The EU in Albania launches “Protect Nature, While You Still Can” campaign
The Delegation of the European Union to Albania announced the launch of the campaign “Protect nature, while you still can”, aimed to raise awareness about the need to protect Albania’s animals, plants and nature, in line with EU laws and practices.
Albania is recognised as one of Europe’s biodiversity hotspots, yet public awareness of biodiversity and protected areas (Natura 2000) remains limited. As the country advances in the EU accession process under Chapter 27 – Environment and Climate Change, strengthening public understanding and engagement in nature protection has become a key priority.
The first event of this campaign brought together representatives from government institutions, EU Delegation, international organisations, civil society, academia and media to discuss the findings of a national survey on attitudes towards environmental protection. The discussion also addressed the role of information and communication in supporting biodiversity protection in line with EU environmental standards under Chapter 27, with the aim of improving public health, promoting a more sustainable economy and reducing the adverse effects of climate change.
While presenting the upcoming campaign “Protect nature, while you still can”, Ritva Heikkinen, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation, said that biodiversity protection is essential for Albania’s European path and requires commitment from all stakeholders. “The survey shows that citizens are ready to act, and our campaign will focus on young people and schools in order to turn this awareness into concrete action,” Heikkinen said.
National survey on attitudes towards environmental protection
A nationwide public opinion survey, commissioned by the EU in Albania and conducted by Data Centre inFebruary 2026, highlights a clear gap between environmental concern, awareness, and everyday practices in Albania. While only 24% of citizens report being familiar with the concept of biodiversity, concern rises significantly once the concept is explained, with 68% expressing concern about the harm to biodiversity in Albania. Awareness of broader environmental concepts also remains limited, with only 33% of respondents having heard of the term circular economy.
At the same time, although only 5% of households currently separate waste, an overwhelming 92% say they would be willing to do so if proper systems were in place, indicating that infrastructure rather than attitudes is the main barrier. Environmental concerns are wide-spread, with 66% considering water pollution a serious issue, followed by 64% for plastic pollution and 63% for waste pollution.
Public support for EU environmental alignment is strong, with 81% of respondants perceiving overall benefits. However, awareness of EU-funded environmental projects remains low at 22%. Overall, the findings points to a population that is ready to act, but is in need of better information, stronger systems, and improved services to translate willingness into sustained behavioural change.
Communication campaign “Protect Nature while you still can”
The EU-funded national communication campaign “Protect Nature, while you still can” aims to raise awareness of biodiversity and nature protection in Albania, with a focus on protected species, areas and Natura 2000 sites, while promoting responsible environmental behaviour among citizens.
Running from April to June 2026, the campaign features a strong educational component. Nationwide school-based initiatives will take place around Earth Day (22 April), accompanied by the distribution of tailored educational materials, including a comic book, a brochure on protected areas and an educational notebook. Quizzes, interactive games and giveaways will further engage young people through social media.
In May, a TV spot with a call to action will be broadcast on national channels, complemented by videos on protected species and areas displayed on billboards and city LED screens. Augmented reality activations and 3D content highlighting endemic species will provide additional interactive experiences for young audiences. A dedicated website will provide both information as well as practical advice on how each one of us can protect nature, while we still can.
The campaign is implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Education and the Agency for Protected Areas, under the EU-funded EU4GreenGen project.
Over the past decade, the European Union has invested more than €280 million in Albania’s environment, water and climate sectors, making it the country’s largest donor in this field.
#OurNature #OurResponsibility #ProtectNature