January 22, 2026
by in News

Kosovo’s* just energy transition: greening the Kingdom of Coal

Author: Tringë Shkodra

Kosovo’s* energy transition has great potential but key players such as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and young people are facing structural exclusion.

Our energy system is still heavily dependent on dirty fossil fuels and overburdened by frequent outages, reliance on imports, and growing costs, particularly during the winter when demand is at its highest and most households and businesses can no longer afford to pay energy bills. While infrastructure upgrades are essential, they are not enough. In order to succeed, this transition must be just, meaning it needs to be inclusive and rooted in the lived experiences of the people it aims to serve.

Understanding Kosovo’s* distinct socio-economic landscape, with the country having the youngest population in Europe as well as a large number of SMEs, is essential for addressing its development challenges and unlocking its potential.

SMEs form the backbone of the Kosovan* economy but get structurally excluded from accessing energy-saving practices. Many studies shed light on energy efficiency within Kosovo’s* private sector – particularly among SMEs, and show that these businesses face serious barriers to adopting sustainable practices. While larger firms are more likely to invest in energy-saving technologies, SMEs struggle with access to finance, lack awareness, and get minimal institutional support.

Businesses require energy efficiency for survival

Yet energy audits show that many could reduce consumption by up to 40% with low-cost interventions. This isn’t about reluctance, but structural exclusion. Energy efficiency, in this context, is not just a technical fix but a survival strategy for businesses.

With the right incentives, this sector can become a driver of Kosovo’s* green transition, creating jobs and fostering innovation.

Youth rarely invited to table

Another overlooked potential for Kosovo’s* energy transition are the youth. Over half of Kosovo’s* population is under the age of 30, yet their involvement in environmental governance remains limited. A study of youth participation in environmental and climatic concerns across ten municipalities of Kosovo* found that, while 63% of young respondents reported a strong desire to contribute to environmental policymaking, only 15% had ever participated in such processes.

Youth-led initiatives, innovation hubs, and climate advocacy networks are lacking institutional trust and real influence

This isn’t a lack of engagement; it’s again a lack of access. Youth-led initiatives, innovation hubs, and climate advocacy networks are already active, but they need to be met with institutional trust and real influence. The potential of our youth is vast – from engineers developing solar microgrids to community organizers shaping local green agendas. However, without inclusion, this potential remains untapped. We are ready to lead, but we are rarely invited to the table.

Dependence on lignite is cause of public health crisis

Advancing fundamental reforms aligned with European values is a prerequisite for sustainable development. This includes harmonizing structural reforms outlined in the Economic Reform Programmes (ERPs), strengthening the rule of law, and embedding the energy transition within the European Union’s broader green agenda. Kosovo’s* overreliance on lignite coal poses not only environmental but social risks, and the outdated mindset of living in the Kingdom of Coal clashes with the urgent need for a clean, secure, and just energy future.

Data from Riinvest Institute outlines clearly that over 90% of Kosovo’s* electricity is still produced from coal, while renewable energy accounts for less than 6%. This dependence is more than an economic liability – it is a public health crisis. Around 300,000 to 400,000 people live within 30 kilometers of lignite-fired power plants Kosovo A and Kosovo B, which lack modern emission controls.

Air pollution and outdated technology put thousands at risk every day. The urgency to diversify the energy mix isn’t only environmental – it is humanitarian. Energy, when approached with justice in mind, can become a tool for dignity and equal opportunity.

Despite a myriad of strategies and policy documents, Kosovo* has made only partial progress in aligning with EU energy and environmental standards. The Energy Community Annual Implementation Report (2024) shows that implementation across clusters such as decarbonization and energy security ranges from just 40% to 66%. True transformation demands more than technical upgrades as it requires institutional coordination, transparency, and strong evidence-based policymaking.

We are transitioning lives

In a recent conversation, a national energy expert put it simply: “We are not just transitioning technologies. We are transitioning lives.” A just energy transition must therefore encompass more than grid modernization or solar farms. It requires tailored policies – legislation that removes bureaucratic bottlenecks, the rollout of incentives for low-income households to adopt renewables, and clear pathways for communities to become prosumers.

