Infodoc : Sciences, Techniques et Culture

Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) is a country rich in natural resources: diverse forests, healthy water, rich biodiversity. In the actual context of climate change and overexploitation of natural resources, it represents territory with environmental challenges. Studies on these issues have already been carried out at the country scale or across sectors, but few focus on territories. In this study we assume that the territorial approach would be the best way to understand the socio-economic and cultural dynamics that lead to environmental issues. This would also allow to make connections between scales. For this, territorial diagnostics were made in two municipalities: Mrkonjić Grad and Sanski Most, belonging to two separate entities of B&H. Landscape studies have been carried out and 5 th[...]

Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) is a country rich in natural resources: diverse forests, healthy water, rich biodiversity. In the actual context of climate change and overexploitation of natural resources, it represents territory with environmental challenges. Studies on these issues have already been carried out at the country scale or across sectors, but few focus on territories. In this study we assume that the territorial approach would be the best way to understand the socio-economic and cultural dynamics that lead to environmental issues. This would also allow to make connections between scales. For this, territorial diagnostics were made in two municipalities: Mrkonjić Grad and Sanski Most, belonging to two separate entities of B&H. Landscape studies have been carried out and 5 themes have been specifically studied: demography, agriculture, forests, water and industry. Management systems and governance have been described. Several environmental threats have also been identified. In both municipalities, open spaces tend to disappear due to the abandonment of certain lands during the war, as well as the constant depopulation of the country. The villages are gradually emptying, especially because agricultural activities are no longer profitable. Rivers are also subject to many pressures such as the installation of hydroelectric power stations and work to denaturalize the environment (concrete construction of banks, destruction of ecosystems). They also face pollution from coal mines, present in the two territories. These mines, as well as factories present in the municipalities, are the source of pollution that directly affects the surrounding population and environments. The in-depth understanding of these different issues will aim to establish a document proposing action strategies at the territorial level and to improve advocacy at the national level.