The Western Balkans is channeling its efforts into an aspect of the Green Agenda that hits close to home: soil depollution. This initiative aligns with the EU Soil Strategy for 2030 and signifies the project’s commitment to prioritize soil health, fostering a healthier environment and, by extension, healthier societies.

The primary goals of this initiative are ambitious yet achievable: initializing the identification of diffuse soil pollution and contaminated sites, guidance for the creation of an inventory and register of these sites, and stipulating the remediation of those posing a significant risk to human health and the environment.

The ultimate vision is that by 2050, all soils in the Western Balkans are in ‘good condition’, a goal that is in line with the proposed EU Soil Monitoring Law from July 2023.

This initiative is bolstered by three key work packages. Establishing monitoring of diffuse soil pollution, to strengthen capacities for soil quality monitoring in the Western Balkans to enhance the understanding of areas requiring soil protection from diffuse pollution and degradation.

In addition, an inventory of contaminated sites will be initiated by identifying contaminated sites and key soil pollution activities. EU4Green will lay the groundwork for assessing, prioritizing, and remediating these sites. This work package is critical for improving knowledge exchange and identifying best practices for soil pollution mitigation.

With the introduction of harmonized laboratory facilities and capacities, EU4Green stresses the importance of having reliable data across all environmental media. By harmonizing methods, quality control, and coordination of laboratory facilities in the six economies, this action will set the stage for the successful implementation of the Green Agenda.