23 July, 2024 - The Knowledge for Reform Action in the Western Balkans Programme joined the launch of the Net Zero Citizens Assembly, at a two-day meeting hosted by the Mayor of Sarajevo Benjamina Karić, both at the historic city hall and in two other separate locations.

The NetZeroCities project supports European cities to drastically cut down greenhouse gas emissions through climate action to achieve ‘climate neutrality’. To do so NetZeroCities recognises the need for cities to develop specific strategies that are tailored to suit local and regional contexts.

The participation of the K4R Programme follows the initiative’s request to provide technical advisory support in the development of a Citizens Assembly strategy, as well as in the process of improving mobility linkages and bus service electrification for the City of Sarajevo and East Sarajevo. 

With the environment and air quality being issues of central importance for the citizens of Sarajevo, Citizens Assemblies will be a crucial tool in supporting the objective of a climate neutral city.

Stefano Ellero, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina – which is funding the Net Zero Action Plan and the Citizens Assemblies, noted that “The launch of the Citizens Assembly process once again makes Sarajevo unique because this will become the first city in the Western Balkan to use this tool to greatly enhance the input of citizens to secure a cleaner, greener and more liveable city. Over the next 9 months, we will be working hand-in-hand with our partners in the City of Sarajevo, Canton Sarajevo and East Sarajevo to produce a climate action plan and investment strategy. The plan will outline the concrete steps in mobility, buildings, spatial planning and waste management to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. The Citizens Assembly will help ensure that this process takes the views of citizens into account.”

The participatory aspect of the event was also highlighted by Mayor Benjamina Karić who explained that “[The launch of Net Zero Citizen Assembly] marks an important moment in our city, one that not only reaffirms our commitment to participatory democracy but also opens new horizons for our community. This process is called deliberative democracy and has been successfully used [...] to better engage with a public who rightly feel their real concerns and issues are not listened to, and more powerful voices dominate public debates”.

Sarajevo Functional Urban Area was selected from over 375 competing cities to join the European Union Mission: “100 Net Zero Emission Cities” to deliver climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030, and the K4R Programme is looking forward to bringing its contribution to this important initiativeStay tuned for more information.