The World Bank has approved a €79.90 million loan along with a €2.89 million grant to advance Bosnia and Herzegovina’s National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP). The financial package is aimed at enhancing the country’s energy independence, creating employment opportunities, and boosting economic activity in regions transitioning away from coal.
The funding will support the Just Transition in Select Coal Regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina Project, which focuses on repurposing post-mining lands in Banovići, Zenica, and Kreka. It also includes measures to facilitate the closure of underground mining operations in Zenica. In addition, the project will aid in deploying renewable energy systems at the Banovići and Kreka mine.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is in the process of formulating its NECP, with a target to fully decarbonise its power sector by 2050. The World Bank’s support is intended to ensure that mine closures are executed in an environmentally and socially sustainable manner while promoting job creation and strengthening local economies in former coal mining regions.
