The Governments of Albania, Germany and Switzerland have jointly launched the ALBAdapt program to strengthen Albania’s resilience to climate change.
Mirela Kumbaro, Minister of Tourism and Environment, said in her speech during the meeting, which was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku and Minister of Defense Pirro Vengu, that the program is supported by the Green Climate Fund with a funding of 35 million euros.
“The Albadapt project embodies a joint effort to build a future system where climate data and early warning systems become our most important tools to protect the lives and well-being of citizens. Albania, a country blessed by nature with valuable resources such as ecotourism, as well as those protected or exploited by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, is geographically one of the most exposed to natural risks. The absence of a modern and functional system of hydro-meteorological services has increased our vulnerability and highlighted the need for a profound reform in this sector, which requires financial resources and better coordination between our institutions,” said Minister Kumbaro.
Referring to the recent floods in Spain, Minister Kumbaro pointed out that the Mediterranean is one of the most vulnerable regions and that the term “climate change” is no longer an abstract concept, but a phenomenon for which citizens must be prepared.
“We need to educate citizens, local and regional governments, and it’s not just the government or seminars that can do this. Sometimes, instead of reams of expert reports that end up cutting down trees, systems need to be built, and this project aims to modernize Albania’s hydrometeorological infrastructure. By integrating advanced equipment and software, the program will harmonize and centralize climate data, making it accessible to all citizens. Funding of 35 million euros has already been secured for the ALBAdapt program. Albania is a country with 22% protected areas, with ecotourism as a priority,” said Minister Kumbaro.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku emphasized that in addition to regulatory frameworks aligned with EU countries, synergy and innovation are crucial in such projects. “Coordination, preventive measures and innovation are two elements that need to be widely applied to address all civil emergency issues and the challenges we face due to climate change. On behalf of the Government of Albania, I am pleased to thank all our partners,” said Deputy Prime Minister Balluku.
Minister Vengu assured the support of the agencies involved in the implementation of the program: “The Ministry of Defense is supporting a project that will last until 2030, but we need to lay the groundwork as soon as possible so that all the sub-projects can be implemented successfully and on schedule.”
The program will integrate the latest meteorological technology and expertise from renowned institutions such as the Swiss Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology. A key aspect of the program is the modernization of Albania’s hydrometeorological infrastructure. By integrating advanced equipment and software, the program will harmonize and centralize climate data, making it accessible to all citizens.
This project positions Albania as the first country in the region to access bilateral funding from the Green Climate Fund, addressing the country’s vulnerability to climate change and responding to the impacts of climate change, while fulfilling Albania’s commitments in the EU accession negotiation process.