A Climate for Change

Human Development Report - Croatia 2008 Conclusions: A Climate for Change – Findings and Recommendations^231

Conclusions: A Climate for Change - Findings and

Recommendations

Chapter 14

14.1. General findings

While this Report is not meant to be a comprehensive
overview of all aspects of climate change, it does re-
flect the breadth and depth of research that has been
done in many sectors to date, and it provides a link
between a global phenomenon and the everyday hu-
man development issues facing Croatia. The research
and analysis in this Human Development Report in-
dicates that while climate change is likely to pose
serious threats to human development in Croatia,
the country’s current “climate for change” will inspire
Croatia to rise to the challenge. Why?

• Croatians are concerned about climate change
  and supportive of the changes that may be nec-
  essary to address it. The public opinion survey of
  1,000 Croatians indicated a high degree of concern
  about climate change and a willingness to act. 96%
  of Croatians surveyed believe that climate change
  is a “serious” problem. Over two thirds of respon-
  dents indicated they would be willing to pay more
  money for heat and electricity to ensure that their
  energy sources were renewable. Furthermore,
  many Croatians are already taking action – such as
  reducing energy use – to reduce their carbon foot-
  print.


• Climate variability is already causing signifi-
  cant damage in Croatia. Agricultural produc-
  tion, human health, energy supply and other key
  components of human development are already
  vulnerable to climate variability, which may be
  a result of existing climate change. The August
  2003 heatwave caused an estimated 4% increase
  in mortality. The same year, hydroelectric produc-
  tion decreased by almost 20% due to the drought.

Between 2000 and 2007, extreme weather events

have resulted in average annual costs to agricul-

ture of EUR 176 million – a figure greater than

direct payments made to farmers by the Govern-

ment during that period. Invasive fish species have

appeared in the Adriatic - a probably consequence

of changes in the sea temperature - and are already

affecting the fishing and mariculture industries.

Climate events such as heatwaves, droughts and

floods provide the opportunity to assess Croatia’s

readiness for some of the impacts of future climate

change and the ability of the Government to re-

spond to these impacts.

• Future climate change is likely to have an im-
  pact on a broad range of sectors, though it is
  not possible to make definite predictions, as
  adequate information on the subject is current-
  ly unavailable. However it is probable that chang-
  es in the precipitation, temperature, soil moisture,
  and the frequency of extreme events, will have an
  impact on some of the most important economic
  sectors in Croatia. These includes:
  
  
  • The tourism sector – particularly where foreign
    tourists come to the coast during peak times of
    the year – may face challenges due to uncomfort-
    ably hot summers, but also opportunities due to
    better weather during the spring and autumn.
    Additional threats may result from damages to
    particularly important tourist destinations and/
    or increases in severe weather related events
    such as heatwaves and forest fires.
  
  
  • Many parts of the coastline may be vulnerable to
    sea-level rise, including the Neretva Delta, some
    urban areas such as the island of Krapanj, some
    parts of Split, and natural areas such as Vrana
    Lake near Biograd and the River Krka.