Towards a greener Albania: Balancing economic growth and environmental sustainability through global insights

• Pages: 24-45
• Date: 01 January 2025
• Published date: 01 January 2025
• Author: Admir Mulaj

24

Vol.9 No.1

January, 2025

European Journal of Economics, Law

and Social Sciences

E-ISSN 2520-0429

ISSN 2519-1284

Towards a greener Albania: Balancing economic growth and environmental

sustainability through global insights

Admir Mulaj

DOI: hps://doi.org/10.2478/ejels-2025-0003

Abstract

This paper investigates Albania’s economic development trajectory through the lens of

sustainable growth, drawing comparisons with nations like South Korea and Costa Rica,

which have successfully aligned economic growth with environmental sustainability, while

aiming to avoid paths exemplied by Brazil and India. Using econometric models, this study

evaluates Albania’s GDP growth dependencies through traditional growth-oriented versus

sustainability-focused macroeconomic frameworks, including Green Keynesianism and

Ecological Macroeconomics. Key considerations include the Environmental Kuznets Curve

(EKC) hypothesis, the role of income in social outcomes, and the principle of strong sustainability

in natural capital management. Findings suggest that Albania’s path to sustainable growth will

require a multi-faceted approach: reinforcing environmental regulations, incentivizing green

technology, fostering international cooperation, and promoting targeted R&D investment.

By aligning policies with sustainable practices, Albania has the potential to achieve further

economic growth without compromising its environmental assets.

Keywords: Sustainable Development, Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC), Renewable

Energy Integration, Green Keynesianism, Albania, Economic Growth and Environmental

Models.

1. Introduction

Between 1997 and 2000, the extent of virgin forests in Albania declined dramatically

from 7% to just 1% of the national forest fund (Diku & Shuka, 2017). This reduction,

corroborated by World Bank reports, highlights unsustainable exploitation of natural

resources, particularly deforestation. While tree cuing does not directly emit CO₂,

it severely limits the sequestration capacity of carbon in nature, aggravating climate

change. These ndings emphasize the critical need for a comprehensive strategy to

manage natural capital responsibly. The assumption that Albania can rely solely on

its natural resources to achieve economic prosperity is not only misleading but also

detrimental. Economic development requires transformative value addition to goods

Research Article

© 2025 Admir Mulaj

This is an open access article licensed under the Creative Commons

Aribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

(hps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)

1

European Journal of Economics, Law

and Social Sciences

E-ISSN 2520-0429

ISSN 2519-1284

Vol.8 No.3

October, 2024

1

Vol. 9 No.2

September, 2023

Balkan Journal of Interdisciplinary Research

IIPCCL Publishing, Graz-Austria

E-ISSN 2411-9725

ISSN 2410-759X

Research Article

© 2023 Ardita Abazi Imeri

This is an open access article licensed under the Creative Commons

Aribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

(hps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)

Deliberating in the Gray Zone: North Macedonia’s Hybrid Regime and

Deliberative Democracy Exercise

Ardita Abazi Imeri

European Policy Institute (EPI) – Skopje

DOI: hps://doi.org/10.2478/bjir-2023-0001

Abstract

Deliberative polling has emerged as a promising method for promoting democratic reform

and citizen engagement in various contexts, however, its potential and limitations in hybrid

regimes, where democratic governance is challenged by a mix of democratic and authoritarian

features, remain relatively unexplored. This paper focuses on the case of North Macedonia,

as a country that has undergone signicant political and societal transformation especially in

the recent years. Despite eorts to promote democratic reforms, the country continues to face

challenges in terms of ensuring democratic governance and citizen participation. In a hybrid

regime, like North Macedonia’s, political leaders might not be inclined to value citizens’

input, and the media environment might not be free from inuence, which limits access to

varied and reliable sources of information. Civil society organizations may also encounter

limitations on their operations, and institutional assistance may be insucient. Additionally,

the population’s diversity could make it dicult to reach and build trust with citizens. In

this context, deliberative polling represents an opportunity to engage citizens in meaningful

political dialogue and institutional reform. This paper examines the potential of deliberative

polling as a tool for promoting governance in North Macedonia and highlights the challenges

and limitations faced in this process.

Keywords: deliberative poll, hybrid regime, authoritarian, democracy.

1. Introduction

Democracy around the world is in crisis. In general, the state of democracy world-

wide indicates a lack of progress (Economist Intelligence Unit, 2022). Looking at the

global picture, 2022 fell short of expectations for democracy, as it was anticipated that

the lifting of pandemic-related restrictions might result in an improvement in the

overall score. Both the Freedom House Report 2022 and the Economist Intelligence

Unit’s Democracy Index (EIU) 2022 indicate that the state of democracy around the

world is facing signicant challenges and setbacks.

