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Environmental information systems
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The Kosovo (under UN Security Council Resolution 1244/99) country profile provides a concise overview of key trends across three dimensions: environment and climate; socio-economic change; and system change (energy, mobility and food) in the country. It highlights the main developments and challenges in these areas, including measures to support progress towards sustainability in Kosovo. An assessment for each of the three dimensions was prepared by national experts from the European Environment Information and Observation Network (Eionet) in Kosovo, based on 20 established indicators from the EEA or Eurostat.
Kosovo is at a pivotal moment in its journey towards environmental sustainability. As it advances efforts in renewable energy, the circular economy and sustainable agriculture, the country also faces considerable obstacles, from energy poverty and waste management inefficiencies to heavy fossil fuel dependence and fragmented land use. While forests remain a vital carbon sink and organic farming is slowly expanding, Kosovo’s agriculture continues to drive pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
Energy transition policies are gaining traction, with growing investments in solar and wind, alongside EU-backed efficiency programmes. Meanwhile, transport and mobility reforms aim to cut emissions and increase access to greener travel options. The circular economy remains in its early stages, but strategies and business innovation are paving the way.
Kosovo’s transformation is supported by rising environmental awareness and policy alignment with EU goals, but scaling up action across sectors will be key to delivering on climate targets, protecting biodiversity and ensuring a fair transition for all citizens.
Key trends and assessments
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Summary assessment
Over the last 10 years, Kosovo has made significant progress in increasing its renewable energy sources, reducing its pollution load and expanding its designated protected areas. Despite these advances, the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, transformation of the energy system and development of an integrated waste management system remain serious challenges. Forests in Kosovo, as the main category of land use, at about 47 %, are the largest sink of carbon and have a major impact on the trend in the land use, land use . Kosovo’s total GHG emissions have been almost stable since 2008. The energy sector is the main source of .
The share of renewable energy sources in total energy production has increased moderately in recent years. A linear increase in final energy consumption was observed in Kosovo between 2008 and 2020, with buildings, transport and industry.
The main sources of fine particulate matter emissions are small-scale combustion, transport and industry. Reducing them decreased the concentrations of fine particulate matter and emissions of precursors of secondary particles in the air .
Municipal waste generation in Kosovo shows an overall increase over the last 10 years. Most of the municipal waste generated is disposed of in sanitary landfills, and the amount disposed of there annually .
Kosovo is still building up its circular economy infrastructure, including its national policies. The circular material use rate showed a very low increase (3.6 %) .
To meet the ambitious recycling targets of municipal waste, and to address the barriers to implementation of the circular economy principles, further efforts are needed to improve the system for waste collection, .
Overcoming barriers to sustainable lifestyles: education and awareness key elements for change
Despite environmental investments in water management, tourism and energy efficiency, Kosovo faces challenges in promoting sustainable lifestyles due to its heavy reliance on fossil fuels (65 % of energy consumption) and energy poverty (affecting 40 % of households), which hinder the adoption of sustainable alternatives. In 2020, Kosovo reformed its curriculum to include environmental literacy, emphasising . Coupled with investments in lifelong learning and public awareness, these efforts aim to drive social change.
Challenges in transitioning to a circular economy and reducing fossil fuel dependence
Kosovo has made progress with environmental taxation, which contributed 3 % of gross domestic product in 2022. However, reliance on fossil fuels and subsidies (amounting to EUR 12.7 million in 2018–2019) remain barriers to aligning with EU policies. Redirecting these subsidies towards renewable energy and circular economy initiatives is crucial for meeting EU sustainability targets. Improved alignment with EU regulations could also unlock funding for green development projects.
The launch of the circular economy roadmap marks a key step towards a sustainable economic model. This roadmap prioritises areas for transition based on economic impact (gross domestic product contribution, gross value added, employment) and circular potential . These efforts aim to position Kosovo more closely in line with EU frameworks for green development.
