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UNECE supports Montenegro with needs assessment on environmental governance and SDG priorities

Montenegro has validated the preliminary results of the country’s Needs Assessment as part of a project to strengthen evidence‐based environmental governance and sustainable environmental policies in support of the 2030 Agenda in South‐East Europe. The project, which is implemented by UNECE and supported by the United Nations Development Account, assists Montenegro and other countries in South-East Europe in formulating priority actions to achieve relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Montenegro Needs Assessment is based on the recommendations provided in the Third Environmental Performance Review (EPR) of Montenegro, published by UNECE in 2015.


Ms. Ivana Vojinović, General Director for Environment, Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism, underscored the importance of UNECE support and international collaboration for Montenegrin efforts to integrate environmental policies into sector‐specific and cross‐sectoral strategies aimed at the achievement of SDGs.


The Needs Assessment report indicates that: despite progress achieved in implementing many of the recommendations of the third EPR, much still needs to be done to enhance the environmental dimension of sectoral policies; and there is a need for further work to ensure the implementation and enforcement of environment-related provisions in sectoral policies and legislation, as part of efforts to achieve the SDGs.


The report identifies the priority needs for Montenegro in the areas of air quality and health, sustainable management of waste, water-related ecosystems and climate change. It recommends a set of policy packages to enable implementation of the EPR recommendations and achieve relevant SDGs.


The report’s preliminary results were validated at a national workshop held in Budva on 17 June 2019. Participants selected policy package measures for Montenegro that address environmental issues related to air quality, health and energy efficiency. The selected policy package will contribute to the achievement of SDG targets 11.6, 3.9 and 7.3, while acknowledging the integrated nature of the SDGs by establishing an approach that is holistic, multisectoral and multidimensional. Subsequently, participants discussed concrete actions for improving air quality and a programme of measures for the reduction of air pollution in Montenegro, in the light of both the gaps identified and the country’s need to comply with its obligations under the EU accession process.


The national workshop was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism and the Environmental Protection Agency of Montenegro. The project, which targets five countries of South-East Europe, is being implemented in cooperation with UNEP, UNDP and the United Nations Country Teams during the period 2018–2021.


For more information, please visit: www.unece.org/environmental-policy/environmental-performance-reviews/unda-project-on-eprs-and-sdgs.html

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