Half of total greenhouse gas emissions come from resource extraction and processing. It is not possibleto achieve the climate-neutrality target without transitioning to a fully circular economy. The new CircularEconomy Action Plan is at the core of the European Green Deal, the EU roadmap towards climateneutrality. The circular economy model where value and resources are maintained in the economy foras long as possible and waste generation is minimised, reduces pressures on natural resources whileboosting sustainable growth and jobs creation. It can make a decisive contribution to decarbonisingthe economy. The generation of waste in the Western Balkans has been increasing steadily over thelast years due to economic development and increased consumption, currently being at around1000kg/capita. While this is still lower than the EU average of 1700kg/capita, the very low recyclingrates (below 3%, in comparison to the EU average of 44%) result in higher per capita amount of wastenot being recycled. The Western Balkans will need to align with the single-use plastic legislation and tofully implement the modernised EU waste legislation, including its recycling and landfill reductiontargets.The overall goal of the project is engaging and empowering young people in circularity actionsfor transforming cities into circular and liveable for better opportunities for employment, cleanenvironment and inclusiveness.The final results of the project are: 1 Research paper from each partner elaborated about the status ofcircularity in rural and urban areas, 3 Training Modules developed on circular economy andsustainability, 20 youth operators are trained within the International Training Course WP2, 1Toolkitfocused on Circular Eco-design is developed for product redesign-repair techniques, At least 10 ruralyouth engaged within the local activities through application of circular economy toolkit in every partnercountry, At least 20 hours of e-learning course develop

Energy poverty is a significant problem in rural parts of the Western Balkans due to the local population's unawareness, low level of education and low incomes. Young people with fewer opportunities living in rural areas are lacking knowledge and information on the energy efficiency measures for several reasons: lack of curricula in schools regarding energy efficiency programs, there is a few numbers of organizations (youth workers) in the rural areas who are lacking capacities to transfer knowledge to rural youth on energy efficiency programs, the level of using digital technologies/ICT is low, language barriers etc.To address the above challenge the project aims to develop tools and new forms of training schemes to empower youth workers to become energy advisors and train rural youth with a purpose to make a smart energy transition of rural areas. The main objectives of the project are i) Empowering youth workers in becoming energy advisors with high quality expertise in the field of energy efficiency/energy audits through competencies related to energy poverty; 2) Engaging rural youth in assessing the level of energy poverty and addressing recommendations for energy transition of rural areas though GETA app; 3) Disseminating the results and the methodology.The project addresses the research component through practical methods and education of rural young people vulnerable to energy poverty in their households, in supporting the energy transition of rural areas in the Western Balkan. The project is foreseen to last for a period of 24 months, and will involve 5 partners, where 3 partners are from Western Balkan and two partners from EU. The expected results of the project: 1 Research report with overall energy poverty challenges in EU and WB is developed and addressed; 20 youth workers have acquired skills and tools to assess and reduce the energy poverty in rural areas; 1 GETA app, online source developed, 50 rural youth engaged in local events

Waste mismanagement is a significant issue hindering the adoption of a circular economy model in the Western Balkan countries. The agriculture sector represents a large proportion of the bio-waste stream in the rural communities, facing a growing challenge related to insufficient and inadequate infrastructure. Landfilling remains the most applied method of waste disposal, although according to the waste management hierarchy this represents the least desired option. When bio-waste is dumped in landfills, it undergoes anaerobic decomposition (due to the lack of oxygen) and produces methane. Despite efforts to get rid of illegal dumpsites, they continue to thrive and represent a serious public health risk, particularly due to hazardous waste and groundwater contamination. The project aims to engage and empower young people in agro-entrepreneurship actions turning bio-waste into valuable bio-products through innovative circular business models for job creation and environmental protection of rural areas. The project addresses two major issues related to rural areas: unemployment of young people and high amounts of segregated and mixed bio-waste that are not properly managed. In line with the general objectives, these challenges will be addressed through developing capacities of youth workers in recovering valuable nutrients from bio-waste (food waste, manure, sewage sludge, municipal waste etc.) and adapting them for reuse in agriculture, as a fundamental part of shifting WB agriculture away from its current linear model and an integral part of the New Circular Economy Action plan. Apart from the bio-waste management aspects, a Virtual Incubator programme will be dedicated to the challenge of how to design new circular business and marketing concepts for cross-sectorial valorization of agricultural by-products.