Kosovo’s* policy frameworks, such as the forthcoming National Energy and Climate Plan and the renewable energy law, must be instruments of real transformation – practical, inclusive, and focused on impact.

Permitting procedures for renewables need to be simplified

To catalyze a just energy transition, the country requires comprehensive investments across its energy infrastructure while ensuring that reforms are socially inclusive and environmentally sound. This begins with diversifying the energy mix by prioritizing renewables – particularly solar and wind – through competitive auctions and de-risked investment environments that attract private sector participation. Kosovo* must simplify permitting procedures, build institutional expertise, and enhance the grid’s technical capacity to absorb renewable inputs.

Alongside infrastructure upgrades, investments are needed in energy efficiency for public and private buildings, especially given the country’s high winter heating demand and grid losses. Carbon-free heating solutions and retrofitting programs can help reduce both emissions and energy poverty, especially among vulnerable groups.

Subsidies must be designed for low-income households

Financing this transformation requires a blended approach – mobilizing domestic resources, securing grants from the EU and the United States, and leveraging international financial institutions through loans with state guarantees. But energy justice is not only about technology or money, it is about who benefits. Subsidies and support schemes must be designed for low-income households to participate in renewable adoption as consumers and prosumers.

A just transition brings inclusive growth and long-term climate resilience

Moreover, Kosovo* must link its investment strategies to broader social objectives, like upskilling labor for green jobs, protecting coal-reliant communities, and embedding equity and participation in every step of reform.

Kosovo* needs to make use of its strengths, and supports its young population, smaller enterprises and low-income households. Without an integrated approach, it risks reinforcing existing inequalities, but if it creates an energy transition that is just for the people, the country can turn its transition into a platform for inclusive growth, and long-term climate change resilience.

Tringe Shkodra Just Transition Young Voices Awards

Post Views:227
* This designation is without prejudice to positions onstatus and is in line with UNSCR 1244/99 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
January 22, 2026
by in News

Kosovo’s* just energy transition: greening the Kingdom of Coal

Author: Tringë Shkodra

Kosovo’s* energy transition has great potential but key players such as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and young people are facing structural exclusion.

Our energy system is still heavily dependent on dirty fossil fuels and overburdened by frequent outages, reliance on imports, and growing costs, particularly during the winter when demand is at its highest and most households and businesses can no longer afford to pay energy bills. While infrastructure upgrades are essential, they are not enough. In order to succeed, this transition must be just, meaning it needs to be inclusive and rooted in the lived experiences of the people it aims to serve.

Understanding Kosovo’s* distinct socio-economic landscape, with the country having the youngest population in Europe as well as a large number of SMEs, is essential for addressing its development challenges and unlocking its potential.

SMEs form the backbone of the Kosovan* economy but get structurally excluded from accessing energy-saving practices. Many studies shed light on energy efficiency within Kosovo’s* private sector – particularly among SMEs, and show that these businesses face serious barriers to adopting sustainable practices. While larger firms are more likely to invest in energy-saving technologies, SMEs struggle with access to finance, lack awareness, and get minimal institutional support.

Businesses require energy efficiency for survival

Yet energy audits show that many could reduce consumption by up to 40% with low-cost interventions. This isn’t about reluctance, but structural exclusion. Energy efficiency, in this context, is not just a technical fix but a survival strategy for businesses.

With the right incentives, this sector can become a driver of Kosovo’s* green transition, creating jobs and fostering innovation.

Youth rarely invited to table

Another overlooked potential for Kosovo’s* energy transition are the youth. Over half of Kosovo’s* population is under the age of 30, yet their involvement in environmental governance remains limited. A study of youth participation in environmental and climatic concerns across ten municipalities of Kosovo* found that, while 63% of young respondents reported a strong desire to contribute to environmental policymaking, only 15% had ever participated in such processes.

Youth-led initiatives, innovation hubs, and climate advocacy networks are lacking institutional trust and real influence

This isn’t a lack of engagement; it’s again a lack of access. Youth-led initiatives, innovation hubs, and climate advocacy networks are already active, but they need to be met with institutional trust and real influence. The potential of our youth is vast – from engineers developing solar microgrids to community organizers shaping local green agendas. However, without inclusion, this potential remains untapped. We are ready to lead, but we are rarely invited to the table.

Dependence on lignite is cause of public health crisis

Advancing fundamental reforms aligned with European values is a prerequisite for sustainable development. This includes harmonizing structural reforms outlined in the Economic Reform Programmes (ERPs), strengthening the rule of law, and embedding the energy transition within the European Union’s broader green agenda. Kosovo’s* overreliance on lignite coal poses not only environmental but social risks, and the outdated mindset of living in the Kingdom of Coal clashes with the urgent need for a clean, secure, and just energy future.

Data from Riinvest Institute outlines clearly that over 90% of Kosovo’s* electricity is still produced from coal, while renewable energy accounts for less than 6%. This dependence is more than an economic liability – it is a public health crisis. Around 300,000 to 400,000 people live within 30 kilometers of lignite-fired power plants Kosovo A and Kosovo B, which lack modern emission controls.

Air pollution and outdated technology put thousands at risk every day. The urgency to diversify the energy mix isn’t only environmental – it is humanitarian. Energy, when approached with justice in mind, can become a tool for dignity and equal opportunity.

Despite a myriad of strategies and policy documents, Kosovo* has made only partial progress in aligning with EU energy and environmental standards. The Energy Community Annual Implementation Report (2024) shows that implementation across clusters such as decarbonization and energy security ranges from just 40% to 66%. True transformation demands more than technical upgrades as it requires institutional coordination, transparency, and strong evidence-based policymaking.

We are transitioning lives

In a recent conversation, a national energy expert put it simply: “We are not just transitioning technologies. We are transitioning lives.” A just energy transition must therefore encompass more than grid modernization or solar farms. It requires tailored policies – legislation that removes bureaucratic bottlenecks, the rollout of incentives for low-income households to adopt renewables, and clear pathways for communities to become prosumers.

Kosovo’s* policy frameworks, such as the forthcoming National Energy and Climate Plan and the renewable energy law, must be instruments of real transformation – practical, inclusive, and focused on impact.

Permitting procedures for renewables need to be simplified

To catalyze a just energy transition, the country requires comprehensive investments across its energy infrastructure while ensuring that reforms are socially inclusive and environmentally sound. This begins with diversifying the energy mix by prioritizing renewables – particularly solar and wind – through competitive auctions and de-risked investment environments that attract private sector participation. Kosovo* must simplify permitting procedures, build institutional expertise, and enhance the grid’s technical capacity to absorb renewable inputs.

Alongside infrastructure upgrades, investments are needed in energy efficiency for public and private buildings, especially given the country’s high winter heating demand and grid losses. Carbon-free heating solutions and retrofitting programs can help reduce both emissions and energy poverty, especially among vulnerable groups.

Subsidies must be designed for low-income households

Financing this transformation requires a blended approach – mobilizing domestic resources, securing grants from the EU and the United States, and leveraging international financial institutions through loans with state guarantees. But energy justice is not only about technology or money, it is about who benefits. Subsidies and support schemes must be designed for low-income households to participate in renewable adoption as consumers and prosumers.

A just transition brings inclusive growth and long-term climate resilience

Moreover, Kosovo* must link its investment strategies to broader social objectives, like upskilling labor for green jobs, protecting coal-reliant communities, and embedding equity and participation in every step of reform.

Kosovo* needs to make use of its strengths, and supports its young population, smaller enterprises and low-income households. Without an integrated approach, it risks reinforcing existing inequalities, but if it creates an energy transition that is just for the people, the country can turn its transition into a platform for inclusive growth, and long-term climate change resilience.

Tringe Shkodra Just Transition Young Voices Awards

Post Views:226
* This designation is without prejudice to positions onstatus and is in line with UNSCR 1244/99 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
January 21, 2026
by in News

Voice from beyond the centre

Balkan Green Energy News, the media partner of the 2025 Just Transition Young Voices Awards, is publishing the three winning articles. The Energy Community Secretariat organized the contest in collaboration with Bankwatch, CAN Europe, the CLEW Network, and the Regional Youth Cooperation Office. The aim is to promote young adults set to shape the climate, energy, and social landscape in the years ahead in the Energy Community region. 

