Contemporary challenges require contemporary responses. Climate change, energy crisis, protection of nature affect all peoples of the world. As such, tackling these challenges requires coordinated and sustainable solutions by all states. These challenges put in motion states, supranational institutions and leading international organizations in adopting joint measures to address them.

To this end, the European Union approved the European Green Deal in 2019. The document is a “new growth strategy that aims to transform the EU into a fair and prosperous society, with a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy where there are no net emissions of greenhouse gases in 2050 and where economic growth is decoupled from resource use”. The Green Deal further states it aims to “protect, conserve and enhance the EU’s natural capital, and protect the health and well-being of citizens from environment-related risks and impacts”. This initiative should be “just and inclusive”, thereby involving all segments of society in its implementation.

Similarly, the United Nations approved the Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In September 2015, the UN General Assembly “adopted a historic decision on a comprehensive, far-reaching and people-centered set of universal and transformative goals and targets”. The SDGs aim at eradicating poverty and achieving sustainable development in economic, social and environmental dimensions.

These two initiatives are complementary and serve as roadmaps for states for a united response to these contemporary challenges. Kosovo and North Macedonia, like other countries are affected by these challenges and being two countries with EU membership aspirations, are committed to implementing the Green Deal as well as to SDGs’. In light of these developments, the conference brought together KAS alumni with members of parliaments, civil society representatives and experts to discuss Kosovo’s and North Macedonia’s progress in implementing these documents. This paper extracted some of the highlighted issues and recommendations made during this conference.