A regional workshop and study tour on risk assessment of contaminated sites, green finance mechanisms, and nature-based solutions for soil depollution brought together around 40 participants — including regulators, engineers, and experts — from all six Western Balkan economies.

The event was organized in Klagenfurt, in southern Austria, and successfully combined theoretical sessions with practical, on-site learning. The program opened with expert presentations on risk assessment methodologies and digital tools such as ROCKS (Italy) and S-RISK© (Belgium), alongside case studies of nature-based solutions for contaminated sites.

Participants visited a microbial soil remediation facility in Arnoldstein, near the Slovenian border, gaining direct insight into biological treatment technologies in action.

The second day focused on green finance mechanisms applicable to contaminated site management, with references to World Bank practices and other international models. A study visit to a soil washing facility near Ljubljana, Slovenia, was complemented by discussions on biofuel production and phytoremediation.

This activity marks another important step in addressing soil pollution challenges in the Western Balkans and contributes to regional efforts to protect valuable natural resources and promote sustainable land management.