Author: Ani Gogokhia

It is the summer of 2045  – unusually hot compared to previous years – but the unbearable heat is not the only problem. I wake up in my small apartment in western Georgia, open the window, and immediately see clouds of exhaust fumes. For me, this is just another part of everyday life.

After a quick breakfast, I step outside for a short walk to wake myself up. The buildings in the city are the only things that remain unchanged. The number of people on the streets is declining. I feel lonely – most of my peers have either moved to the capital, Tbilisi, or left for European countries.

Thinking of them inevitably leads me to reflect on my own career path. Unfortunately, I haven’t had the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in my region.

Not much choice for young woman

With those thoughts weighing on me, I walk quickly to my first job. I call it my first job because I’ll head to another one later in the afternoon. The commute is long, and public transport only slows me down – so I walk. As I pass the local market, I see vendors, most of them women, standing in the scorching sun.

My job is house cleaning. The pay is just enough to cover groceries and utility bills, but with the cost of living rising daily, I rush to a second cleaning job in the afternoon. Floors, windows, walls – it’s all the same. If you wonder why I chose this line of work, the answer is simple: there wasn’t much choice, especially for a young woman.

The scenario described above could become a regular part of life if we halt progress toward a just transition and neglect it

There’s little to say about the workday. I return home as the sun begins to set, carrying groceries in both hands. As I unpack, I wait for my family. Everyone works – my mother and father in a factory, and my sister at a hospital. We gather for dinner and talk about current events: rising tensions, protests over low wages, unemployment, and deepening poverty.

But these conversations always end the same way – with my mother’s cancer. She developed the disease after years of exposure to harmful substances at the factory, yet she still can’t stop working. We simply can’t afford her treatment otherwise.

The scenario described above could become a regular part of life if we halt progress toward a just transition and neglect it. For the energy transition to be truly just, it must include rural areas, too, creating fair opportunities for people across Georgia.

A just transition refers to a series of policies that ensure fair and equal opportunities for everyone as we shift to a greener economy in the fight against climate change. It’s a process meant to align energy systems with modern, sustainable standards. Local governments play a vital role, though many factors – such as geography and ethnicity – can affect how smoothly this transition occurs.

Just transition in Georgia

Georgia is working to stay aligned with global green trends through international cooperation. Hydropower dominates its energy sector, but the country is slowly incorporating wind and solar systems. Since joining the Energy Community in 2017, Georgia has made notable strides toward harmonizing its legislation with the European Union’s energy standards.

This alignment has attracted major investments in renewable energy. Projects like the Kartli wind farm and a national roadmap for a circular economy – supported by the EU4Environment program – are steps in the right direction.

The city of Zugdidi is among the trailblazers in Georgia in the energy efficiency segment, youth engagement and environmental education

These national achievements are significant, but what about rural areas far from the capital? Each region presents unique challenges and opportunities in the just transition. In western Georgia, Zugdidi has started participating in this process. Although large-scale renewable projects remain concentrated elsewhere, the city has seen pilot initiatives in energy efficiency, youth engagement, and environmental education supported by the EU.

The rural development programs of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Zugdidi focus on inclusive economic participation, especially for youth, and promote eco-tourism and sustainable agriculture to curb outward migration. One noteworthy initiative involved using hazelnut shells to heat school greenhouses – a clever use of a crop central to local livelihoods. Educational projects and international partnerships have also helped raise awareness about the green economy, yet challenges remain.

Chiatura craves economic diversification away from mining

Take, for example, Chiatura – a mining town east of Zugdidi, known for its manganese industry since Soviet times. Chiatura’s economy has long depended on mining, with consequences such as environmental degradation, poor working conditions, and economic stagnation when mining activity declines. Without economic diversification, residents remain vulnerable and largely excluded from sustainable development benefits.

