Just green transitions reshaping spatial planning frameworks. Evidence from the Western Balkans

The Western Balkans faces unique challenges in pursuing of sustainable development, and to frame the actions put in place to face these challenges within the recent EU policy agenda is of uttermost importance. Aiming at shedding light on the matter, this contribution examines the role of the EU Just Green Transitions policy framework in reshaping spatial planning in the Western Balkans, a region marked by complex post-socialist legacies and geopolitical aspirations towards EU integration. Through a comparative analysis of Albania, North Macedonia, and Serbia, this study examines how domestic spatial governance frameworks and planning systems have adapted their instruments, policies, and institutional structures in response to EU-driven discourses. The collected evidence shows that, while Just Green Transitions narratives are increasingly present in climate and energy strategies, their integration into spatial planning remains fragmented, constrained by limited multilevel coordination and institutional capacity; planning instruments continue to reflect outdated paradigms, and the inclusion of a place-based approach to spatial justice remains minimal. This highlights the need for clearer legal mandates and the introduction of participatory mechanisms to ensure that spatial planning supports equitable and context-sensitive green transformations in the Western Balkans, while contributing to the broader European integration agenda.