The business community’s role and economic adaptation
Kosovo’s sustainability transition requires an integrated approach involving both government policy and active private sector participation. Businesses, as key drivers of economic development and innovation, are vital for advancing sustainability efforts, supported by .
The government can aid small and medium-sized enterprises in adopting greener practices through financial incentives, technical support, simplified regulations and public procurement. Current government actions aligned with EU integration goals are promising, but expanding these measures will help small and medium-sized enterprises transition without excessive costs, fostering a greener, . [6]
The challenge of inequality: navigating the energy poverty in the green transition
Energy poverty affects a significant portion of Kosovo’s population, with nearly 40 % of households unable to afford adequate heating. This not only worsens living conditions but also hinders the adoption of sustainable practices. The Energy Efficiency Law addresses this issue by promoting efficiency in residential buildings, particularly . Kosovo’s social energy support programme provides assistance with heating costs but remains limited in scope, often failing to fully meet the needs of at-risk populations. To ensure an equitable transition, Kosovo must prioritise targeted subsidies for energy-efficient technologies, financial assistance for utilities and social safety nets to mitigate rising costs. Expanding green job opportunities, especially in renewable energy and waste management, can also help distribute economic benefits more broadly.
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The food system
Agriculture is an important and strategic economic activity of high priority in Kosovo. It makes an important contribution to economic development and employment, especially in rural areas, and represents 7.4% of gross domestic product. The agricultural sector accounts for 16% of total export value, although Kosovo still depends on imported agricultural products, which account for 24.4 % .
Agriculture is widely recognised as a major contributor to diffuse pollution, particularly through run-off from fertilisers, pesticides, emissions and waste generation. The sector accounts for about 8% of Kosovo’s . Organic waste, dominated by food waste, makes up 30% of the . The use of pesticides and fertilisers in agriculture has been continuously .
The food system in Kosovo faces many obstacles and challenges, such as food production control, providing for a nutritious diet, poor food waste management and land fragmentation. According to the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, the transformation of the agriculture practices applied plays a significant role in .
Through its strategic documents, Kosovo has committed to aligning its agriculture and primary production sectors with the EU standards, increasing sanitary controls on the food chain, improving the quality assurance infrastructure for food, encouraging sustainable development in rural areas, promoting innovation, digitalisation and environmental sustainability in farming, treating food waste appropriately and implementing the .
Kosovo’s agricultural development is supported by investments in physical assets, farm diversification and business development. Farmers are also supported with agricultural inputs, agricultural loans and insurance. Direct subsidies in agriculture in 2022 totalled EUR 57 526 788, .
Related to initiatives and good examples, the program for the integrated management of water resources in Kosovo stands out. It has implemented several pilot measures in food production businesses and in good agricultural practices, reducing wastewater discharge and pollution, saving water and improving . Another good example is Eco Kos LLC, which has created an innovative system for managing oils and fats used in food businesses (restaurants) by collecting and .
In Kosovo, there are emerging trends in consumer behaviour that are affecting production, imports, food waste and environmental impacts. These changes are being driven by a combination of increased awareness of sustainability issues, the influence of international trends, and government policies that encourage more environmentally conscious choices. However, despite the progress made in some areas, challenges remain, particularly in terms of reducing food waste, promoting local and organic products and shifting the broader population’s consumption habits. Consumer demand for sustainable products, along with government and civil society efforts, has the potential to drive further positive change in the future.
The energy system
The energy sector in Kosovo represents the majority of greenhouse gas emissions in the country, around 87 %, generated mainly by the combustion of fossil fuels in the energy sector, energy transformation, . The energy industry and small-scale combustion represent the main sources of pollution from particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less, nitrogen oxides . In 2022, coal accounted for 59 % of primary . Energy production in Kosovo is dependent on fossil fuels, which represent around 80 % of total energy production. Renewable energy sources represent only about 17 % of primary energy production. Primary energy consumption increased by a yearly average of 1.4 % between 2008 and 2020, and households and traffic are the .
