Southeast Europe is paving the way for a nature-positive energy transition. Here's how

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 sent shockwaves across the world. Not only did it change the geopolitical landscape, but it also caused a major disruption to the global energy market. To reduce its dependency on Russian fossil fuels, the European Union (EU) moved quickly to diversify its energy supply and accelerate the green transition through RePowerEU.

A year after the invasion, in March 2023, the EU agreed on stronger legislation to increase its renewables capacity, raising the EU’s binding target for 2030 to at least 42.5% – if not the more ambitious target of 45%, which would almost double the existing share of renewable energy in the EU. To enable this, the EU introduced the concept of “Renewable Acceleration Areas,” giving member states just over two years to identify locations to fast-track permitting for new renewable projects.

At the same time, a landmark agreement has been reached for a new Nature Restoration Law that, if formally adopted, will also require member states to restore at least 20% of the bloc’s land and seas by the end of the decade. The law is a clear signal from the EU of the important role nature must play in helping us meet our climate goals.

The EU and its member states now have a crucial window of opportunity to ensure a clean, green, equitable energy transition – and meet Europe’s goal to become the world’s first climate-neutral continent.

An integrated approach to planning being piloted by the Energy Community Secretariat and global environmental non-profit The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Southeast Europe may just hold the key for neighbouring countries.

The Energy Community is an international organization that brings together the EU and nine contracting parties in Southeast Europe and the Black Sea to create an integrated energy market. As of 2022, the parties have jointly committed to transform their economies via ambitious National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

To rapidly reform, facilitate and accelerate the renewable energy project planning and permitting processes in the region to enable this transformation, the Energy Community Secretariat recently signed a partnership with TNC to roll out its smart siting approach.

The smart siting methodology uses a range of energy, environmental, and socio-cultural datasets to identify priority locations for renewable energy. Developed in consultation with local experts and communities, the analysis can be used to help decision-makers see where development could take place without affecting areas that are important for biodiversity or the quality of life for the people nearby. From deploying this approach in the US and India, TNC has seen how smart siting can reduce costs, shorten permitting times, and enable a more nature-positive and equitable transition.

Smart siting analysis has already begun in several Energy Community countries with encouraging results. In Serbia, TNC researchers and local experts have identified 100 locations where solar energy could be developed to meet 10% of household energy consumption while benefiting nature and local communities.

North Macedonia has proven to be a particularly interesting example for the rest of Europe. The Western Balkan country, which has historically been dependent on lignite coal mining for around 30% and gas imports for an additional 15% of its electricity production, has committed to a coal phase-out by 2027. One of the first countries in the region to implement an auction for new solar projects in line with EU regulations, it was also the first contracting party to the Energy Community to complete an NECP—committing to increase the share of renewable energy sources in its gross energy consumption to 38% by 2030.

According to an analysis conducted by TNC, the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, and Eko-svest, the country has twice the land needed to meet its entire electricity demand by siting renewable installations on brownfields like former coal mines, as well as degraded and converted lands. This approach is a win for nature in the biodiverse country, which is home to one-third of Europe’s mammal species and two-thirds of its bird species, but also for the local communities whose livelihoods have relied on the now-defunct mines.

Under the partnership with TNC, the Energy Community will now serve as a regional hub for this approach, creating a one-stop shop for countries looking to simplify and expedite the permitting process and accelerate the deployment of renewable energy projects that coexist harmoniously with nature and other economic activities.

As Europe races to become the first climate-neutral continent, countries in Southeast Europe are leaving coal in their past and rapidly planning for a more renewable, nature-positive future. Countries across Europe and the world should take note.