Agriculture
Agriculture still plays an important role in the economies of the region and employment, despite its overall decline compared with industry and the services sector. Almost 50 per cent of land in the region is used for agriculture: 19 per cent as pastures and 29 per cent for arable land and permanent crops. This sector is heavily water- dependent, where disruptions in the precipitation regime and a higher risk of drought and extreme weather have significant implications on the stability of the sector. Water resources are also used to generate electricity. On average, about 37 per cent all electricity generated comes from hydropower, although this is much higher in Albania (100 percent), Croatia (42 per cent) and Montenegro (45.3 per cent). Hydropower can be affected by accelerated evaporation and drought, and changes in the timing and volume of flow to storage systems. More frequent extreme events, such as flooding, may also threaten all types of energy infrastructure, with the associated increase of maintenance costs.
Year: 2015
From collection: Outlook on Climate Change Adaptation in the Western Balkan Mountains
Cartographer: Cartografare il Presente/Nieves Izquierdo