EXPLORING GREEN GROWTH IN THE WESTERN BALKAN COUNTRIES: A DESCRIPTIVE OVERVIEW
EXPLORING GREEN GROWTH IN THE WESTERN BALKAN COUNTRIES: A DESCRIPTIVE OVERVIEW

Summary/Abstract: This paper investigates the progress of green growth performance in five non-EU Balkan countries—Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia— during the period 2010–2023, employing the Green Growth Index (GGI) as one of the major composite indicators that provides a direct, multidimensional, and measurable assessment. To evaluate regional convergence towards European sustainability standards, the analysis includes Croatia as a benchmark. The study applies a descriptive approach, focusing on annual index scores to identify long-term trajectories and relative performance. Results indicate gradual but uneven improvement across the Western Balkans, with some countries showing consistent upward trends while others remain stagnant or volatile. Compared to Croatia, the five non-EU countries continue to lag in overall GGI scores, although slight narrowing of the gap is observed in selected years. These findings underline the importance of sustained policy efforts in resource efficiency, natural capital protection, green economic opportunities, and social inclusion to accelerate alignment with EU member states. By providing the first longitudinal comparison of Balkan countries with an EU benchmark, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamics of green growth in the region and its implications for EU integration.

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