Author: Louann Le Goff-Baleine

The 2026 CBAM implementation confronts the Western Balkans with a fundamental paradox: coal-dependent economies face €1.2bn in annual costs yet lack carbon pricing systems. Can regulatory constraint catalyse modernisation? Three pathways emerge: national carbon pricing (€2.8bn revenue 2026-30), ETS integration with free allocations (€10-20bn), and renewable valorisation. Success requires EU support, political will, and geopolitical…