Fact-sheet 30 - Regional - 8071-00/2005 2579-00/2009 8071-01/2012
Yes
Fact‐sheet based on mission in the field?
Phase 1: 0
Phase 2: 1
Phase 3: 0
Phase 1: 2
Phase 2: 2
Phase 3: 0
Phase 1: 0
Phase 2: 1
Phase 3: 0
Christine Lottje, Annette Schmidt
Marker: ADP (Adaptation)
Marker: CBD (Biodiversity)
Marker: CCD (Desertification)
Evaluator
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Fact-sheet 30 - Regional - 8071-00/2005 2579-00/2009 8071-01/2012
1.
Development of key criteria regarding general environmental
aspects
Sources
1.1
Environmental protection
See list of documents
Explanation
The region of Western Balkans features diverse ecosystems, ethnic groups, religions, cultures, economies and social fabric. It spans over four of Europe‘s bio‐
geographical areas: Mediterranean, Central European, Alpine and Pannonic. The region has been characterized by wars, ethnic conflicts and overall
instability. Environmental pollution in the Balkans has many features that include industrial and urban infrastructure waste as well as military remnants
such as mines and unexploded ordinances. Competition over natural resources has also led to violence and instability. The environmental sector has a great
potential to enhance regional cohesion and the establishment of efficient regional cooperation. Indeed, environmental insecurity has been a catalytic issue
where regional cooperation has been nurtured through awareness raising, civil society engagement as well as international support.
Apart from ethnic conflicts and wars, several other factors have contributed to environmental degradation in the region such as weak or recovering
economies with limited budgets, widespread poverty, political instability and state‐building processes. Some of the key environmental challenges in the
region include threats to biodiversity; climate change mitigation and adaptation; degradation of water resources; high levels of air pollution; contamination
of soil and water and weak law enforcement for waste and recycling.
The western coast of the region faces a series of pressures, including marine transport of petroleum and natural gas, natural gas extraction and overfishing.
Coastal zones also face important pressures, including wastewater and solid waste from urban and tourist areas, eutrophication of coastal waters and sprawl
in many coastal areas.
The EU integration process is currently the main political driver of change in the region. While, the EU enlargement process provides opportunities for
improving the environment in the region, it also underlines certain challenges for the candidate (Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and Macedonia) and potential
candidate countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo). The ‘Copenhagen criteria’ poses a great challenge to candidate countries, as national legislation
has to be implemented and enforced in order to meet EU’s environmental protection requirements.
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Fact-sheet 30 - Regional - 8071-00/2005 2579-00/2009 8071-01/2012
1.2
Status and trends in the sustainable management of natural
resources
See list of documents
1.3
Conflicts about the use of resources
See list of documents
Countries in the Western Balkans face many threats to social cohesion, especially in terms of tensions between rich and poor. They also point to strong
perceptions of social injustice and concerns about corruption. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and to some extent in Kosovo, inter‐ethnic tensions in
the Western Balkans are also present.
In terms of potential conflicts the Trepca mine in Kosovo has been subject of clashes for the rights over its production as it is located in the northern part of
Kosovo – mostly populated by Serbian minority. Plans for the construction of a dam in the Macedonian side of river Drinos sparked protests in Albania in
2014 as it would have resulted in an alteration of the river flow. Waste management affecting the pollution of lake Ohrid has also appeared to be an issue for
Macedonia and Albania.
Countries of the region share many river basins and much of their water resources. Water scarcity is a problem, particularly in the summer and in southern
parts of the Western Balkans, as well as in coastal zones and on islands. Regions and catchments of the Balkans feature large intact river landscapes. Up to
30% of large rivers are still near‐natural some even pristine and of very high conservation value, in Albania and Montenegro over 60%, while in Germany
only 10%, in Switzerland 7% and in Austria 6% of the rivers are in such high state. Almost 50% of Balkan rivers are only slightly or moderately altered – in
Germany, for comparison, this is the case for only 30%.
Much of the regionʹs water resources are shared: about 60 % of Croatiaʹs territory and over 70 % of Bosnia and Herzegovinaʹs lie in the Danube River basin. In
Serbia, over 90 % of water resources flow from neighbouring countries. The Macedoniaʹs main river basins flow through Albania into the Adriatic Sea and
through Greece into the Aegean Sea.
Urbanisation, land abandonment, overexploitation of resources due to poverty, intensification of agricultural and forestry practices, changes in the water
regime due to construction of dams and irrigation as well as pollution are some of the main concerns in the region. Coastal zones, rivers and wetlands are
particularly vulnerable in the short run but in the longer term the mountain meadow ecosystems are also considered vulnerable.
The EU integration process is encouraging river basin approaches to water management based on the Water Framework Directive. International frameworks
for the Danube and Sava river basins are also promoting this approach.
A wave of planned hydropower plants is reported throughout the region. Numerous planned dams would severely impact the freshwater ecosystem services
of the region.
In terms of bio‐diversity, Western Balkans feature rich and numerous well preserved ecosystems. Oak, beech, and conifer forests nestle alongside
outstanding plant diversity – important sanctuaries for large carnivores such as the lynx, the European brown bear and wolf. The Eastern Adriatic is one of
the richest fishing grounds in the Mediterranean and commercial fish species, whales, dolphins and marine turtles thrive. The area boasts an extensive
network of rivers and lakes in Europe and wetlands of international importance such as the Neretva delta in Bosnia and Croatia, and Shkodra lake in
Montenegro and Albania as well as Ohrid lake in Macedonia and Albania.
In recent years, the generation of municipal waste has risen steadily in the Western Balkans, and it is currently estimated to be at levels similar to those in the
EU‐12 (data on solid waste, however, are poor). Municipal waste management is weak in many parts of the region and many waste facilities are old.
Abandoned landfills are a problem. In addition, both ongoing and accumulated industrial waste, and in particular mining waste, is also a serious problem in
some areas.
Countries in the region have also been affected by droughts but floods are also becoming a frequent risk – in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.
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