Western Balkans and Ukraine Take Steps to Transition Away from Coal

Some Eastern European countries dependent on coal will face tough decisions as they transition to cleaner forms of energy. As the region progresses toward net-zero emissions, governments will face significant challenges such as energy security, worker reskilling, asset decommissioning while addressing rampant air pollution and the broader impacts of climate change.

The bloc regularly sees some of the highest levels of air pollution in the world. In the winter months, when coal-powered heating causes pollutants to spike, the problem can be deadly. A 2019 report from the United Nations Environment Program found that air pollution causes one in five premature deaths in 19 Western Balkan cities, reducing the average lifespan by 1.3 years.

Transitioning away from coal will not be easy

. Ukraine relies on coal for 30 percent of its primary energy needs.

And it’s not just the energy itself that’s at stake. Another 131,500 work in businesses that support the sector.

The governments of the Western Balkans nations and Ukraine are taking the issue seriously. But knowing where to start can be daunting. That's why, after 14 months of research and planning, the World Bank, along with the European Commission, the Energy Community Secretariat, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the College of Europe, and the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management launched the Platform Initiative in Support of Coal Regions in Transition for Western Balkans and Ukraine.

With the platform’s launch, leaders in the region took a major step toward decarbonization

The bloc held its first annual meeting earlier this year, bringing together representatives from government, industry, labor, international NGOs, media, and academia to share knowledge, collaborate, and develop policies to expedite the just transition away from coal.

The initiative builds upon the Sofia Declaration, which committed the Western Balkan countries to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The declaration, modeled after the European Union's European Green Deal, outlines a regional vision for a greener and more prosperous Western Balkans.

“We must ensure that developing economies in the Western Balkans and Ukraine receive the financing and technological know‐how they need to continue building our energy systems to meet the needs of their expanding populations and economies in a sustainable way.” — Admir Softic, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, Bosnia and Herzegovina

. Participating countries engage in knowledge exchange programs with coal regions in other countries, allowing local government, industry, and social leaders the chance to learn from and collaborate with leaders facing similar challenges.

Already, the World Bank is applying early learnings from the initiative to Asia, where a regional platform will help some of the world’s largest coal producers learn from each other as they transition away from coal.

“The government of Ukraine is currently working on a comprehensive program to support coal regions, which will include measures to physically close mines, as well as activities to attract new investors and create jobs. We have already selected pilot communities in the five coal regions and are ready to implement the experience gained by the World Bank in developing appropriate transformation plans.”  — Valentyna Moskalenko, PM Advisor and Team Leader of the Project Office for Just Transition, Ukraine

, including the World Bank Group, the European Commission, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the College of Europe, the European Investment Bank, and the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management.