that results come when the system is built as a service: with clear rules, operational capacity, continuous community engagement, and a manageable value chain for recyclable materials. This is why the model is increasingly seen as a new standard for waste management in Albania and a reference for the region: it demonstrates not only that source separation is possible, but that it can be sustainable, measurable, and replicable.

In this context, climate finance is the link that connects planning to results. Without financial instruments, clear priorities and structured projects for financing, national adaptation and mitigation plans risk remaining “good on paper” documents, but weak in implementation. For a country with high exposure to climate risks, the challenge is not only to identify what needs to be done, but to ensure how it will be financed, implemented and monitored.

Historically, climate policies in Albania have often been treated as part of the environmental agenda, while budgeting, investment prioritization and financial decision-making have followed a different logic. But climate risks are also economic, fiscal and financial risks: they affect public assets, basic services, business activity and the stability of public finances. This requires an approach where climate is introduced into the “language” of finance: investment portfolios, project standards, financial instruments and traceability of expenditure.

A clear signal of this transition was given with the National Climate Finance Conference, held in Tirana on 15 December 2025. It served as a meeting point where state institutions, financial authorities, development partners, experts, the private sector and academia focused on a practical question: how does climate policy translate into real, sustainable and measurable financing?

The conference was co-convened by the Ministry of Environment, the Urban Research Institute (URI) and the UNESCO Office in Venice, with a focus on accelerating financing for adaptation and sustainability, in line with Albania’s national priorities and international climate commitments. URI’s role in this process was integrated as a technical and facilitating role: guiding the discussion towards capacities, bankable projects and mechanisms that make climate finance financially viable.

From “fund-finding” to the full investment chain

One of the key messages that emerged is that climate finance is not simply about finding funds. It requires a full chain: from idea to concept, from design to implementation, from monitoring to impact reporting. Without this chain, even the best financial resources may not translate into results. This is where the need for project standardization, strengthening technical capacities and institutional coordination becomes critical.

Towards a National Climate Finance Platform

The discussions also highlighted the importance of a more unified coordination mechanism, such as the National Climate Finance Platform. Such a structure is valuable only if it creates function, not just form: if it links policies to the budget and investment portfolio, standardizes the way projects are prepared, establishes clarity on funding priorities and criteria, and strengthens reporting and traceability of climate spending.

The financial sector and the role of the Bank of Albania

The participation of the Bank of Albania raised the discussion from the level of projects to the level of financial stability and risk management. In its public communication, the Bank underlined the importance of climate and transition risks as a material source of vulnerability for the banking system and the economy, and referred to steps taken within the framework of its Green Strategy 2022–2025: establishing a working structure, developing monitoring indicators, exposure assessments and guidance for banks on environmental risk management.

Why is this directly related to EU integration

Climate and environment are increasingly a practical part of the European integration process: not only legal approximation, but also financed and measurable implementation. For the chapters related to the Green Agenda, the real challenge is the capacity to mobilize resources, to create viable projects and to guarantee institutional coordination and transparency.

What needs to happen next

If this momentum is to become a real turning point, three steps stand out:

1. a structured portfolio of climate investments with projects ready for financing, especially for adaptation and resilience
2. the integration of climate finance into fiscal planning and financial risk management policies
3. the operationalisation of a functional coordination mechanism with a clear mandate, measurable role, and transparency

In this second phase, technical and bridging actors remain essential: helping translate dialogue into processes, processes into projects, and projects into investments. The core idea is simple: the green transition does not move forward on will and strategies alone, but on financial architecture, institutional coordination, and measurable investments.

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In this 2024 annual report, you will find a clear overview of the main programmes and projects implemented across environment, climate resilience, waste management, e-mobility, and sustainable urban development. The report shows how URI has supported local and central institutions to design and implement practical solutions that reduce pollution, strengthen resilience to climate risks, and improve everyday quality of life.

A key focus of the Urban Research Institute Annual Report 2024 is on real partnerships. Municipalities, ministries, civil society organisations, universities, youth groups, and international partners all appear throughout the pages of the report. Case studies from Albanian cities and from cross-border initiatives in the Western Balkans demonstrate how collaborative approaches can unlock funding, accelerate reforms, and scale good practices.