Antalya:Balkan leaders have called for a fair energy transition and enhanced environmental protection during the COP31 UN Climate Change Conference held in Antalya, Turkey. Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina highlighted the necessity for stronger commitments to climate change mitigation, emphasizing the importance of responsibility towards future generations.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic addressed the conference, outlining four key priorities for Montenegro's green transition. He reaffirmed the country's ambition to join the European Union by 2028, emphasizing the need to turn environmental commitments into tangible actions. Milatovic stated that protecting nature is crucial for both Montenegro's resilience and its European future.

Milatovic's priorities include strengthening nature protection through the establishment of the Natura 2000 network, ensuring a just energy transition by reducing coal dependence and investing in renewable energy, and enhancing climate resilience against threats like floods and wildfires. Additionally, Montenegro aims to cut net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and 60% by 2035. The "Ecological State 2.0" initiative includes proposals for sustainable tourism and forest fire prevention, among other measures.

Denis Becirovic, chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, stressed that climate responsibility must be viewed as an intergenerational justice issue, rather than only an international or financial matter. He warned against prioritizing short-term economic gains at the expense of future generations, advocating for responsibility in international climate actions. Bosnia and Herzegovina is working on a National Energy and Climate Plan aiming for energy decarbonization by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050.