@techreport{
author = "Belis, Claudio A. and Djatkov, Đorđe and Lettieri, Teresa and Jones, Arwyn and Wojda, Piotr and Banja, Manjola and Muntean, Marilena and Paunović, Momir and Niegowska, Magdalena and Marinov, Dimitar and Poznanović, Goran and Pozzoli, Luca and Dobričić, Srđan and Zdruli, Pandi and Vandyck, Toon",
year = "2022",
abstract = "Accurate and complete environmental information is at the basis of any effective sustainable development
policy. This report summarises for the first time the status of air, climate, water and soil in the Western Balkans
(WB), describing current knowledge as of 2021 and gaps with respect to the EU aquis in order to: a) benchmark
the progress during the accession process, and b) support the implementation of the Green Agenda for the WB
with particular reference to depollution and decarbonisation priorities. This information is also relevant for the
EU Green Deal zero pollution ambition, as depollution in WB also reduces pollutant levels in neighbouring EU
Member States.
Despite significant improvements in the alignment of the climate and GHG emissions monitoring and reporting
legislation and the good progress in the areas of air and water pollution in the latest two years, the EU aquis
implementation is still lagging.
The overall WB air quality situation is still critical and the pollution trend is often upwards, despite PM10 and
PM2.5 concentration have decreased in certain areas. Due to its dominant impact on mortality, PM2.5 can be
considered the main pollutant to target in the WB. The energy sector, in particular coal-fuelled power plants, is
the major source of SO2 and CO2 emissions and an important source of other pollutants. It offers a concrete
opportunity for co-benefits between air quality and climate policies.
The increase in intensity and frequency of summer heatwaves in the latest decades is an indicator of climate
change in the WB and the need to design appropriate adaptation plans to cope with it.
The status of waterbodies in the WB can generally be assessed as unsatisfactory. In the case of chemical status,
45% of waterbodies assessed failed to reach good status, while in the ecological assessment 54% failed to
reach good status. Case studies on antibiotic resistance, as well as effect-based studies on mixtures of
pollutants confirmed that aquatic ecosystems, particularly large fluvial rivers, are under considerable
anthropogenic pressure.
Soil degradation is prevalent and extensive throughout the WB region. Soil erosion is the most relevant
degradation process followed by soil pollution. Unsustainable land management practices and natural causes
of soil degradation in the region are interlinked.
In order to make progress in the implementation of the environmental legislation it is necessary to improve the
integration of the environmental measures into key sectorial policies (e.g. energy production, energy efficiency,
industry, transport). This principle is reflected in the Green Agenda for the WB and the new EU Soil Strategy.
Due to the relatively small area of the WB and the interconnections between ecosystems across and beyond
the region, strengthening regional and international cooperation is essential to involve all the relevant actors
and stakeholders in the design and implementation of environmental policies.",
publisher = "Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union",
title = "Status of environment and climate in the Western Balkans",
doi = "10.2760/294516",
pages = "1-54"
}
