Coal plants in Bosnia & Herzegovina were the biggest SO2 emitters in the Western Balkans in 2024, according to a survey by CEE Bankwatch, an environmental NGO. Last year, Bosnian plants emitted 212,840 tonnes of SO2 – 11.3 times higher than the allowed limits. Serbia followed, with 205,925 tonnes, 4.6 times above the allowed.

“Region-wide, SO2 emissions have decreased only slightly since 2018. And the emissions limits were more stringent in 2024 than in previous years, leading to an even larger compliance gap,” CEE Bankwatch said.

For the fifth time since 2018, the biggest individual SO2 polluter in 2024 was Bosnian Ugljevik coal-fired power plant with 112,943 tonnes, despite investment of €85mn made by its owner in the construction of a desulphurisation unit.

Across the region, six units exceeded their individual ceilings for sulphur dioxide emissions by more than ten times last year – Ugljevik, Gacko, Tuzla 6 and Kakanj 7 in Bosnia; Kostolac A2 in Serbia; and Bitola B 1 & 2 in North Macedonia.

Dust pollution in the region was 1.9 times higher than the allowed in 2024.

The highest dust emitter was Bosnian Gacko, which 3,339 tonnes – 13.7 times as much as allowed.

Nitrogen oxides pollution also totalled 1.4 times as much as allowed for last year.

“Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Serbia all continued to breach their NOx limits, with Nikola Tesla B in Serbia emitting the most – 12,418 tonnes,” CEE Bankwatch said.

Meanwhile, three Western Balkan states – Bosnia, Montenegro and Serbia – have failed to close the coal power plants that had a limited lifetime derogation.

Montenegro’s Pljevlja plant has been running illegally since late 2020, and in 2022 was joined by Tuzla 4 and Kakanj 5 in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Morava in Serbia. The Kolubara A plant, also in Serbia, also failed to stop operating at the end of 2023,” CEE Bankwatch said.

“In six months, the EU’s carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) will finally limit exports of Western Balkan countries’ carbon-intensive electricity by imposing fees on imports to the EU. This will make their ageing, inefficient coal plants even less economic. But the Balkan governments and utilities seem oblivious, as if they have all the time in the world. Clear, workable plans are urgently needed,” said Davor Pehchevski, Balkan energy coordinator at CEE Bankwatch.