Research Article

© 2024 Etleva Dobjani and Saimir Kristo

This is an open access article licensed under the Creative Commons

Aribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

(hps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)

Unveiling the Subterranean Heritage: A Case Study of the Underground City

of Kukës, Albania

Assoc. Prof. PhD. Etleva Dobjani

Head of the Department of Architecture and Design, Barleti University, Tirana, Albania

Assoc. Prof. PhD. Saimir Kristo

Vice Dean in the Faculty of Applied Sciences and Creative Industries, Barleti University,

Tirana, Albania

DOI: hps://doi.org/10.2478/ejels-2024-0014

Abstract

This paper investigates the viability of conserving and repurposing Kukës’ underground city,

which was built as a system of civil defence tunnels during the communist era in Albania.

Beneath contemporary Kukës, the underground complex, which houses administrative oces

and hospitals, is an important but underutilized historical and architectural asset. This study

assesses the architectural elements, historical value, and present state of the tunnels using

an extensive methodology that includes expert interviews, public consultations, on-site

inspections, and archival research. Results highlight the site’s dual signicance as a historical

landmark and a possible center for innovation and tourism.

The research oers strategic proposals for reviving the tunnels to strengthen the local economy,

maintain cultural identity, and increase tourist araction, drawing on foreign case studies. By

promoting the inclusion of Kukës’ underground city in larger regional development projects

and considering both community goals and pragmatic concerns, the article adds to the current

conversations in urban planning and cultural preservation.

Sustaining and repurposing Kukës’ underground city has various benets, including

enhanced cultural tourism and economic resurgence that encourage sustainable growth, the

paper points out. Still, challenges like deteriorating infrastructure, security concerns, and

accessibility issues must be overcome. Urban planners and politicians can apply the research’s

practical implications by using it to develop a model for cultural preservation that aligns with

modern social and economic goals.

A sense of shared identity and legacy among the local community’s members is fostered by

the initiative, which has signicant social implications as well. The study has some drawbacks,

including the need for signicant funding and the potential for opposition from groups who

do not recognize the advantages of these kinds of initiatives. To summarise, this research

highlights the potential of adaptive reuse to bolster the sustainability and resilience of urban

25

European Journal of Economics, Law

and Social Sciences

E-ISSN 2520-0429

ISSN 2519-1284

Vol.9 No.1

January, 2025

and services rather than the mere export of raw materials to fuel industrial machinery

in developed countries. Lessons from Norway’s sovereign wealth fund illustrate

that sustainable natural resource management necessitates decades of disciplined

governance and administration to ensure equitable benets for all citizens.

The post-COVID-19 economic recovery has prompted questions about the

relationship between rapid GDP growth and CO₂ emissions. Data from the World

Bank suggests that countries experiencing steeper GDP growth trends post-2021

are worth investigating for CO₂-related studies. Rapid economic expansion during

this period likely corresponds to intensied consumption of natural resources.

For instance, countries with accelerated growth often display trends that diverge

from sustainability, as observed in economic data from 2018 onward. Albania’s

case underscores the importance of balancing GDP growth with environmental

preservation, drawing inspiration from sustainable development models such as

BiH’s.

Responsible use of natural resources is pivotal for achieving SDG 12, which advocates

sustainable production and consumption. Since the mid-1990s, global natural

capital has grown by an average of 26.8%, yet many countries, including Albania,

have struggled to decouple economic growth from resource depletion. Analysis of

data from the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) platform reveals that Albania

transitioned from unsustainable to sustainable development only after 2012. The

four-year period of stability (2012–2016) highlights the potential for sustained GDP

growth without compromising natural capital. However, recent trends suggest that

Albania’s GDP growth has come at the expense of its natural resources, mirroring

challenges faced by countries like the Maldives, where economic growth has been

unsustainable. Comparisons with neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina, which

demonstrates one of the most sustainable growth trajectories in the region, provide

valuable lessons for Albania. By fostering a green policy framework and aracting

direct investments, Albania has the potential to advance its industry, protect the

environment, and transition to the High-Income group of countries.

Ngone Mirimi (2024) explores the nuanced relationship between economic growth

and environmental sustainability in developing economies, emphasizing how the

balance between economic growth and environmental sustainability often depends on

governmental policies, the implementation of green technologies, and international

support. The analysis reveals that while the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC)

hypothesis may hold in economies with strong environmental regulations, unchecked

growth in resource-dependent economies can lead to persistent environmental

degradation, as observed in Brazil and India. Mirimi (2015) recommends tailored

economic models that emphasize strong regulations, technological innovation, and

global cooperation as critical measures to support sustainable development in these

contexts.

Pathiranage (2024) further emphasizes the need for a fundamental shift in economic

policies to address the strong link between GDP growth and CO₂ emissions. This

study advocates for abandoning traditional growth paradigms in favor of frameworks

that integrate sustainability. For high-emission economies, policies should target