Mobilisation of Albanian stakeholders to jointly develop the BeMed+ Action Plan

On 14 November, the Institute for Nature Conservation in Albania (INCA), and Surfrider Foundation Europe gathered more than 30 stakeholders in Elbasan to advance the Local Action Plan to reduce single-use plastic pollution in the Shkumbin River Basin, as part of the BeMed+ project.

The day featured:

Insights from the Ministry of Environment on Albania’s new draft law on integrated waste management, a major reform aligning national practices with EU standards.
Presentations of key studies on plastic leakage (Environmental and Territorial Management Institute), HoReCa plastic dependency, waste management performance, and the role of sports tourism in environmental protection.
Inspiring examples from Belsh, Berat, and Përmet municipalities.
Interactive working groups with municipalities, HoReCa actors, students, NGOs, and sports representatives to refine the draft Action Plan.

Key priorities identified: promoting tap-water consumption, reducing plastic bottles in HoReCa, improving waste separation, engaging sports associations, and strengthening awareness campaigns.

The updated Action Plan will be finalised by the end of the year, with implementation starting in 2026.

Thank you to all participants for their commitment to building a collective, concrete pathway toward a plastic-free future in Albania.

The BeMed+ project benefits from the generous support of the French Global Environment Facility (FFEM), the Aether Fund of the Foundation for Future Generations, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the Didier and Martine Primat Foundation, the Audemars-Watkins Foundation (FAW), the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITECO) and the France-IUCN partnership.