S1.3 Rapidly including the Western Balkans into the EU ETS is the only effective way to phase-out coal and exclude Russia

Rapidly including the Western Balkans into the EU ETS is the only effective way to phase-out coal and exclude RussiaBy Christian EgenhoferThe Western Balkans power sector is close to collapse. Approximately two-thirds of the Western Balkans’ electricity is generated by lignite, most often by power plants that have operated for over 40 years. The carbon intensity of the region’s electricity sector is three times higher than that of the EU. Almost no power plant can run at its designated capacity any longer.Lignite-based district heating is no different, with several cities experiencing failures this winter. Retrofitting is economically unviable. This is because even if the large majority of plants were upgraded, they still wouldn’t be able to meet sulphur dioxide emissions ceilings under the EU’s Large Combustion Plant Directive, which came into effect in 2018 as a specific obligation of the European Energy Community Treaty, which aims to extend the EU’s internal energy market beyond EU borders – including into the six Western Balkans countries.The population of the Western Balkans region is exposed to some of the highest concentrations of air pollution in Europe, notably particulate matter (PM2.5), which is principally caused by lignite powerplants, according to a study commissioned by UN Environment. Consequently, the environment is deteriorating rapidly; forests are depleted, landslides are becoming more frequent and soil pollution is increasing.Watch more here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.