Sustainable Balkans
Sustainable Development Forum 2025: Competitiveness in Turbulent Times
The Sustainable Development Forum 2025 brought together diplomats, academics, and business leaders to explore how nations and companies can stay competitive amid global instability. Over two days, discussions ranged from trade resilience and energy transitions to AI-driven sustainability and green jobs for youth, reaffirming the Forum’s mission to bridge policy, innovation, and business for a more sustainable future.
Read MoreSustainable Development Forum 2025: Competitiveness in Turbulent TimesUrban Sustainability in North Macedonia: Green Cities and Smart Solutions
This feature explores urban sustainability in North Macedonia, where technology, civic action, and innovation are transforming cities like Skopje and Kumanovo. From smart mobility and digital transparency to grassroots clean-up movements and green public spaces, these initiatives illustrate a growing culture of sustainable urban living. Despite challenges, local governments and citizens are shaping a vision of greener, smarter, and more resilient Macedonian cities.
Read MoreUrban Sustainability in North Macedonia: Green Cities and Smart SolutionsTranslating Systemic Intelligence into Urban Renewal – Vlorë, Albania
Vlorë, Albania, is redefining urban renewal through systemic intelligence — integrating data, design, and ecology into one adaptive framework. Guided by the IMM methodology and a cross-institutional collaboration, the city turns complexity into clarity, reconnecting people and nature. This case demonstrates how systemic intelligence transforms planning into a living process of regeneration.
Read MoreTranslating Systemic Intelligence into Urban Renewal – Vlorë, AlbaniaGIS in Serbia: A Policy Tool for Smart Cities and Sustainable Development
GIS in Serbia is becoming a crucial tool for sustainable urban planning and evidence-based governance. By integrating spatial data, policymakers can monitor environmental quality, improve resource allocation, and enhance transparency. Case studies from Pančevo, Belgrade, and Novi Sad show how GIS supports pollution management, citizen participation, and energy transition. With proper investment in data infrastructure and skills, Serbian cities can align with European sustainability goals while ensuring healthier communities.
Read MoreGIS in Serbia: A Policy Tool for Smart Cities and Sustainable DevelopmentNew Rules Reshape Serbia Pellet Market and Quality Standards
The article explores how new rules are reshaping the Serbia pellet market, setting unified standards for quality, safety, and transparency. Only top-quality A1 and A2 wood pellets are now allowed on the market, while B-class products are banned. The regulation is expected to strengthen local producers, improve competitiveness, and support the transition to sustainable heating solutions.
Read MoreNew Rules Reshape Serbia Pellet Market and Quality StandardsBuilding a Balkan Regional Platform for the SDGs : Interview with Kosta Živanović
How can the Western Balkans deliver the SDGs amid war, heat, and rapid technological change? In this interview, SDF President Kosta Živanović details th e Forum’s 2025 agenda—competitiveness in turbulent times, the energy paradox, near-shoring and resilient supply chains, and scaling AI and clean tech. He explains why Belgrade can act as a regional hub and how SDF connects local actors to global standards to turn goals into practical action on energy, food systems, and governance.
Read MoreBuilding a Balkan Regional Platform for the SDGs : Interview with Kosta ŽivanovićBalkan Green Cities: Greening the Urban Fabric and Why It Matters
Across eight Balkan green cities, we compare total green infrastructure and accessible urban green using EEA metrics and municipal datasets. The piece traces how geography and planning traditions shape outcomes, then spotlights flagship projects—from Athens’ Ellinikon to Belgrade’s Linear Park and Tirana’s Orbital Forest. We conclude with tiered, finance-aware recommendations that help city leaders turn green on paper into green on foot.
Read MoreBalkan Green Cities: Greening the Urban Fabric and Why It MattersEnergy Week 2025 and Beyond: An Interview with Inessa Shahnazarova on Opportunities in the Western Balkans
The Western Balkans is stepping onto the energy stage with new auctions, ambitious targets, and a push to integrate into Europe’s power market. In this interview, Inessa Shahnazarova, Founder and Executive Director of Invest In Network, shares why 2025 feels like a turning point for the region. From grid modernization to fresh opportunities for investors, she explains what makes this year’s Energy Week is so important.
Read MoreEnergy Week 2025 and Beyond: An Interview with Inessa Shahnazarova on Opportunities in the Western BalkansBelgrade’s Green Cover in Crisis: How a June Heatwave Stripped the City’s Vegetation
In June 2025, Belgrade experienced record-breaking heat, leading to a sharp decline in urban vegetation. Using NDVI data from Landsat satellites, this article analyzes the spatial and sectoral impacts of the heatwave on Belgrade’s green cover. Parks, residential zones, and industrial areas all showed significant vegetation stress, revealing disparities in resilience. The findings frame vegetation as critical infrastructure—essential for cooling, health, and economic stability—and call for urgent adaptation in urban planning amid escalating climate risks.
Read MoreBelgrade’s Green Cover in Crisis: How a June Heatwave Stripped the City’s VegetationSmarter Transport for the Western Balkans: An Interview with Matej Zakonjšek
Transport is more than infrastructure—it connects people and builds opportunities. In this interview, the Transport Community outlines how it is integrating Western Balkan transport with the EU, modernising rail, reducing border delays, and promoting sustainable mobility. From Green Lanes to the Belgrade–Niš railway, EU-backed projects are transforming the region’s connectivity, while smart mobility and clean urban transport remain key priorities. The vision: a seamlessly connected Western Balkans as part of Europe’s sustainable future.
Read MoreSmarter Transport for the Western Balkans: An Interview with Matej Zakonjšek