In 2024, Georgian news outlets reported: “The hunger strike entered its 22nd day on July 10, involving eight miners, three of whom have sewn their mouths shut.“ The unrest stems from decisions to shut down underground mining operations, leaving workers desperate and uncertain about their futures.

While Zugdidi explores decentralized, eco-friendly solutions like biomass heating, Chiatura still lags in implementing alternatives – clean industries, green technologies, or renewable energy – deepening the divide between regions.

Youth massively moving to capital Tbilisi

Unfortunately, Georgia’s development remains overly centralized. Most opportunities are clustered in Tbilisi, causing a massive youth outflow from other regions into the capital.

Geographic and infrastructural limitations in rural and mountainous areas also pose serious barriers. For example, eastern Georgia has high solar radiation – perfect for photovoltaic panels – but varied terrain complicates installation. Wind energy prospects are greater in the east, as western regions are less windy.

A just transition also demands inclusive participation, especially from women. As of 2024, women make up just 28% of the global STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) workforce – a glaring underrepresentation. In Georgia, the meaningful inclusion of women in the just transition remains a significant challenge. Empowering women – politically, economically, and socially – is key.

A difficult past marked by political instability and conflict has left its mark, but the more women engage in public life, the greater their chances of economic empowerment, entry into traditionally male-dominated professions and establishing decent place in economy.

What must be done

While Georgia has made substantial headway towards its climate goals, it is key for the country to create a unified national policy that addresses all regions equitably. We need robust educational campaigns, targeted support for rural areas, and most importantly, greater inclusion of women and minority groups in the just transition.

Only then can we build a fair, resilient society capable of meeting the challenges of the 21st century.

Just transition Young Voices Awards articles Ani Gogokhia
Photo: Just Transition Young Voices Awards
Post Views:226
October 9, 2025
by in News

Voice from beyond the centre

Balkan Green Energy News, the media partner of the 2025 Just Transition Young Voices Awards, is publishing the three winning articles. The Energy Community Secretariat organized the contest in collaboration with Bankwatch, CAN Europe, the CLEW Network, and the Regional Youth Cooperation Office. The aim is to promote young adults set to shape the climate, energy, and social landscape in the years ahead in the Energy Community region. 

Author: Ani Gogokhia

It is the summer of 2045  – unusually hot compared to previous years – but the unbearable heat is not the only problem. I wake up in my small apartment in western Georgia, open the window, and immediately see clouds of exhaust fumes. For me, this is just another part of everyday life.

After a quick breakfast, I step outside for a short walk to wake myself up. The buildings in the city are the only things that remain unchanged. The number of people on the streets is declining. I feel lonely – most of my peers have either moved to the capital, Tbilisi, or left for European countries.

Thinking of them inevitably leads me to reflect on my own career path. Unfortunately, I haven’t had the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in my region.

Not much choice for young woman

With those thoughts weighing on me, I walk quickly to my first job. I call it my first job because I’ll head to another one later in the afternoon. The commute is long, and public transport only slows me down – so I walk. As I pass the local market, I see vendors, most of them women, standing in the scorching sun.

My job is house cleaning. The pay is just enough to cover groceries and utility bills, but with the cost of living rising daily, I rush to a second cleaning job in the afternoon. Floors, windows, walls – it’s all the same. If you wonder why I chose this line of work, the answer is simple: there wasn’t much choice, especially for a young woman.

The scenario described above could become a regular part of life if we halt progress toward a just transition and neglect it

There’s little to say about the workday. I return home as the sun begins to set, carrying groceries in both hands. As I unpack, I wait for my family. Everyone works – my mother and father in a factory, and my sister at a hospital. We gather for dinner and talk about current events: rising tensions, protests over low wages, unemployment, and deepening poverty.

But these conversations always end the same way – with my mother’s cancer. She developed the disease after years of exposure to harmful substances at the factory, yet she still can’t stop working. We simply can’t afford her treatment otherwise.

The scenario described above could become a regular part of life if we halt progress toward a just transition and neglect it. For the energy transition to be truly just, it must include rural areas, too, creating fair opportunities for people across Georgia.

