Compliance without governance: the role of NGOs in environmental impact assessment processes in Bosnia–Herzegovina

Both qualitative and quantitative research suggests that foreign donors (particularly the European Commission) have exerted a positive impact on environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs) across the post-socialist, new member states of Central and Eastern Europe. Green networks have been institutionalised and the foundations for multi-level environmental governance appear to be in place. But to what extent is a similar impact occurring in the so-called ‘potential candidate countries’ of the EU in the Western Balkans? From the perspective of environmental NGOs and their engagement in Environmental Impact Assessment processes in Bosnia–Herzegovina, it appears that the impact of donor-driven capacity building is exaggerated by assessments based on quantitative data. Formal compliance with EU procedures and the existence amongst NGOs of certain ‘capacities’ is not necessarily an indicator of environmental governance.