Kosovo is facing various challenges in transforming its energy system towards climate neutrality and enhancing the country’s energy security. The transition to more sustainable energy production and supply is in its initial stage. These changes have been driven by policy reforms, technological development and changes in consumer behaviour. The installation of solar panels, the building of new wind energy capacities, energy efficiency standards in buildings and the construction of heating grids are some of the initiatives .
Future national policies and strategies are designed to reduce energy costs, generate benefits for the environment, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy security and contribute to decreasing the level of energy poverty. The country’s main policies, represented by the national energy and climate plan and the energy strategy, are focused on transitioning to a low-carbon economy while ensuring security of supply, lowering costs for consumers, increasing market competition and continuing integration with the European energy system. The targets of the energy strategy include a 35 % share of renewables in final electricity consumption, aiming to add 1.2 GW of wind and solar power capacity and 100 MW in the prosumer segment by 2031, with an intermediate goal of 30 MW by 2025. Meanwhile, 170 MW of battery .
Energy efficiency improvements in the building sector come through renovation, insulation and more efficient heating. Accordingly, a supporting programme of subsidies has been implemented, which aims to increase the improvement of energy efficiency and the replacement of heating equipment in the residential sector. The amount of grants includes a total subsidy . Kosovo has benefited from financial support from the EU, worth EUR 75 million, in support of the transformation of its energy system, focusing on stimulating energy saving and improving energy efficiency, under the energy support package for the . Although considerable progress has been made, Kosovo needs to increase its efforts to address the challenges related to the future of the energy system.
The mobility system
The mobility system is closely connected with other societal systems, such as urbanisation, spatial planning and energy. Urban population growth and increased mobility flows have caused many challenges for . [1] The transport sector represents 2 % of gross domestic product and is responsible for 10 % of total greenhouse gas emissions. Traffic remains one of the most important sources of air pollutants, representing 30 % of total nitrogen dioxide emissions and 7 % of total emissions of particulate matter with a diameter of .
The transport sector accounts for 28 % of final energy consumption. The dominant mode for passenger and freight transport is the fossil-fuel-powered car or van. In 2023, the number of registered motor and non-motor vehicles was 9.3 % higher than in 2020. The main category of vehicles is cars, 80 % of the total, dominated by diesel cars meeting the Euro 3 and Euro 4 standards. The number of hybrid and electric cars still remains very small and does not reach 1 % of the .
Improving road safety continues to be a major challenge. High rates of car ownership and motorisation, favoured by investments in road infrastructure, have increased road injuries and fatalities, although good progress has been achieved in the last 20 years. In 2020, there were 43 deaths per million inhabitants. The objective is to reduce the number of deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents by up to 30 % .
Transport and mobility, as an important driver of sustainable development, continues to be further enhanced by national authorities through planning innovative and smart urban transport solutions. However, there is still a need to design urban mobility and shift to a more sustainable system. The multimodal transport strategy for 2023–2030 promotes sustainable transport through several objectives and targets, including increasing the share of the population living in areas with good transport connections by up to 80 % compared with the baseline of 40 % in 2022, reducing total emissions in the transport sector by up to 20 % and increasing the share of alternative .
Until recently, transport and mobility planning in Kosovo’s cities has been mainly driven by motorised transport; however, several cities have already started shifting towards more sustainable mobility policies. Pristina, the capital city of Kosovo, has developed a green city action plan. The specific objectives of the plan regarding transport and mobility envisage investments in the public transport networks, including citywide bus network development, active transport infrastructure and .
Kosovo has a law in force that prohibits the import of cars older than 10 years. Customs duties and taxes have been reduced for newer imported vehicles, and there are some small initiatives to . Kosovo applies an annual ecological tax of EUR 10 to all vehicles, and excise to imported .
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