AGP Executive Report

COP31: The UN climate summit opened in Antalya on November 9, with Türkiye calling for action on drought, floods, water shortages and extreme heat. Host priorities include clean energy, climate-resilient cities, food security and cutting waste and methane emissions. Balkan Climate Research: At a COP31 event, Bulgarian and Turkish researchers proposed closer Balkan cooperation on polar science. They highlighted melting glaciers and rising seas as shared global risks, and plans for a first Balkan scientific conference in Aheloy. Pristina’s Urban Future: Mayor Përparim Rama is applying his urban-planning background to the capital, aiming to rethink the balance between pedestrians and cars and how residents use public space.

COP31: The climate summit opened in Antalya with calls for action on drought, floods, water shortages and extreme heat. Türkiye outlined targets for clean energy, lower waste and methane emissions, and more recycled materials; Bulgaria used the conference to promote Balkan cooperation on polar research, citing melting glaciers and rising seas. Pristina Planning: Mayor Përparim Rama is looking to Israel for urban lessons as he seeks to reshape the city, including how streets balance space for pedestrians and cars and how residents use their surroundings.

Pristina’s Urban Future: Mayor Përparim Rama is looking to urban examples abroad as he seeks to rethink how the capital is planned, including how space is shared between pedestrians and cars. The effort could shape residents’ daily experience of the city, though the report gives no specific environmental measures. Climate Research: The EU’s Horizon Europe programme has concluded association talks with India, opening access to collaborative research on climate and energy. Kosovo is already among the programme’s associated countries, giving its researchers access to these research opportunities.

Climate-Ready Agriculture: Agricultural scientist Nazim S. Gruda says the Western Balkans can contribute to European farming research, including work on climate-ready horticulture. He also urges scientific academies to join public debates on agriculture earlier and explain their findings more clearly.

Sustainable Agriculture: A regional agriculture expert is urging academies to join public debate earlier and explain farming challenges plainly, with climate-ready horticulture among the priorities for the Western Balkans and other EU candidate countries.

Climate-Smart Agriculture: A regional agriculture expert is urging scientists to speak up earlier and in plainer language in public debates on farming. His discussion highlights climate-ready horticulture and the role of Western Balkan researchers in shaping Europe’s future agricultural policy.

Climate-Ready Farming: Agricultural scientist Nazim S. Gruda says Western Balkan academies should join public debate on farming earlier, with climate-ready horticulture and sustainable agriculture among the issues needing attention.

Climate-Ready Agriculture: Agricultural scientist Nazim S. Gruda says farming needs climate-ready horticulture and urges scientific academies to join public debates sooner, with clearer advice for policymakers and farmers across the Western Balkans.

Clean Energy: Kosovo’s renewable-energy ambitions could help attract private investment, but policy targets are running ahead of the commercial arrangements needed to deliver projects. A World Bank diagnostic says renewable power, business services and manufacturing could together unlock $1.2–$1.5 billion and create up to 87,000 jobs if regulatory uncertainty, unreliable electricity and other barriers are addressed. Climate-Ready Farming: Agricultural scientist Nazim S. Gruda says the Western Balkans need climate-ready horticulture and urges academies to join public debates on farming earlier, using clearer language.

Clean Energy: Kosovo could attract investment in renewable electricity, but policy targets are running ahead of the commercial conditions needed to deliver it. Regulatory uncertainty, unreliable power and administrative hurdles are among the barriers the World Bank says must be addressed to unlock wider investment and job creation. Climate-Ready Farming: Agricultural scientist Nazim S. Gruda says research academies should engage earlier in public debate on farming, including climate-ready horticulture — an issue for Kosovo and the wider region.

Climate-Ready Farming: In a new interview, agricultural scientist Nazim S. Gruda calls for experts to join public debate on farming earlier and discusses climate-ready horticulture—issues with direct relevance to the Western Balkans. Renewable Energy: A World Bank report says Kosovo could attract $1.2–$1.5 billion in private investment and create up to 87,000 jobs across renewable power, business services and manufacturing if it tackles barriers including unreliable electricity and regulatory uncertainty. Solar and wind are among the sectors with potential to expand clean energy.

Climate-Ready Farming: Kosovo-born agricultural scientist Nazim S. Gruda says research academies should join public debate on farming earlier, and highlights the need for climate-ready horticulture. Renewable Energy: A World Bank report says reforms in solar and wind power, business services and building manufacturing could attract $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion in investment and create up to 87,000 jobs. Unclear regulations and unreliable electricity remain obstacles.

EU Accession: The European Commission’s 2026 enlargement package assesses Kosovo’s progress on reforms needed for EU membership, including standards covering environmental protection. Clean Energy Investment: A World Bank report says reforms could help Kosovo attract $1.2–$1.5 billion across renewable power, business services and manufacturing, but unreliable electricity and regulatory uncertainty remain barriers. Climate-Ready Agriculture: Horticulture expert Nazim S. Gruda urges scientific academies to engage earlier in farming debates, highlighting climate-ready production and the future of EU agricultural policy.

Clean Energy Investment: Kosovo could attract $1.2–1.5 billion in private investment and generate up to 87,000 jobs across renewable power, business services and manufacturing, a World Bank report says. But regulatory uncertainty and unreliable electricity remain barriers to growth. Climate-Ready Farming: Agricultural scientist Nazim S. Gruda says academies should engage earlier in public debate on farming, including climate-ready horticulture, and communicate research in clear, accessible language.

Climate-Ready Farming: In a new interview, Kosovo-born agricultural scientist Nazim S. Gruda calls for experts to join farming debates earlier and more clearly, highlighting climate-ready horticulture and sustainable agriculture. Clean Energy Investment: A World Bank report says reforms could help Kosovo attract up to $1.5 billion in private investment across renewable power, business services and manufacturing; unreliable electricity and regulatory uncertainty remain barriers. Prishtina Sanitation: The capital is struggling with uncollected rubbish and sewage spilling onto streets, raising concerns about public health and the delivery of basic services.

Clean Energy Investment: A World Bank Group report says reforms could help Kosovo attract up to $1.5 billion in private investment and create as many as 87,000 jobs over five to ten years. Utility-scale solar and wind are among the sectors with potential, but regulatory uncertainty and unreliable electricity remain barriers. Prishtina Sanitation: Piles of uncollected rubbish and sewage flowing onto streets are troubling residents across the capital, raising public-health concerns and questions about the city’s ability to deliver basic services.