Scaling up climate resilient flood risk management in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The project aims to protect approximately 799,445 direct beneficiaries in Bosnia and Herzegovina from intensifying climate-induced floods. It scales up a prototype from the Vrbas River basin to a national level, integrating a centralized and community-based Flood Forecasting and Early Warning System (FFEWS) with structural and ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) measures. The initiative focuses on six target basins: Vrbas, Una-Sana, Bosna, Drina, Neretva, and Trebišnjica. Key components include upgrading the hydrometric network, mainstreaming flood risk into sectoral policies (agriculture, forestry, hydropower), and developing innovative risk financing and insurance mechanisms to ensure long-term sustainability.

• Bosnia and Herzegovina has experienced a significant increase in major flood events, with 10 events occurring between 2001 and 2020, compared to 8 events in the preceding 75 years (1925 to 2000).
• The May 2014 floods were the most severe in 150 years, affecting 25% of the territory and causing US$ 2.7 billion in damages, which represented 15% of the national GDP.
• The project will implement a nationwide impact-based Flood Forecasting and Early Warning System (FFEWS) and establish Community Based Early Warning Systems (CBEWS) for 60 high-priority communities.
• The intervention includes the implementation of 21 non-structural and ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) measures, including afforestation of 200 hectares and re-grassing of 80 hectares in the Josavka River sub-basin.
• The project will provide technical assistance for the design and implementation of 10 climate-proofed structural flood protection measures, co-financed primarily through an EIB loan.
• A total of 14.4 million USD is requested from the GCF as a grant, contributing to a total project financing of 72.69 million USD, which includes co-financing from the government, EIB, and the private sector.
• The project aims to mainstream flood risk into sectoral policies for agriculture, forestry, environment, hydropower, and critical infrastructure, including the development of a national floodplain zoning policy.
• To ensure financial sustainability, the project will develop risk transfer mechanisms, including natural disaster insurance products for households, businesses, and agriculture, and explore catastrophe bonds.
• The project targets 799,445 direct beneficiaries, with a specific focus on vulnerable groups such as women, children, the elderly, and war returnees, who often occupy high-risk land on floodplains.

APA

Green Climate Fund (2023). Scaling up climate resilient flood risk management in Bosnia and Herzegovina. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/fp216-undp-bosnia-and-herzegovina_2.pdf

Chicago

Green Climate Fund. Scaling up climate resilient flood risk management in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 2023. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/fp216-undp-bosnia-and-herzegovina_2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Green Climate Fund |title=Scaling up climate resilient flood risk management in Bosnia and Herzegovina |date=24 November 2023 |url=https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/fp216-undp-bosnia-and-herzegovina_2.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greenclimatefund2023scaling, author = {{Green Climate Fund}}, title = {{Scaling up climate resilient flood risk management in Bosnia and Herzegovina}}, institution = {Green Climate Fund}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/fp216-undp-bosnia-and-herzegovina_2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }