Ecological footprint of the western Balkans in the era of technological progress

Environmental protection is a key component of the sustainable development of the countries of the Western Balkans. This implies efficient management of energy and natural resources, with reliance on technological innovations that contribute to the improvement of development dynamics. The aim of this empirical analysis is to examine the impact of key socioeconomic and environmental factors, including information and communication technologies (ICT), carbon dioxide emissions (CO2 ), degree of urbanization (URB), consumption of renewable energy sources (REN) and economic growth (GDP) on environmental degradation, through an analysis of the ecological footprint (EF) in the countries of the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia) in the period 2001-2022. The region shared historical, institutional and economic characteristics, which make it a coherent analytical framework for examining the relationships explored in the study. The information base of the research consists internationally comparable databases of World Development Indicators (WDI) of the World Bank, as well as the Global Footprint Network. Within the research, correlation analysis was used to assess the direction and strength of the relationship between the variables, as well as simple linear regression in order to examine the individual impact of each factor on the ecological footprint. The results show that CO2 emissions and economic growth have a positive and statistically significant relationship with the ecological footprint, which indicates their role in the deterioration of the environment. In contrast, ICT and the consumption of renewable energy sources are associated with a reduction in the ecological footprint, while the impact of urbanization is both positive and negative. The obtained research results can serve as a guideline for the formulation of more effective sustainable development policies in the countries of the Western Balkans region, with an emphasis on the improvement of digital infrastructure and the transition to renewable energy sources.