The Energy Transition in the Western Balkans

When people talk about coal phase-out and decarbonisation measures, they usually think of huge milestones such as the closing of thermal power plants or large-scale investments in renewable energy. The global climate crisis is considered as an immense challenge that must be addressed with massive efforts on the highest political level. While this perception is true per se, this regional roadmap for the Western Balkans introduces models on citizen, community, and municipality level which have huge potential to accelerate the energy transition. We suggest spotlighting front-runner initiatives and making regional benchmarking a prerequisite. For a truly Just Transition, cooperation with local communities is equally essential.