Municipality of Breza takes bold steps towards a sustainable future: “Vision 2050” forum marks a historic beginning

Municipality of Breza is the first local community that hosted the forum dedicated to defining the common vision "Vision 2050." This event, held as part of the "Sustainable transition of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH SuTra)" programme, united representatives from the Municipality of Breza, public authorities, educational institutions, the business sector, non-governmental organizations, and the media. Together, through a participatory approach and a visualization exercise, they identified current challenges as well as answers to the questions "Where do we want to be and how do we want to live in the future?"

Vedad Jusić, the Mayor of the Municipality of Breza, highlighted the importance of community collaboration when it comes to a just transition. "We are learning together with our partners, both local and international, to reform our existing resources into something promising, environmentally friendly, and economically sustainable. We do recognize the importance of adhering to all instructions and guidelines to ensure a just transition until 2050. Our goal is to safeguard every job, promote economic development within the local community, and encourage the population to stay in our area without any disruptions. It is vital to ensure the well-being of our community while embracing change," Mayor Jusić stated.

The "Vision 2050" initiative represents a significant milestone following the official presentation of the BiH SuTra programme and the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in September 2023. The programme unites representatives from four pilot local self-government units including Banovići, Breza, Ugljevik, and Živinice, along with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Swedish Embassy (the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency - SIDA).

Breza's commitment to an inclusive and participatory approach was evident as citizens and interested parties were encouraged to participate actively. An ongoing online survey still allows everyone to contribute their visions for the Municipality of Breza under the BiH SuTra programme.

Adna Jusić, an employee at Breza coal mine and an active participant in the forum, expressed her enthusiasm, saying, "A just transition involves everyone, from all age groups, institutions, to various organizations. Events like these give us the opportunity to shape our future collectively."

The insights and contributions gathered during the forum and the online survey will be integral in shaping "Vision 2050." This vision will remain a dynamic document, accommodating the diverse perspectives of Breza's community members. It will guide the municipality of Breza's Transition Plan, set to be adopted in the summer of 2024. The plan will outline specific measures, activities, and funding sources for the proposed initiatives, with support from the BiH SuTra programme throughout the implementation phase over the next 1.5 years.

In the upcoming period, it is planned to hold a forum for defining the common vision "Vision 2050" in other pilot municipalities/cities: Ugljevik (12 October 2023), Živinice (17 October 2023) and Banovići (1 November 2023).

More about the BiH SuTra programme

BiH SuTra encourages a local, bottom-up approach to create transition plans and implement comprehensive transition policies in coal regions throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. The overarching goal is to support BiH's just transition to a decarbonized and environmentally sustainable future, aligning with other development priorities. BiH SuTra will empower stakeholders to identify and implement emission-reduction strategies, promote innovative technologies and behaviours, and develop ambitious yet attainable policies.

Banovići, Breza, Ugljevik and Živinice, four local self-government units are pilot areas in the programme, with a total population of approximately 105 000 residents. These units will serve as an inspiration and model for other coal regions in BiH.

The programme is funded by Sweden and implemented by the globally renowned environmental think tank, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI).