A series of consultative meetings in areas relevant to the process of adaptation to climate change were held in Podgorica from March 7 to 9, as a part of the “Dialogue for Development”.

This activity was organised within the project “Enhancing Montenegro’s capacity to integrate climate change risks into planning”, implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Montenegro in cooperation with the Government of Montenegro and with the financial support of the Green Climate Fund (GCF). These meetings were an opportunity to present the activities that have been implemented within the above mentioned project, as well as to provide the results of the vulnerability analysis of the priority sectors relevant for the process of adaptation to climate change in Montenegro, namely agriculture, health, tourism and waters, to professionals and decision-makers. In addition, the participants contributed to the mapping and prioritisation of adaptation measures to climate change. In the end, the next steps that will result in the preparation of the draft text of the National Climate Change Adaptation Plan were presented to all present attendees. The participants of the meeting were representatives of relevant institutions in the sectors covered by the NAP: water, health, tourism and agriculture.

Targeted events within the “Dialogue for Development” serve as a good opportunity to gather experts from Montenegro and the region, as well as professionals who deal with topics related to development within the government system. Starting a discussion relevant to development and fulfilling the main aim of these activities will contribute to increasing the resilience of Montenegro and reducing its vulnerability to the effects of climate change. Furthermore, it will improve the coordination framework and increase the capacities of institutions, so that they can respond to the challenges we face as a society. In addition, the consultative meetings are important for raising awareness about the impact of climate change on the world and life around us. Moreover, it is the key to achieving the success of the project whose goal is the creation of the first National Adaptation Plan to climate change, but also for ensuring the long-term sustainability of Montenegrin institutional capacities for adaptation to these changes.

Climate change poses serious and numerous risks for economies, societies and ecosystems, both globally and in Montenegro. In order to adequately respond to the challenges that we as a society face as a result of the consequences of these changes, it is necessary for the institutions of the system to make significant efforts to mitigate the aforementioned risks and strengthen resilience to their consequences. Implementation of mitigation measures leads to reduction of emissions of gases with the greenhouse effect, while adaptation helps create overall resilience to the consequences that the increased concentration of these gases leads to.