BauNOW Final Event – Dajti National Park: A Driver of Green and Just Transition
Within the framework of the BauNOW project, “Investing in Green and Just Transition for a New Sustainable Business as Usual Economy,” co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg Euro-MED Programme, the Agricultural University of Tirana (AUT) participated in the BauNOW Final Event, held in Rome, Italy, from 20–23 May 2026.
During the event, AUT presented the progress and key results of the Albanian pilot “Dajti National Park Pilot: Protected Areas as Drivers of a Green and Just Transition.”
The Dajti pilot highlights the strategic role of protected areas in Albania in advancing the green transition, demonstrating that environmental protection and sustainable economic development can be pursued together. As one of Albania’s most important natural and recreational areas, Dajti National Park has significant potential to become a model for green territorial development, combining the conservation of biodiversity and natural landscapes with renewable energy, sustainable mobility, green tourism, circular economy solutions, and opportunities for local communities and businesses.
The pilot identified several concrete opportunities for supporting this transition, including the proposed installation of a 2-kW photovoltaic system at the Dajti Visitor Centre. The solar energy solution would contribute to increasing the centre’s energy efficiency and autonomy while also serving as a demonstration and educational facility for visitors, students, local communities, and institutions.
Sustainable mobility was another important pillar of the pilot, with proposed cycling routes and connections with the Dajti Ekspres cable car aimed at reducing dependence on private vehicles, lowering emissions, improving the visitor experience, and supporting more sustainable tourism and local economic activities.
The project also placed strong emphasis on stakeholder engagement and capacity building, involving public institutions, local stakeholders, NGOs, universities, students, and other actors in workshops, training, and awareness-raising activities. This participatory approach is essential for ensuring that the green transition is not only environmentally sustainable, but also inclusive and beneficial for local communities.
The BauNOW pilot demonstrates that Dajti National Park can play an important role as a driver of Albania’s green and just transition, creating a bridge between nature conservation, climate action, renewable energy, sustainable tourism, innovation, and local economic development.
The experience and solutions developed through the pilot provide a valuable foundation for future EU-funded initiatives and offer a transferable approach that could be adapted to other protected areas in Albania and across the Euro-MED region.
