September 30, 2020
The Kosovo Sustainable Development Week continued its activity with "Kosovo’s Transition towards Resource Recovery and Circular Economy" panel discussion. The panel consisted of Peter Wessman, Policy Officer at European Commission, DG Environment, Unit: Waste Management & Secondary Materials; Burim Kelmendi, CEO of Pastrimi Public Utility Company; Liza Marku, Private Sector, and Finance Expert; Ramiz Kokollari, Waste and Environmental Expert, Kiwer Consulting; Mathias Ellger, Inter-municipal Cooperation Expert and, moderated by Joachim Stretz, waste and resource management expert, WasteAware.
The experts of the panel from different backgrounds in recycling and waste management argued on how Kosovo has an opportunity to transition from a linear and recycling economy into a more advanced and environmentally friendly circular economy.
Peter Wasman, presented the actual EU legal framework on waste management and how European countries are adopting 4 waste management EU directives into laws and regulations.
Ramiz Kokollari gave a brief description of the current situation of waste management in Kosovo "we have to progress in waste separation in the source and also waste prevention, where most of our waste
is not recycled".
On the other hand, Liza Marku presented Kosovo’s recycling business challenges where “lack of access to waste is the biggest challenge in Kosovo’s private sector in the recycling business is facing”. Where Kosovo’s Institutions face a challenge to implement the legal framework and develop new laws and regulations to support the private sector in recycling and circular economy. In this matter, Mathias Ellger concluded that “we have enough studies and knowledge about the circular economy. We don’t need
more studies. We need to start implementing the circular economy model and we need to do it now.”
Kosovo Sustainable Development Week is inspired by European Sustainable Week.
The activity is organized by a group of the like-minded organization. This year the activity is jointly organized by the Ministry of Economy and Environment, EUSR/EU Office in Kosovo, GIZ Kosovo on behalf of the German Government, Balkan Green Foundation (BGF), and the Institute for Development Policy (INDEP).
During this year's activity through-out a range of events a series of topics will be discussed, Green deal, Transition to sound Resource Management and Circular Economy, National Energy and Climate Plan, Just transition/energy poverty/ heating/biomass/air pollution/deforestation, and Energy Transition - Regional Approach.