A just transition refers to a series of policies that ensure fair and equal opportunities for everyone as we shift to a greener economy in the fight against climate change. It’s a process meant to align energy systems with modern, sustainable standards. Local governments play a vital role, though many factors – such as geography and ethnicity – can affect how smoothly this transition occurs.

Just transition in Georgia

Georgia is working to stay aligned with global green trends through international cooperation. Hydropower dominates its energy sector, but the country is slowly incorporating wind and solar systems. Since joining the Energy Community in 2017, Georgia has made notable strides toward harmonizing its legislation with the European Union’s energy standards.

This alignment has attracted major investments in renewable energy. Projects like the Kartli wind farm and a national roadmap for a circular economy – supported by the EU4Environment program – are steps in the right direction.

The city of Zugdidi is among the trailblazers in Georgia in the energy efficiency segment, youth engagement and environmental education

These national achievements are significant, but what about rural areas far from the capital? Each region presents unique challenges and opportunities in the just transition. In western Georgia, Zugdidi has started participating in this process. Although large-scale renewable projects remain concentrated elsewhere, the city has seen pilot initiatives in energy efficiency, youth engagement, and environmental education supported by the EU.

The rural development programs of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Zugdidi focus on inclusive economic participation, especially for youth, and promote eco-tourism and sustainable agriculture to curb outward migration. One noteworthy initiative involved using hazelnut shells to heat school greenhouses – a clever use of a crop central to local livelihoods. Educational projects and international partnerships have also helped raise awareness about the green economy, yet challenges remain.

Chiatura craves economic diversification away from mining

Take, for example, Chiatura – a mining town east of Zugdidi, known for its manganese industry since Soviet times. Chiatura’s economy has long depended on mining, with consequences such as environmental degradation, poor working conditions, and economic stagnation when mining activity declines. Without economic diversification, residents remain vulnerable and largely excluded from sustainable development benefits.

In 2024, Georgian news outlets reported: “The hunger strike entered its 22nd day on July 10, involving eight miners, three of whom have sewn their mouths shut.“ The unrest stems from decisions to shut down underground mining operations, leaving workers desperate and uncertain about their futures.

While Zugdidi explores decentralized, eco-friendly solutions like biomass heating, Chiatura still lags in implementing alternatives – clean industries, green technologies, or renewable energy – deepening the divide between regions.

Youth massively moving to capital Tbilisi

Unfortunately, Georgia’s development remains overly centralized. Most opportunities are clustered in Tbilisi, causing a massive youth outflow from other regions into the capital.

Geographic and infrastructural limitations in rural and mountainous areas also pose serious barriers. For example, eastern Georgia has high solar radiation – perfect for photovoltaic panels – but varied terrain complicates installation. Wind energy prospects are greater in the east, as western regions are less windy.

A just transition also demands inclusive participation, especially from women. As of 2024, women make up just 28% of the global STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) workforce – a glaring underrepresentation. In Georgia, the meaningful inclusion of women in the just transition remains a significant challenge. Empowering women – politically, economically, and socially – is key.

A difficult past marked by political instability and conflict has left its mark, but the more women engage in public life, the greater their chances of economic empowerment, entry into traditionally male-dominated professions and establishing decent place in economy.

What must be done

While Georgia has made substantial headway towards its climate goals, it is key for the country to create a unified national policy that addresses all regions equitably. We need robust educational campaigns, targeted support for rural areas, and most importantly, greater inclusion of women and minority groups in the just transition.

Only then can we build a fair, resilient society capable of meeting the challenges of the 21st century.

Photo: Just Transition Young Voices Awards
Post Views:143
August 21, 2025
by in News

Winners of 2025 Just Transition Young Voices Awards revealed

Tringë Shkodra, Ani Gogokhia, and Kateryna Pereloma have been announced as the winners of the 2025 Just Transition Young Voices Awards. The award was created to amplify the voices of young adults under 30 who are set to shape the region’s climate, energy, and social landscape in the years ahead. It is organized by the Energy Community Secretariat in collaboration with Bankwatch, CAN Europe, the CLEW Network, and the Regional Youth Cooperation Office, with Balkan Green Energy News serving as the media partner.

Young people aged 18-30 across Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Moldova, Georgia, and Ukraine had the opportunity to submit their original, fact-based articles that explore how their communities are navigating the shift away from fossil fuels. Recognizing that youth are essential agents of change, the 2025 Just Transition Young Voices Awards aimed to provide a platform for creative and solution-oriented journalism addressing the challenges and opportunities of a just transition.

“Across South East and Eastern Europe, the energy transition will succeed only if it is inclusive and regionally connected. The voices of young people are central to that effort, and this award shows the depth of talent and commitment they bring”, said jury member Marta Schulte-Fischedick, from the Energy Community’s Green Deal Unit.

The winning stories highlight the opportunities of the green transition while tackling its complex challenges, from unequal access to clean energy to the impacts of war, migration, and poverty. Together, they reflect how communities across South East Europe are striving to build sustainable and resilient energy systems in fair and inclusive ways.

The winning stories highlight the opportunities of the green transition while tackling its complex challenges

Tringë Shkodra (26, Kosovo*) won the first award, a paid one-month internship with the Energy Community Secretariat. Her article focuses on Kosovo’s just energy transition and the shift away from coal. She traces its reliance on lignite as an environmental liability, public health and social justice crisis, calling for faster, more inclusive reforms that empower youth.

The second award went to Ani Gogokhia (18, Georgia) for her personal story, which highlights how everyday challenges related to low salaries, migration, pollution, and health issues reflect the dangers of an inequitable energy transition in Georgia. She will receive a fully funded opportunity for a fact-finding mission on energy transformation in the Western Balkans with Bankwatch.

Kateryna Pereloma (22, Ukraine) came in third for her report from Kyiv. She documented how communities are responding to the war by embracing sustainability through solar energy, recycling, urban gardening, green startups, and youth-led initiatives. Her award is to participate in the Training for Journalists on Climate Disinformation in the Western Balkans, hosted by CAN Europe in Ohrid, North Macedonia, this September.

The winning pieces will be published on Balkan Green Energy News and other partner platforms.

Post Views:25
* This designation is without prejudice to positions onstatus and is in line with UNSCR 1244/99 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
June 19, 2025
by in News

Just Transition Young Voices Award: Empowering youth champions in the clean energy transition

In a celebration of youth-led climate action, the Energy Community Secretariat, together with Bankwatch, CAN Europe, RYCO, and CLEW, has launched the Just Transition Young Voices Award, spotlighting the importance of young people’s voices in shaping a just, equitable, and sustainable energy future. Balkan Green Energy News is an official media partner of the initiative.

Young people aged 18 to 30 from the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia), Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova are invited to submit original, fact-based articles that explore how their communities are navigating the shift away from fossil fuels. Recognizing that youth are essential agents of change, the award provides a platform for creative and solution-oriented journalism addressing the challenges and opportunities of a just transition.

Applications are open until 28 July 2025. The competition aims to showcase innovative thinking and concrete solutions developed by young people who are actively engaging in climate and energy issues.

Foto: Energy Community Secretariat

The award framework

The Just Transition Young Voices Award aims to inspire and support young people with an interest in energy and climate journalism to explore and report on just transition topics. Submissions should be original, fact-based articles in English, between 700 and 1,100 words. Stories may highlight real people, places, or initiatives that reflect the challenges, opportunities, and solutions involved in just transition, particularly in sectors or regions impacted by the green shift.

Three prizes will be awarded:

  • A one-month paid internship at the Energy Community Secretariat in Vienna;
  • A field mission on energy transition in the Western Balkans with Bankwatch;
  • Participation in the Climate Reporting Training with CAN Europe in Ohrid (1–3 September 2025).

Winning pieces will be published on Balkan Green Energy News and other partner platforms, as well as presented at the Energy Community Just Transition Forum. Applications will be evaluated by a jury comprising representatives from Bankwatch, CLEW Network, RYCO, and the Energy Community Secretariat.

The Just Transition Young Voices Award reaffirms a simple truth: meaningful system change requires the leadership of those who will live with its consequences.

Post Views:40
* This designation is without prejudice to positions onstatus and is in line with UNSCR 1244/99 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.