06 June 2019 - The Memorandum of Cooperation between UNDP and the Municipality of Bar, with the aim of developing the green economy in the territory of that municipality, was signed on June 6 in Podgorica at the beginning of the second day of the international conference Green Days 2019 – Unlocking Green Growth Potential.
As concluded at the conference, life in urban areas requires the transformation of those areas into so-called smart cities. The Smart City concept is one segment of the new solutions that involve introducing the concept of energy efficiency in public buildings, as well as setting up an e-mobility infrastructure that should be powered by renewable energy sources.
According to the report by the local government of Bar, the Memorandum was signed by Daniela Gasparikova, Permanent Representative of the UNDP in Montenegro and Dušan Raičević, President of the Municipality of Bar.
The Memorandum of Cooperation between UNDP and the Municipality of Bar confirms the interest and readiness of Montenegrin municipalities to further develop the concept of the green economy at the local level.
The importance of the green economy is reflected in the fact that it allows the use of natural and all other resources in a sustainable manner, which reduces environmental risks and enhances sustainable, inclusive development.
"UNDP supports local governments throughout the region in an effort to create and improve mechanisms that will ensure responsible governance, environmental sustainability, social inclusion, health and prosperity of citizens. In Montenegro, UNDP provides full support for creating long-term solutions that will enable sustainable growth and development, and good quality of life with a responsible attitude towards the environment," said Daniela Gasparikova, UNDP's permanent representative in the country.
All planned activities within the framework of the smart city concept should contribute to the strategic positioning of Bar and further promotion of the municipality as a green tourist destination.
Dušan Raičević, President of the Bar Municipality, emphasized that "by implementing this Memorandum of Understanding, UNDP will provide technical support to the Municipality of Bar in order to create the most favourable conditions for the development of green investments and initiatives. A special focus will be placed on reducing the carbon footprint of local service providers, starting with the Sports Centre where energy-efficient lighting is planned."
The signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation was organized at the International Conference Green Days 2019 – Unlocking Green Growth Potential. The International Conference Green Days 2019: Unlocking Green Growth Potential (UGGP) is a large conference that takes place in Podgorica on June 5-6. The conference is organized by the Government of Montenegro, the Chamber of Economy of Montenegro and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
One of the conclusions of the conference is that in the next twenty years, 70% of the world's population will live in urban areas and that this requires an urgent transformation towards smart cities. The implementation of the smart city concept can save time spent in traffic from 15 to 30 minutes per person, and even save water from 25 to 80 litres of water per day per person.
Read more about lifestyle in Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.
