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Green Energy Transition in the Western Balkans: Challenges and Opportunities for Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Palgrave Handbook of Just Green Transitions in the Western Balkans and Beyond | 2026

Paper Details

Authors: Novikau A.; Krupalija M.

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-95075-9_9

Journal: The Palgrave Handbook of Just Green Transitions in the Western Balkans and Beyond

Year: 2026

Publisher: Springer Nature

Document Type: Book chapter

Open Access: All Open Access; Gold Open Access

Cited by: 0

Abstract

Bosnia and Herzegovina has reliable and relatively inexpensive local energy resources, sufficient at least for electricity generation—hydropower, coal, and forest biomass. Yet approximately half of the electricity in the country is generated from coal, leading to environmental problems such as air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, a transition to green energy is necessary. However, this transition may lead to several potential problems, such as job loss and social problems in the local mining industry, and energy poverty because of rising prices for consumers. This chapter aims to explore the relationship between the green transition and energy in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The paper concludes that to mitigate these potential problems, there is a need for policies that ensure a just transition to green energy, including retraining opportunities for coal workers, social safety nets for affected communities, and adequate support for developing green energy sources. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2026.

Keywords

Bosnia and Herzegovina; Coal; Energy security; Energy transition; Just energy transition; Renewable energy