People living in peripheral areas along the Western Balkan generally are exposed to poverty, pollution,and social inequality. Other relevant issues include unplanned settlement, squatter settlement or popularsettlement which explains the occupation by low-income households. The challenges that are present inthe peripheral areas relate to social elements such as discrimination of women and young people,prejudice and inequalities, environmental and urban elements as lack of access to clean water, properwaste collection, housing, access to education and economic elements such lack of employmentopportunities.To address the needs the project aims to gather for a period of 24 months 6 partners from EU andWestern Balkan countries to exchange practices and address the appropriate tools. The overallgoal of the project is engaging -empowering and enabling - youth to lead sustainable actions fortransforming peripheral areas into livable areas through sharing good practices, innovative tools, andmethods. The main objectives of the project are: Empowering young professionals from participatingorganizations with appropriate tools and methods to influence the transformation of peripheral areas intolivable areas, ii) Engaging and enabling rural youth to effectively contribute to scaling up peripheral areasupgrading. iii) Disseminating the results and the methodology of the project with the purpose of making awider impact to the society through online events and virtual communication.The main results of the project are: The capacities of 24 young professionals will be raised through themobility activities, more than 20 rural youth from each organization are engaged in local activities andtheir capacities will be increased, 1 toolkit and gamification game on urban design is developed anddelivered to young professionals, more than 10000 people are reached through dissemination activities,and digital events and communication.

“Agro-Tourist Itinerary to Sustainable Change” (ATISC) aims at enhancing Agro-Tourism as a driver of youth employability, social solidarity and environmental sustainability in disadvantaged rural communities in Europe and the Western Balkans by means of strengthening the base of competences and networking of youth NGOs and operators, youngsters and local stakeholders in the field of sustainable Agro-Tourism solutions.Rural areas in both European and West Balkans are generally characterized by fewer opportunities for young people in socioeconomic terms. The agricultural sector, which can provide a substantial solution to mass youth unemployment, faces itself the necessity of adapting to state-of-the-art practices related to proper use of land, pesticides, water consumption, use of renewable energy resources, sustainable ratio between use of raw resources and agricultural yield as a means to reduce the social/environmental footprint on the territory and the community as well as to capitalize on emerging opportunities of product/offer diversification provided by new market niches in order to set the conditions for an expanded circuit of youth employability and direct entrepreneurial engagement.The added value of promoting/supporting the development of youth awareness and capacities in the frame of Agro-Tourism emerges from both its potential as a driver of youth employability and Agro-Tourism connection with the socially oriented dimension of environmental sustainability as a tool of youth agency in the protection of a shared local heritage within local communities.Project Objectives:- Supporting empowerment, employability and social inclusion of youngsters in rural areas by means of enhancing the role and effectiveness of youth organizations in promoting youth engagement in sustainable Agro-Tourism;- Enhancing the professional development and operational effectiveness of youth operators working in rural areas;-Developing a cluster of tested knowledge, best practices and NFE tools of youth education to Agro-Business based on a complementary synergy of country and region specific experience, sensibilities and approaches;- Promoting principles and practices of environmental respect and sustainability across Europe, the Western Balkans and other regions of the World.- Raising awareness about the issues of environmental sustainability as a key determinant of youth employability and participation as well as long-term viability of rural communities and national societies in both Europe and the Western Balkans.- Contrasting the negative spill-overs of regional imbalances on youth employability and social integration in rural areas through sustainable Agro-Tourism.- Fostering financial sustainability of youth Agro-Tourism businesses through establishing support mechanisms for the identification of customized funding solutions participated by potential youth entrepreneurs and stakeholders.- Establishing a long-term NGO network in the field.