Recommendations on establishing urban nature-based solutions in the Western Balkans

Urban areas across the Western Balkans are facing intensifying environmental pressures linked to climate change, rapid urbanization, ecosystem degradation, and social inequality. Increasing heatwaves, recurrent flooding, air pollution episodes, loss of biodiversity, and insufficient access to green public spaces are becoming structural challenges in cities such as Tirana, Belgrade, Sarajevo, Skopje, Podgorica, and Prishtina. Traditional grey infrastructure alone is no longer sufficient to respond effectively to these interlinked risks. In this context, Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) offer a transformative pathway for cities in the region to build resilience while improving quality of life, strengthening biodiversity, and fostering inclusive economic development. This policy document provides comprehensive recommendations for establishing urban Nature-Based Solutions in the Western Balkans.