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Environmental information systems
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The indicator shows total economic losses from weather- and climate-related extreme events (such as windstorms, flooding, heatwaves, cold spells, droughts or wildfires) per country and per year (since 1980). A moving average for the previous 30 years is added because of the large interannual variability of the losses.
Kosovo is prone to natural hazards such as droughts, wildfires, landslides and floods, which can significantly affect economic activity, fiscal stability and . Projections indicate higher regional warming, decreasing annual precipitation and more frequent spring flooding, leading to water scarcity in . Recent floods caused damage equivalent to 0.9 % of gross domestic product, affecting about 10 000 people annually and resulting in losses of approximately USD 50 million .
In 2023, floods alone caused EUR 3.75 million . Climate impacts on water resources are expected to harm the agricultural and forestry sectors, threatening the income security . The World Bank estimates forest fire losses at EUR 1 368/ha, with 14 144 ha affected . The national strategy for disaster risk reduction and the climate change adaptation strategy highlight Kosovo’s commitment to enhancing resilience and reducing vulnerabilities. Both strategies provide explicit measures to address disaster risks and climate change impacts in Kosovo.
References and footnotes
- ↵Hessenberger, D. and Popovicki, T., Enhancing Nature-based Solutions in Kosovo, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Gland, Switzerland, 2023, accessed 25 June 2025, https://portals.iucn.org/library/node/51400.
- ↵World Bank, ‘Republic of Kosovo: Request for stand-by arrangement and an arrangement under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility’, 10 May 2023, accessed 25 June 2025, https://www.elibrary.imf.org/view/journals/002/2023/200/article-A002-en.xml.
- a bWorld Bank Group, ‘Country Climate and Development Report, Kosovo Country Compendium’, Washington D.C., 2024, accessed 3 July 2025, https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099100324121037634/pdf/P17920519a54a30bb1abe41c87eaa27d582.pdf
- ↵World Bank Group, ‘Europe and Central Asia - Country risk profiles for floods and earthquakes’, Washington D.C., 2016, pp. 57–60, accessed 25 June 2025, https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/958801481798204368/pdf/111015-REVISED-WP-ECA-Country-risk-profiles-PUBLIC.pdf
- ↵United Nations Development Programme, ‘Household building and business premises damage assessment – HBDA & BPDA in Kosovo following the January 2023 floods’, 2023, accessed 25 June 2025, https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/2023-05/hbda-bpda-in-kosovo-following-the-january-2023-floods.pdf.
- ↵Danish Refugee Council, ‘Kosovo: Vulnerable populations at risk from effects of climate change’, Danish Refugee Council website, 29 September 2023, accessed 25 June 2025, https://pro.drc.ngo/resources/news/kosovo-vulnerable-populations-at-risk-from-effects-of-climate-change/.
- ↵Grovel, M., Climate Awareness Association, ‘Navigating climate challenges: Kosovo’s agricultural resilience’, LinkedIn website, 23 November 2023, accessed 25 June 2025, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/navigating-climate-challenges-kosovos-agricultural-marie-grovel-g17ue.
- ↵World Bank, Kosovo – Country environmental analysis, January 2013, accessed 25 June 2025, https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/282361468047686579/pdf/750290ESW0P1310LIC00Kosovo0CEA0Rprt.pdf.