Montenegro faces pronounced vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. Most of these impacts—such as changes in precipitation volumes and patterns—will manifest through water-related threats, including reduced water availability, increased frequency and severity of floods, droughts, and landslides. Despite water being identified as a top climate priority in Montenegro’s GCF Country Programme (adopted in May 2021), the national pipeline for climate finance projects lacks a bankable initiative in the water sector.
The GCF Readiness Project, implemented by the Global Water Partnership as delivery partner and GWP-Med as executing partner, directly addresses this gap by building technical and institutional capacity to accelerate the identification and design of inclusive, bankable, and climate-resilient water projects for Montenegro.
“Sustainable water management is not just a technical issue – it is a strategic and developmental priority of national importance,” said Željko Furtula, Director General for Water Management at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management.
As part of the Readiness activities, Montenegro will undertake a series of measures to build capacity, develop project pipelines, and enhance policy alignment. These include:
- Training of key stakeholders in climate change planning and climate finance, using tailored GCF modules adapted to the Montenegrin context.
- Establishment of a Water and Climate Change Working Group that includes both public and private sector actors and facilitates investment preparation.
- Development of a gender-responsive screening tool and methodology for identifying climate-resilient water projects suitable for GCF and other funding sources.
- Preparation of a Climate-Resilient Water Investment Plan to optimize climate finance investments for sustainable development co-benefits.
- Submission of a cross-sectoral GCF Concept Note related to water resilience developed in collaboration with national stakeholders.
- Creation of an online knowledge management platform for climate finance project tracking and resource sharing.
“We recognize this project as an important step that Montenegro has taken toward strengthening climate resilience in the water sector, and it represents yet another confirmation of Montenegro's commitment to systematically improving water management policies and increasing climate resilience through partnerships with international institutions. We believe that the results of this project will lay the groundwork for broader interventions in the water and climate resilience sectors and further motivate all actors in society to work together in preserving our natural resources.” said Ivana Grujić, Director General for Climate Change and Sustainable Development and Montenegro’s NDA to the GCF.
The initiative is expected to significantly improve Montenegro’s ability to attract and utilize international climate finance, particularly from the GCF, by creating a robust and inclusive pipeline of water sector projects. The project will be implemented in coordination with ongoing and planned Readiness activities, ensuring synergy and sustainability beyond the project’s lifespan.