The Belgrade Open School, in collaboration with the Renewables and Environmental Regulatory Institute (RERI) and seven local partners, implemented a project "Civil Society for Energy Transition."

The general objective of this project was to contribute to the implementation of energy transition in Serbia, aiming for zero greenhouse gas emissions, energy independence, democratic and decentralized governance of energy and climate policies, through increased participation of civil society in the development and monitoring of reforms in this area.

The project provided mentoring and financial support to partner organizations in implementing advocacy initiatives in the field of energy and climate policy at the local level.

As part of capacity-building programs, two thematic trainings were organized – the first focused on the structure, content, and goals of the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), while the second addressed preparation for public consultation on the NECP and the development of action plans for project continuation. Throughout the year, local partners had access to mentoring and expert support for analysis and daily activities at the local level.

Four Green Talks were held as public events gathering representatives from local associations, academic community, public sector, energy experts, activists, producer-consumers, and media.

The first Green Talks aimed to review partners' work on the project, discuss results and conclusions of their initiatives, and focus on local government's role in energy and climate policy, including key recommendations. The second Green Talks focused on analyzing the NECP, presenting a revised text, and discussing key areas such as decarbonization, energy efficiency, and renewable energy sources. Experts provided feedback on the draft document, and a representative from the Ministry of Mining and Energy responded to comments from experts and participants. The third Green Talks focused on youth and climate change, involving professionals from various fields discussing how climate change relates to different professions. The fourth Green Talks summarized the results achieved during the Civil Society for Energy Transition project and introduced two new publications: Analysis of the Law on the Use of Renewable Energy Sources and Analysis of the Law on Energy Efficiency and Rational Use of Energy.

Roundtables were dedicated to discussing the results of the NECP analysis and presenting the Analysis of the Law on Climate Change.

The discussion on the NECP analysis gathered around 20 domestic and international experts in energy and climate policy to discuss the revised INECP draft in line with their expertise, experience, and knowledge in the field. Two analyses were conducted on energy efficiency and fair energy transition in Serbia. The Analysis of the Law on Climate Change was presented, focusing on three years of implementing this law, particularly on the obligations of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Government of the Republic of Serbia regarding climate policy reporting.

Participation in the Working Group for drafting the NECP.

In addition to participating in the Working Group, the project activities resulted in over 200 comments sent to the Ministry of Mining and Energy on areas such as renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, decarbonization, and fair energy transition.

A communication campaign was conducted, and a publication was produced.

A communication campaign was created and implemented on social media and in the media to present the main activities and achievements of local partners. The publication "Energy Transition - Building by Building" was produced, presenting the activities conducted by local partners.

The project was implemented from December 1, 2022, to March 31, 2024, with the support of the British Embassy in Belgrade.