EBRD Miljö-och Klimatfond II

RESULTS 2023 Twenty-two TCs and one co-investment grant benefiting from SWME and SWM2 were active in 2023. Thirteen TCs received new funding from SWME and SWM2 in 2023. Funding for one TC (BiH GrCF2 W2 Zenica District Heating Project) for project preparation was approved in 2023 however, the TC was closed because of the cancellation of the potential investment project. Only projects that clearly demonstrate potential for achieving quantifiable and measurable results with regard to the overall objectives are eligible for funding under the facility. All projects contribute to one or more of the goals of the funds and the EBRD. The majority of projects resulted or are expected to lead to improved municipal services through introduction of operational efficiencies, loss reductions, better metering, demand side management, introduction of new efficient technologies and better outreach and communication with the customers. The overwhelming majority of projects with municipal utilities include support for the development and adoption of Public Service Contracts (PSC) to allow utilities to commercialise. EU integration is another important goal for the projects in the countries eligible for SWME and SWM2 funding. It is easier to quantify the EU integration for some projects e.g. construction of new EUcompliant landfills for solid waste disposal or installation of new district heating plants as these are obliged to comply with current EU Directives and standards. It could be more complicated to quantify EU integration objectives for urban transport projects although introduction of more efficient and/or electric buses does help countries EU ambitions. All projects supported by SWME and SWM2 bring quantifiable reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The first Sida-EBRD Municipal Environment and Climate Programme (SWME) contribution agreement was signed in 2009 for the period 2009-2014. The second Sida-EBRD Municipal Environment and Climate Programme Account II (SWM2) agreement was signed in 2014 for the period of 20152020. The overall objective of the funds are to promote sustainable use of natural resources, to protect the environment and to improve municipal public services for the benefit of citizens in EaP and WB. The programme also supports the countries in their EUapproximation process respectively. The SWME fund has provided EUR 26 309 378 of funding for 42 technical cooperation projects and eight investment grants since establishment. The SWM2 fund has provided EUR 20 008 543 of funding for 40 technical cooperation projects and six investment grants since establishment. The two funds together provide assistance to the following countries: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine. The projects are also expected to reduce pollution and improve energy and other natural resource efficiency, although no specific combined targets were set for these results. Upgrading the services to EU standard will help the countries in their EU-approximation process.