Keywords: citizen energy, climate protection, energy efficiency and conservation, communication
Subject and goals of the project
The significant energy poverty in North Macedonia is a particular challenge on the way to shaping a sustainable low-carbon society and adapting energy and climate protection regulations as part of the EU accession process. An estimated 24% of the North Macedonian population is increasingly unable to meet their own energy needs, and yet this group is not sufficiently represented in decision-making processes, nor are there a sufficient number of measures tailored to their needs. However, since a sustainable energy transition requires both a greening and democratization of the energy and climate sectors, more transparent decision-making processes and increased cooperation with civil society in the energy sector will be needed in the future. To date, the use of renewable energies in North Macedonia has been mainly in the hands of companies; the overall energy supply is organized centrally. The aims of the project are firstly to investigate the life experiences of ethnic minorities affected by energy poverty and to record the interest and opportunities of these population groups to become involved in energy communities. Building on this, the possibilities for the participation of a marginalized subgroup of the North Macedonian population in an energy community in the form of a citizens’ assembly at municipal level will be tested and examined.
Innovation and exemplary nature of the project
The innovative aspect of the project is to give up to 100 interested citizens from the previously marginalized target group of ethnic Albanians the opportunity to actively participate in citizens’ assemblies and to get in touch with responsible administrations, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and funding institutions. In addition to ethnicity, gender-specific, age-related and other aspects are taken into account when selecting citizens. This methodological approach of citizens’ assemblies is to be tested and implemented in the municipality of Saraj as an example of how governance in the field of energy transition and climate protection can be optimized in North Macedonia and how participation processes can be given greater importance. A toolkit for the organization of future citizens’ assemblies on sustainable energy use, recommendations for action for energy policy and the publication of the evaluation results in a research paper should encourage this example in North Macedonia to be followed in other regions and beyond the country’s borders.
Special aspects of the project
The unique selling points of the North Macedonia project are, on the one hand, the participatory element of the citizens’ assemblies and, on the other hand, the inclusion of disadvantaged subgroups of citizens, especially ethnic Albanians, who are disproportionately more affected by energy poverty and air pollution than other social groups. The project has the potential to record and describe the socio-ecological phenomenon of energy poverty using new methodological means and to identify potential new solutions for energy communities in a participatory process. The aim is to provide impetus for new governance approaches for a more socially just energy transition. The project strengthens cooperation between the citizens’ assembly, the region and relevant public institutions such as line ministries, the ombudsman, the Energy Regulatory Commission, the parliament, the municipality and the National Council for Civil Society.
Funding theme 6: Renewable energy, energy saving and efficiency
Project Implementation:
Places of work: Germany, North Macedonia
Funding period: July 2023 to July 2025
Project costs: Total volume: 264,233 euros, funding from DBU: 132,116 euros
DBU-AZ: 38687
Status: 29.02.2024
Image: © Nexus Institute for Cooperation Management and Interdisciplinary Research