Our researcher, Amela Kurta, participated in the programme Stav regiona broadcast by Newsmax Balkans, where she spoke about the challenges Bosnia and Herzegovina faces in adapting to the European Union’s new climate and energy regulations, with a particular focus on the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the broader process of decarbonisation.
During the programme, Amela highlighted that Bosnia and Herzegovina is lagging behind in preparations for European climate and energy policies, while the EU continues to accelerate reforms in these areas. She pointed out that the country is still in the early stages of aligning its energy and climate policies with EU standards and warned that CBAM is no longer a future challenge, but is already affecting the competitiveness and revenues of domestic companies.
The discussion also addressed the social and economic consequences of the energy transition, especially for workers and local communities dependent on coal mines and thermal power plants. Kurta emphasised that Bosnia and Herzegovina still lacks sufficiently developed support mechanisms for workers affected by the transition, including retraining programmes, new skills development, and stronger institutional capacities.
In addition, she discussed the sectors expected to be most affected by CBAM, including electricity production, iron and steel, aluminium, and cement industries, as well as the potential long-term risks for exports, investments, and overall competitiveness of the economy. She stressed that the energy transition should not be viewed solely as a climate issue, but also as an important social and economic issue that will directly affect citizens and local communities.
The full programme is available at the following link:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=I91bfFbiGRw&pp=0gcJCQQLAYcqIYzv&ra=m
The segment featuring Amela begins from the 20th minute of the broadcast.
We would like to thank Newsmax Balkans for the opportunity to discuss this important topic and to present the results of our research to a wider audience.