Inclusive infrastructure, services and public goods

Infrastructure shapes people's ability to participate in economic life.

Transport, energy, digital connectivity and municipal services are essential when it comes to accessing jobs, education, healthcare, markets and entrepreneurship opportunities. However, infrastructure and services do not always reflect the needs of all users.

The EBRD promotes inclusive and gender-responsive infrastructure that improves access, reduces barriers, strengthens economic participation and generates training and employment opportunities.

Supporting a just transition in North Macedonia

North Macedonia is planning to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 82 per cent by 2030, which will produce long-term environmental gains. However, phasing out the country’s Bitola and Oslomej coal-fired power plants will eliminate key employers in the near term. For communities that are financially dependent on these plants and their workers, an energy transition that is not managed inclusively risks trading one set of hardships for another.

The EBRD has been working with North Macedonia to ensure that the shift away from coal leaves no individuals or regions behind, launching the Just Energy Transition Investment Platform (JETIP) in cooperation with fellow multilateral development banks in December 2023. The platform's work centres on investing in renewable energy, decommissioning legacy fossil-fuel infrastructure, reskilling power-sector workers in readiness for new roles in renewable energy, and helping impacted areas to diversify their economies and attract new, renewable-driven investment.

Technical assistance under JETIP aims to give more than 4,000 people access to accredited skills courses by 2030, including over 2,000 workers at state-owned power generator ESM and transmission company MEPSO. More than 600 workers have already completed training on renewable energy installation, energy efficiency, energy trading and project management. In 2025, the EBRD also helped ESM to design a blueprint for a careers counselling service for workers affected by decarbonisation. The social elements of JETIP are financed using funds from several different sources, but CIF has funded a significant portion of the work through its Accelerating Coal Transition (ACT) programme.

The ACT programme includes reskilling and training initiatives for current and future generations of workers, which reform the educational system to provide newly accredited courses and curriculums that respond to the economy’s future needs. There is also a financial-sector programme in the coal-producing Pelagonia and South-Western regions of the country, channelling financing to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises through two routes: renewable and energy-efficiency investment; and business expansion tied to job creation and skills development. The ACT programme is further complemented by CIF’s Women-led Coal Transitions (WOLCOT) programme, which promotes skills and capacity building for women and develops opportunities for female leadership through the transition.

These interventions show that investment in infrastructure and public services can be designed to distribute the benefits of the green transition fairly, protecting livelihoods as much as the environment.

Developing human capital and advancing gender equality in Istanbul’s urban transport network under the Green Cities programme

With a rapidly growing population of over 16 million people, Istanbul’s urban transport network is facing mounting pressure. While the expansion of the city’s metro network is critical to reducing congestion, air pollution and emissions, its transport sector has traditionally struggled with skills shortages, the underrepresentation of women, and the limited pathways into green transport jobs for young people and other underserved groups. Addressing these gaps is key to supporting Istanbul’s sustainable urban development under the EBRD Green Cities programme and ensuring that investments in low-carbon transport also deliver inclusive economic opportunities.

The EBRD helped Metro Istanbul to develop and implement an equal opportunities action plan, introducing measures to strengthen recruitment practices, improve human resources processes and foster a more inclusive workplace culture. The Bank also supported the development of a gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) action plan to help prevent and address workplace risks.

A key component of this project was the establishment of the Metro Skills Development Academy, providing high-quality training on green and digital railway technologies. More than 400 young women have received technical training to date, learning skills that will be critical to the future of sustainable urban transport. The programme has created direct pathways to employment, with many participants going on to work in the metro.

Building on these achievements, the EBRD is supporting the expansion of the academy's curriculum in order to reach additional beneficiaries, including women, people living with disabilities and young people from underserved communities. The next phase of the project will also include the launch of an internship programme, offering on-the-job training, mentoring and pathways to formal employment.