english ENERGY SECURITY AND SUSTAINABILITY IN THE WESTERN BALKANS: CHALLENGES ON THE PATH TOWARD GREEN TRANSITION
Abstract
Energy security, as an essential dimension of national security, is deeply intertwined with economic, social, and geopolitical dynamics and represents one of the most pressing challenges facing the Western Balkan region at both national and supranational levels. At the national level, energy security is strongly connected to political stability and economic resilience, while at the supranational level, it is tied to the region’s ongoing process of European integration. The Western Balkans face a complex and interdependent set of challenges in achieving energy security and sustainability, situated within the broader context of the European Union’s Green Deal and the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans. This paper examines the evolving relationship between energy security, environmental sustainability, and regional cooperation, noting how certain structural and institutional limitations within the Western Balkan countries may slow the pace of the green transition. The study identifies key vulnerabilities in national energy systems while assessing the degree of alignment with EU climate objectives and the 2050 carbon neutrality target. The findings reveal that despite modest improvements in renewable energy integration, the Western Balkan region remains highly dependent on fossil fuels, particularly coal, and vulnerable to fluctuations in energy imports, which together hinder progress toward decarbonization and long-term stability. Strengthening regional cooperation mechanisms, alongside transparent and predictable regulatory frameworks, emerges as a prerequisite for advancing both energy security and sustainability. The paper concludes that achieving the 2050 climate neutrality objective will remain highly challenging for the Western Balkans unless regional cooperation is significantly strengthened and aligned with broader European efforts.
References
Arežina, Vera. 2025. „Značaj bezbednosne analitike za očuvanje ekološke i energetske bezbednosti”. U Savremeni geopolitički procesi u Evropi sa aspekta bezbednosne analitike i upravljanja krizama, ur. Božidar Forca, Goran Župac, i Milan Glišović, 215–230. Beograd: Fakultet za poslovne studije i pravo, Univerzitet „Union – Nikola Tesla”.
Axelrod, Robert. 1984. The Evolution of Cooperation. New York: Basic Books.
Barišić, Igor. 2025a. „Energetska bezbednost Republike Srbije u izmenjenom globalnom okruženju”. U Izazovi regionalne bezbednosti, ur. Milovan Subotić, 117–136. Beograd: Institut za strategijska istraživanja, MC „Odbrana”. DOI:10.18485/isimod_izregb.2025.ch5.
Barišić, Igor. 2025b. „Geopolitika obnovljivih izvora energije u uslovima globalnog nadmetanja velikih sila”. U Evropa na raskrsnici – zbornik apstrakata, ur. Božidar Forca, 55–58. Beograd: Univerzitet „Union – Nikola Tesla”.
Bjola, Corneliu. 2005. “Legitimating the Use of Force in International Politics: A Communicative Action Perspective”. European Journal of International Relations 11(2): 266–303. DOI: 10.1177/1354066105052968.
Blank, Stephen J. 2022. “The Balkans and Euro-Atlantic Energy Security”. Orbis 66 (1): 58–77. DOI: 10.1016/j. orbis.2021.11.006.
Bojović, Mirjana, Zorica Mrkonjić, and Igor Vukelić. 2024. “Agroforestry Systems and Forest Resources as a Potential for Sustainable Energy Development in the Western Balkan Region”. Energy, Sustainability and Society 14 (68). DOI: 10.1186/s13705-024-00502-y.
Buber, Martin. 1958. I and Thou. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark. Carbon Market Watch. 2025. “Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)”. Carbon Market Watch. October 9, 2025. https://carbonmarketwatch.org/glossary/carbonborder- adjustment-mechanism-cbam/.
Causevic, Amar, Sanjin Avdic, Bernardas Padegimas, and Biljana Macura. 2022. “Analysis of International Public Funding Flows for the Environment, Climate Change, and Sustainability: The Case of Bosnia and Herzegovina”.
Energy, Sustainability and Society 12 (34). DOI: 10.1186/s13705-022-00359-z.
Chriss, James J. 2022. “Jurgen Habermas and Theory of Communicative Action”. In Goffman-Handbuch: Leben – Werk – Wirkung, Hrsg. Karl Lenz und Robert Hettlage, 423–428. Stuttgart: J. B. Metzler. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-476-
-3_56.
Council of the European Union. 2025. Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/2032 of 23 October 2025 Amending Decision 2014/512/CFSP Concerning Restrictive Measures in View of Russia’s Actions Destabilising the Situation in Ukraine.
De Rosa, Mattia, Kenneth Gainsford, Fabiano Pallonetto, and Donal P. Finn. 2022. “Diversification, Concentration and Renewability of the Energy Supply in the European Union”. Energy 253 (124097). DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2022.124097.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/ S0360544222010003.
European Commission. 2020. “Commission Staff Working Document: Guidelines for the Implementation of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, Accompanying the Communication from the Commission to the European
Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions”. Brussels.
European Commission. 2025a. “Commission Staff Working Document: ‘Serbia 2025 Report’”. Brussels.
European Commission. 2025b. “Commission Implementing Decision of 8 October 2025 on Approving the Second Release of Funds to Albania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia under the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans”. Brussels.
Giddens, Anthony. 1991. Modernity and Self-Identity: Self and Society in the Late Modern Age. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
Habermas, Jürgen. 1984. The Theory of Communicative Action: Reason and the Rationalization of Society Vol. 1. Boston: Beacon Press.
Hribar, Nena, Goran Šimić, Simonida Vukadinović, and Polona Šprajc. 2021.“Decision-Making in Sustainable Energy Transition in Southeastern Europe: Probabilistic Network-Based Model”. Energy, Sustainability and Society 11 (39). DOI: 10.1186/s13705-021-00315-3.
International Energy Agency. 2023. World Energy Outlook 2023. Paris: International Energy Agency.
Jelisavac Trošić, Sanja, and Mitko Arnaudov. 2023. “Serbia and North Macedonia in 2023: Economic Risks, Political Challenges and Security Threats”. Bezbednosni dijalozi 14 (2): 149–168.
Ješić, Jelena, Andrea Okanović, and Andrea Andrejević Panić. 2021. “Net Zero 2050 as an EU Priority: Modeling a System for Efficient Investments in Eco-Innovation for Climate Change Mitigation”. Energy, Sustainability and Society 11 (50). DOI: 10.1186/s13705-021-00326-0.
Knez, Sandi, Goran Šimić, Anica, Milovanović, Sofia Starikova, and Franc Željko Županič. 2022. “Prices of Conventional and Renewable Energy as Determinants of Sustainable and Secure Energy Development: Regression Model Analysis.” Energy, Sustainability and Society 12 (6). DOI: 10.1186/s13705-022-00333-9.
Knez, Sandi, Snežana Štrbac, and Iztok Podbregar. 2022. “Climate Change in the Western Balkans and EU Green Deal: Status, Mitigation and Challenges”. Energy, Sustainability and Society 12 (1). DOI: 10.1186/s13705-021-00328-y.
Komljenović, Marija. 2022. “The EU and the Western Balkans’ Response During the Migrant Crisis”. Energy, Sustainability and Society 12 (44). DOI: 10.1186/s13705-022-00356-6. Mendes-Flohr, Paul. 2025. “Prologue: Martin Buber: Philosopher of Dialogue.” In A Companion to Martin Buber, ed. Paul
Mendes-Flohr, 1–14. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. DOI: 10.7208/chicago/9780226838908-001.
Muftić Dedović, Maja, Samir Avdaković, Adnan Mujezinović, Nedis Dautbašić, Ajdin Alihodžić, and Adin Memić. 2025. “Energy Poverty in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Challenges, Solutions, and Policy Recommendations”. Energies 18 (1): 43. DOI: 10.3390/en18010043.
Noll, Gregor. 1997. “Prisoners’ Dilemma in Fortress Europe: On the Prospects for Equitable Burden-Sharing in the European Union”. German Yearbook of International Law 40: 405–437.
Pavlakovič, Barbara, Andrea Okanović, Bojana Vasić, Jelena Ješić, and Polona Šprajc. 2021. “Small Hydropower Plants in Western Balkan Countries: Status, Controversies and a Proposed Model for Decision Making.” Energy,
Sustainability and Society 12 (9). DOI: 10.1186/s13705-021-00295-4.
Radovanović, Mirjana, Sanja Filipović, Simonida Vukadinović, Milovan Trbojević, and Iztok Podbregar. 2022. “Decarbonisation of Eastern European Economies: Monitoring, Economic, Social and Security Concerns”. Energy, Sustainability and Society 12 (16). DOI: 10.1186/s13705-022-00342-8.
Soroos, Marvin S. 1994. “Global change, environmental security, and the prisoner’s dilemma”. Journal of Peace Research 31 (3) 317–332.
Stigka, Eleni K., John A. Paravantis, and Giouli K. Mihalakakou. 2014. “Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy Sources: A Review of Contingent Valuation Applications”. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 32: 100–106. DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2013.12.026.
Todorović, Igor. 2024. “Serbia Adopts Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan until 2030”. Balkan Green Energy News. July 25, 2024. https://balkangreenenergynews.com/serbiaadopts-integrated-national-energyand-climate-planuntil-2030/.
Trbojević, Milovan, Dejan Jovanović, and Diona Đurđević. 2024. “Security Policies and Sustainable Development in the Western Balkan Region beyond 2022: Current Status, Challenges, and Prospects”. Energy, Sustainability and Society 14 (55). DOI: 10.1186/s13705-024-00486-9.
United Nations. 2025. “Doha Political Declaration of the ‘World Social Summit’ under the title ‘Second World Summit for Social Development’”. A/RES/80/5, General Assembly, 4 November 2025.
United Nations Climate Change. 2025. “First Biennial Transparency Report of the Republic of Serbia to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Paris Agreement”.https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/SERBIA%20First%20Biennial%2Transparency%20Report.pdf.
United Nations Environment Programme. 2025. “Emissions Gap Report 2025: Off Target – Continued Collective Inaction Puts Global Temperature Goal at Risk”. Nairobi: UNEP.
Velicu, Irina, and Stefania Barca. 2020. “The Just Transition and Its Work of Inequality”. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy 16 (1): 263–273. DOI: 10.1080/15487733.2020.1814585.
Vukadinović, Marija. 2025. „Ekološka diplomatija kao instrument jačanja regionalne saradnje: izazovi i mogućnosti primene Zelene agende na Zapadnom Balkanu”. U Izazovi regionalne bezbednosti, ur. Milovan Subotić, 227–247. Beograd: Institut za strategijska istraživanja, MC „Odbrana”. DOI: 10.18485/isimod_izregb.2025.ch10.
World Commission on Environment and Development. 1987. “Our Common Future”. Annex to document A/42/427. United Nations.
Županič, Franc Željko, Danka Radić, and Iztok Podbregar. 2021. “Climate Change and Agriculture Management: Western Balkan Region Analysis”. Energy, Sustainability and Society 11 (51). DOI: 10.1186/s13705-021-00327-z.