ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview over the current environmental conditions in Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries and attempts to identify regional development strategies that strike a balance between ecological, economic and social goals without losing sight of political feasibility. Air pollution is arguably the most important area of environmental concern in CEE countries. While the impact of agriculture upon the environment is not as critical as industrial and energy production, it still remains a significant source of environmental deterioration. Although the necessity of improving environmental conditions is widely recognised in the CEE countries, the financial challenge is considerable and may well forestall rapid progress. The 'greening' of regional development strategies cannot replace environmental policies by national governments, or the integration of environmental aspects into sectoral policies, such as agricultural or energy policy.
