Decades of merely utilitarian management have made forests in Europe more vulnerable to extreme fires. To address this threat, a change of direction is needed that respects their complexity, also addressing the taboo of controlled fires

In the Old Continent, snow is becoming increasingly scarce, with a marked decline especially in Central and Southeastern Europe. The consequences for the environment, economy, and water resources are far from negligible

With the climate crisis, the threat of forest fires is getting worse every year. And from the Mediterranean, a global hotspot, it is spreading to unexpected latitudes, forcing society to deeply rethink its relationship with the territory

Europe’s rural areas could produce up to 30 times their energy needs with photovoltaics, but technical, environmental and social obstacles complicate their development. Networks, storage and community involvement will be crucial for a sustainable future

Europe aims to obtain 42.5% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030, but there is still a long way to go. While oil dominates the national energy mix, very different territorial realities are emerging, with rural areas ready for the ecological transition

With the growing popularity of hiking and mountaineering, mountain accidents have increased significantly. The pressure falls on volunteers from rescue groups, who often work in collaboration with their colleagues across the border

Peaceful, picturesque and full of history, the hilly regions between Slovenia and Croatia have become a destination for sustainable, cross-border tourism. The transformation was driven by Ride&Bike, a European Cohesion policy project

The defence of rivers and water: a highly symbolic struggle which in recent years has successfully mobilised very different layers of the societies of south-eastern Europe, bringing to light both potential and contradictions. An interview

Considered sacred by the Egyptians, despised in modern times, today vultures are present in all Balkan countries as a fundamental element of ecosystems. However, their future is put at risk by poisoning, transforming them into collateral victims of conflicts between man and nature

North Macedonia’s protected areas are of great ecological importance, but are increasingly exposed to the risk – among others – of fire. While political fragmentation and a shortage of personnel and resources pose considerable challenges, there has been significant progress. A report from the Šar Mountains National Park

Large carnivores are returning to populate more and more natural areas of the Old Continent: a success for the conservation of ecosystems, but also a cause of conflicts with the population. Coexistence is built by harmonising laws, good practices, and scientific knowledge. The Interreg LECA project moves in this direction

L’unica ricchezza di Topli Do, villaggio in via di spopolamento tra i boschi della Stara Planina, in Serbia, sono i suoi torrenti impetuosi. Quando nel 2019 una centralina idroelettrica stava per portarglieli via, i pochi abitanti rimasti non hanno esitato a erigere delle barricate. Da allora il villaggio vive un’insperata rinascita

Uno è un moderno corso d'acqua europeo, rigidamente sfruttato e regolamentato, l'altro è l'ultimo fiume in Europa a scorrere libero da argini e dighe. Un progetto dell'Accademia slovena delle Scienze e delle Arti racconta i fiumi Mura e Vjosa

The Adriaticaves project, part of the Interreg Adrion cooperation programme, aims to promote sustainable management of the immense speleological heritage scattered on both shores of the Adriatic, with particular attention to tourism with low environmental impact and disadvantaged territories

After Belgrade, Novi Sad. The new urban plan threatens the banks of the Danube and a natural area that "lets the river breathe", essential in case of flooding. The city administration continues at full speed along the concrete road

On June 13 the Albanian government committed to establishing a National Park dedicated to the Vjosa, the last major European river free from embankments and dams. The decision follows almost ten years of international mobilisation

The Amazon of Europe bike trail makes it possible to cycle over 1000 km along a cycle path that winds between rivers and forests, from Austria to Serbia

Scientific research and good practices. These are the two main elements that for some years have brought together researchers and volunteers from Italy, Spain, Greece, Albania, Croatia, and Slovenia in the fight to safeguard the protected natural areas of the Mediterranean from plastics

"The Adriatic is the final common destination of the waters of the whole region, and therefore must be safeguarded with a common method and as a common good". The CrossWater project looks to the two Adriatic shores and the sustainable management of water services

The results of the latest surveys on the Balkan lynx, present only in the mountains of North Macedonia, Albania, and Kosovo, do not bode well for the future of one of the most endangered mammals in Europe