On May 16, Co-PLAN successfully organized the fourth roundtable in Fier District as part of the #GreenAL project. The event gathered a wide range of participants, including local citizens, representatives from the district administration, civil society organizations, and officials from the municipalities of Fier, Lushnje, Patos, Roskovec, and Mallakastër. Additionally, representatives from KTA (National Territory Agency) and AdZM (Regional Protected Areas Administration) were also actively involved.
The discussions during the fourth roundtable in Fier highlighted some of the most pressing environmental challenges facing Fier District. Key issues identified by the participants included:
- The need for improved urban waste management to address the growing challenges in both urban and rural areas.
- Monitoring and implementing urgent measures against various forms of pollution, particularly:
- Hydrocarbon pollution in the Patos-Marinez area, which has long-term environmental and health impacts.
- Land contamination caused by untreated urban wastewater, which poses risks to agriculture and ecosystems.
- The pollution of vital water sources, affecting both human consumption and biodiversity.
- Air pollution resulting from the widespread burning of biomass, a practice that significantly harms air quality.
During the fourth roundtable in Fier, participants emphasized the critical need for stronger and closer cooperation between local communities and authorities at all levels to effectively tackle these environmental challenges. They underscored the importance of collective action and shared responsibility in addressing these issues, stressing that collaborative efforts are key to achieving sustainable solutions.
The participants not only highlighted the urgency of these problems but also expressed their willingness to take proactive steps toward initiating and fostering this cooperation. Their shared commitment to creating actionable strategies marked a significant step forward in the effort to protect and improve the environment in Fier District and beyond.
The #GreenAL project is financed by the Swedish International Agency for Cooperation and Development (Sida) with funds from the Swedish Government Embassy of Sweden in Tirana and implemented by Co-PLAN Institute for Habitat Development in cooperation with VIS Albania and COSV – Cooperazione per lo Sviluppo
