Western Balkan Just Green Transition

May 2023

The Western Balkan is one of the regions in Europe most heavily affected by the impact of climate change, not at least as it might face considerable increases in temperature. Estimations suggest temperature may increases by 1.7 to 4.0°C, and even exceeding 5.0°C by the end of the century, depending on the global effort in greenhouse gasses emission reduction.

Consequently, green transition and in particular just green transition is an important topic in policy discourse and academic debate. The shift to carbon-neutral technologies is not only necessary it will also have profound impact for Western Balkan societies, economies, and governance processes. The socio-economic challenges and opportunities presented by just green transitions are not necessarily homogenous across Western Balkan. As we have shown in an earlier blogpost (Opens in a new window), countries and regions and can impact differently across diverse societal groups. Furthermore, the development and implementation of effective green transitions requires interactive collaboration and cooperation between policymakers, sectors, researchers and other key stakeholders at transnational, national, regional, and local levels.

Green Agenda for the West Balkans 2021-2030

In line with the EU ambition to become climate-neutral by 2050, the Western Balkan has also committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, and to aligning with the European Green Deal’s key elements by endorsing the Green Agenda for the Western Balkan (GAWB) (Opens in a new window) at the Summit in Sofia in 2020, and subsequently the GAWB Action Plan, at the Brdo Summit in October 2021.

The Green Agenda for the Western Balkan aims to accelerate the region's transition towards sustainable development, aligning it with EU environmental standards and fostering a greener and more prosperous future. It addresses environmental challenges, promote climate action, and support the Western Balkan countries in achieving their environmental and climate goals. The main objectives of the agenda concern:

• Cleaning energy sources & protecting the climate;

• Moving to a circular economy;

• Depolluting air, water, and soil;

• Building sustainable agriculture & food systems;

• Protecting biodiversity and ecosystems.

Fostering excellence on green transition

To achieve these objectives, many initiatives accelerate the green transition of the Western Balkan. This includes among others projects fostering excellence on the topic among players in the Western Balkan and stimulating the learning from and together with players from other parts of Europe.