How to deliver on a just transition at the Sarajevo Energy and Climate Week

Powerful conversations over coffee and Swedish treats 

BiH SuTra hosted a side event at SECW titled "BiH Sustainable Transition: World Café & Swedish Fika." Over coffee and traditional Swedish treats (so called “Swedish fika”), the programme shared its achievements from the past year and engaged participants in powerful discussions about the path forward for Bosnia and Herzegovina's sustainable transition. 

The key takeaways from this session included: 

• The future lies beyond mining. 

• The current system is unsustainable and needs change. 

• Fears around the transition often stem from a lack of knowledge. 

• Smaller communities have more opportunities for sustainable transition. 

• A balanced approach is critical to ensure a successful transition. 

• Investments in entrepreneurial spirit are essential. 

• We must protect our natural beauty and ask ourselves what we can do, individually, to support change. 

During the conversation, Bosnian artist Midhat Kapetanović created a live visual representation of the session’s key points, helping to capture and communicate the insights shared during the event. See some of the photos from this visual process below. 

Stakeholder engagement: key to a just transition 

A major highlight of SECW 2024 was a panel organized by the World Bank, focusing on creating a just transition with particular attention to local communities and pilot projects. BiH SuTra project manager Saša Solujić, participated as a panelist, sharing insights on the significance of stakeholder engagement in the transition process. 

She emphasized that the concept of a just transition is not actually new—it dates back to the 1970s when stronger environmental regulations first came into play. She also underscored several critical factors for ensuring a just and inclusive transition: 

• Stakeholder engagement is essential: Dialogue and consensus-building must involve the communities affected, and the process should never be imposed on them. 

• Continuous planning: A long-term plan is crucial, but planning must remain flexible and continuous, especially within local communities where engagement should be active and ongoing. 

• Local concerns matter: Communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina are deeply concerned about environmental issues, such as land repurposing, air quality, and water pollution. A just transition must adopt a holistic approach to these challenges. 

• Strong leadership is crucial: Effective leadership is necessary to navigate the transition, ensuring that all voices are heard and that cultural and social norms are respected. 

• Social aspects of a just transition: The shift from traditional industries must account for the inclusion of women and vulnerable groups to achieve a fair and just transition for all. 

Sustainable mobility: a core component of the transition 

Bernardas Padegimas, team lead of the environmental policy and strategy team at SEI headquarters, participated in the SECW panel titled "Strategic approach to the development of e-mobility in the private and public sectors with a focus on transport decarbonization". During the discussion, he emphasized Sweden's progress in electric vehicle (EV) adoption and the support Sweden is offering to Bosnia and Herzegovina in this area. 

Sweden is on track to electrify its public transport, with the goal of making all public vehicles emission-free by 2030. Cities like Stockholm have already begun rolling out electric bus fleets, setting a strong example. Padegimas noted in the panel that BiH has significant potential to develop its own EV market by learning from countries like Sweden and neighbouring Slovenia through knowledge exchange. 

It was also emphasized that Sweden remains committed to support BiH's decarbonization efforts, focusing on EV infrastructure, the electrification of public transport, and the integration of smart grid technologies as essential components of the sustainable mobility transition. 

Overall, the Sarajevo Energy and Climate Week 2024 was a great platform for the BiH SuTra programme to discuss with partners about a just and inclusive energy transition, bringing to light the importance of local engagement, continuous planning, and social inclusion in the path towards sustainability.