Dimitar Bechev, Senior Fellow at the South-East Europe Programme, published for BiEPAG the report “Green Power Politics: External Actors and Energy Transition in the Western Balkans” which he co-authored with Tena Prelec and Nikolaos Tzifakis.
The final brief of BiEPAG’s Geopolitics of the Green Energy Transition project explores the EU’s role in promoting the energy transition in the Western Balkans. Despite the EU’s commitment to climate action and extensive financial assistance, the region’s progress in adopting renewable energy sources remains slow. The study, based on a comprehensive survey and three in-depth case studies of external influence in the energy sector, reveals a public desire for green transition but a lack of awareness regarding the negative impact of external actors like Russia, China, and Turkey. The analysis underscores the crucial role of local elites in mediating foreign influence and highlights disparities in public perceptions.
Recommendations include a targeted public diplomacy campaign, support for civil society actors advocating green energy, diversification of energy sources, financial incentives for market liberalisation, increased transparency in foreign investments, and regional cooperation for grid interconnection and renewable investments. The findings emphasise the need for nuanced policy measures to ensure a sustainable and equitable green energy transition in the Western Balkans.
You can read the report here.
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