Municipalities in rural regions in Europe often face different challenges than urban regions with regards to the sustainability transformation: Population decline, ageing of their population, a shortage of skilled workers and, simultaneously, a high level of unemployment. In these situations, the trade-off between creating jobs and saving the climate seems all too real.
GreenRuralDeal will support municipalities in regions to build up their transformative capacities and develop suitable solutions for a zero-carbon economy. GreenRuralDeal will engage with local stakeholders in Western Macedonia (Greece), Kamenica (Kosovo - - note on the designation of kosovo: This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence) and Priboj (Serbia) in a structured conversation and offer a variety of capacity building opportunities:
A sustainability strategy needs to build on reliable data down to regional and local level. The researchers will support gathering and assessment of key socio-economic relevant for a transition to a zero carbon economy, based on knowledge gaps identified collectively with regional stakeholders.
Secondly, GreenRuralDeal will invite the same regional stakeholders to co-create project ideas and concepts in a series of events and formats including one study trip to a rural region in Germany. Thirdly, the project partners will develop tools which help to align regional economic development strategies with climate targets. Based on learnings how to ensure the success of projects and strategies in the three target regions, recommendations for other rural regions in similar processes will be developed. Finally, the project partners will condense key results into policy briefings targeting higher levels of government in an attempt to raise awareness for the needs of rural regions.