The implementation of one of the key projects of the Environmental Protection and Climate Change Program (EPCCP), funded by the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area 2014-2021 has started. The project “Implementation of innovative measures for climate change mitigation and adaptation in municipalities in Bulgaria” is predefined and implemented by the National Trust EcoFund in partnership with the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS) and the municipalities of Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, Kardzhali, Ruse, Stara Zagora, Sliven.
Project objective:
The project objective is the Improvement of the capacity of the local authorities to plan and identify creative and innovative solutions for urban planning and their implementation for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Based on a series of training and study trips to Norway, the project will provide support to the local authorities to evaluate their strategic plans and programs, as well as the already accomplished climate action, helping them to make a new strategic step towards the implementation of the most advanced knowledge and experience in the urban planning and development field. The planned activities contribute directly to Result 4 of the Program (EPCCP) – Raising local communities’ capacity to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change.
The role of NTEF is related to the overall project management, the organization and provision of expertise together with the Norwegian partners during the examination and evaluation process in the partner municipalities, and the contribution to the identification and development of innovative investment measures.
The role of the Norwegian Partner at all project stages is to contribute with information on the best practices and experience, related to the most advanced technologies for small infrastructure in cities, to meet the challenges of the heat island effects, floods, landslides and other natural disasters – i.e. the most characteristic climate change implications for Bulgaria.
The partner municipalities will, in their turn, will be responsible for the management and implementation of the pilot investment activities. These small-scale infrastructure measures will be specific and compliant with the concrete conditions of the particular settlement.
Expected results:
- Enhancing the capacity of the local municipalities to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the climate change, in this number:
- Improving the capacity for planning, monitoring and implementing climate change mitigation and adaptation measures;
- Evaluated strategic plans and programs of the municipalities and identified gaps and needed actions in the eight municipalities;
- Proposed innovative (pilot) climate change mitigation and adaptation measures in the urban planning.
- Bilateral cooperation, expressed in improved cooperation between organizations from the donor countries and the beneficiary country under the program
Total grant amount: EUR 2 800 000.
Implementation period: up to 42 months