The six countries in the Western Balkans will have to invest 37 billion dollars in the next five to 10 years in climate change programmes in order to protect their populations against the consequences of natural disasters, World Bank experts say.

According to a report released on Wednesday by the World Bank, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia should invest hefty amounts of money in the relevant programmes to prepare their populations and economies to climate change and mitigate the effects of shocks and stress stemming from climate change.

For instance, damage caused by climate change to Bosnia and Herzegovina could reduce its Gross Domestic Product by 14% by 2050.