In Romania, the national brown bear conservation plan, financed with EU funds, is proceeding amid delays, controversy and a contested census. Meanwhile, the European country with the largest population of plantigrades is struggling to balance conservation and safety
If there is something that unites all those who overlook the same sea, it is the waste that ruins it. Six countries overlooking the Adriatic have joined forces in the European project Bluecircle to minimize its presence on their beaches
Chiatura was carved by the mines and built on manganese. A century of digging has left Chiatura scarred, sick, and silenced. Now, with operations halted and voices rising, the town demands more than justice: it demands a future
Bosnia and Herzegovina has huge photovoltaic power potential. However, in the absence of a clear regulatory framework, there is a risk that big investors will build solar power plants, putting profit before the environment and sustainability
Obtaining renewable energy from the wind by installing turbines in the open sea will be increasingly necessary, but so is respecting biodiversity. In the Adriatic, this challenge is still open: the Beyond project was born to win it, starting from Italy and Croatia
In times when fire reaches previously unknown intensities, fighting it with force is not enough: scientific knowledge and collaboration are needed to question old strategies and develop new ones
The EU Just Transition Fund supports the European regions most affected by the abandonment of fossil fuels, financing green innovation, job retraining and environmental clean-ups. Its implementation, however, is proceeding very slowly
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has also seriously endangered the natural heritage of the attacked country: among the areas most at risk is the Danube Delta on the border with Romania, today subjected to unprecedented ecological pressure. A report
Decades of merely utilitarian management have made forests in Europe more vulnerable to extreme fires. To address this threat, a change of direction is needed that respects their complexity, also addressing the taboo of controlled fires
Despite the 2016 moratorium, illegal logging continues in Albania, fueled by corruption, weak law enforcement, and European demand, particularly from Italy. However, new EU regulations designed to combat this issue risk pushing small businesses toward timber mafias
Thanks to cohesion funds, the EU states of south-eastern Europe are implementing many projects to prevent or combat floods, fires and other risks related to the climate crisis. Namely, the commitment by Greece and Cyprus stands out
In the Old Continent, snow is becoming increasingly scarce, with a marked decline especially in Central and Southeastern Europe. The consequences for the environment, economy, and water resources are far from negligible
The traditional passage of shepherds and sheep tramples the ground but does not destroy biodiversity – rather, it creates spaces and opportunities to make animals, plants and even people more resilient. A researcher studied it in the lab and in the Romanian mountains where she grew up
With her collective, Alina Tofan organizes performances in rural areas of Romania to raise environmental awareness and rediscover a sense of community. She invites colleagues from around the world to demonstrate that the green transition can be a just one, even in their own country
Once an important mining and industrial center, Vareš is now one of the poorest municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The promises of foreign investment collide with controversial and sometimes illegal actions, and environmental activists who denounce such practices risk being sued
With the climate crisis, the threat of forest fires is getting worse every year. And from the Mediterranean, a global hotspot, it is spreading to unexpected latitudes, forcing society to deeply rethink its relationship with the territory
The last episode of our reportage along the Drina: from Višegrad towards Žepa and Mokra Gora, all the way to the Šargan Eight, a railway built in 1916 by the Habsburg administration. We talk about the past, language variations and environmental protests
Europe’s rural areas could produce up to 30 times their energy needs with photovoltaics, but technical, environmental and social obstacles complicate their development. Networks, storage and community involvement will be crucial for a sustainable future
Europe aims to obtain 42.5% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030, but there is still a long way to go. While oil dominates the national energy mix, very different territorial realities are emerging, with rural areas ready for the ecological transition
We continue our journey along the Drina, the river that enchanted Ivo Andrić. In this third and penultimate episode we visit the places where the great writer spent his childhood, and Andrićgrad, the controversial tourist complex designed by Emir Kusturica
Our reportage along the Drina continues, following one of the most important and celebrated rivers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this episode we discover canyons and rafting, the Sutjeska National Park with the famous monument by Miodrag Živković and the city of Goražde
An informal group of citizens announces more decisive action to resolve the long-standing problem of Gudronska jama, a former waste oil landfill that poses a serious threat to the health of the population of Modriča and other towns in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina
Increasingly hot summers and crops at the mercy of extreme events challenge growers in cross-border areas. In the face of the certainty of climate uncertainty, forces and data are being joined with the European AI-GRAPE project, created to introduce digitalisation into viticulture
Native to Siberia, the red-breasted goose winters on the western coast of the Black Sea. Threatened by poaching and climate change, this endangered species has benefited from various conservation projects in Bulgaria in recent years
Wildfires pose a serious threat to the environment and the economy of Cyprus, including summer tourism. Between institutional delays and cooperation efforts between the Greek and Turkish communities, the country needs prevention and a paradigm shift
"The Republic […] guarantees the protection and reproduction of the environment, the conservation of living nature in all its varieties and the reasonable use of natural resources". This is stated in Article 15 of the Constitution of Bulgaria, the first country in the European Union in terms of the share of its territory covered by protected areas
With the growing popularity of hiking and mountaineering, mountain accidents have increased significantly. The pressure falls on volunteers from rescue groups, who often work in collaboration with their colleagues across the border
The energy sector in Bulgaria is going through a phase of profound transformation, between the need to proceed with decarbonisation and that of freeing itself from traditional ties with Russia. We talked about it in Sofia with expert Kostantsa Rangelova
After the breakup of Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia - known for their extraordinary natural resources and biodiversity - have been facing environmental crime and the devastation of nature
