Climate Change in the Western Balkan

The Western Balkan region is intensely exposed to the adverse impact of climate change (UNFCCC National Communication of the Countries in the Region UN Environment Study Climate Change in WB).

The region is getting warmer and dryer, while the frequency and intensity of floods and droughts has increased over the last 50 years, causing enormous socio- economic and environmental damage such as increased forest fires, desertification, decreased agricultural outputs and other negative consequences.

It is projected that temperature will increase between 1.7-2.3 C° in the next 50 years. Although the Western Balkan region is very exposed to climate change, their adoptive capacity remains reciprocally low. Most countries of the region lack both the legal frameworks and technical capacities for the inclusion of adaptation concerns in infrastructure development, with disastrous consequences for the people, the environment and the economy. This was dramatically showcased during the floods in May 2014 with the heaviest rainfall ever measured in the region. The flood resulted in 86 deaths, 2000 landslides and damages amounting up to several billions of dollars. These floods had a devasting impact on the infrastructure in the whole region.