A Climate for Change

(^50) Human Development Report - Croatia 2008
Box 2: Biodiversity of Croatia – an important driver of national development and under risk from climate change
There is global consensus that biodiversity is an in-
trinsic component of sustainable development. Bio-
diversity protection and conservation is high on the
agenda of international and national policy. How-
ever, the importance of biodiversity as an economic
resource and driver of development is not yet fully
understood. The same is true for the impacts of cli-
mate change on biodiversity. Biodiversity is a cross-
cutting component of many national industries, es-
pecially in such key sectors as tourism, agriculture
and fisheries, public health, pharmaceuticals, hunt-
ing and recreational fishing.
The United Nations Environment Programme/Med-
iterranean Action Plan - Regional Activity Centre/
Specially Protected Areas (UNEP/MAP-RAC/SPA) is
currently carrying out activities related to the Strate-
gic Action Plan for the Conservation and Protection
of Biodiversity in the Mediterranean Region (SAP/
BIO). The activities aim to update information and
knowledge on the impacts of climate change on
biodiversity in various national coastal and marine
areas. This includes identifying vulnerable and criti-
cal areas, national needs, and making recommenda-
tions for immediate and mid/long-term actions.
The analysis clearly indicates that coastal Croatia,
with its extremely rich biodiversity, will be the area
most affected by climate change. The Adriatic’s
long and very indented coastline contains a great
number of islands and vulnerable habitats like la-
goons, estuaries, small Mediterranean wetlands,
salinas, karstic rivers and subterranean hydrological
systems, providing habitat that supports incred-
ible biodiversity. The expectation is that low-lying
coastal and shallow marine habitats will be exposed
to sea-level rise and lack freshwater due to predict-
ed increases in droughts. Many species may be af-
fected because of the loss of suitable habitats and
because of new conditions in marine waters, like
changes of temperature, salinity and sea level and
the invasion of non-native species better adapted
to climate changes. The abundant native species in
the coastal part of Croatia are expected to become
threatened – especially those connected to Adriatic
rivers, subterranean habitats (caves), islands, and
coastal mountains.
Migratory birds and other migratory species will
have to adapt their life-cycles to new climate con-
ditions and find new, suitable stopover sites dur-
ing migration. Some predatory marine and terres-
trial species may be threatened by changes in the
quantity and distribution of their prey. The rich
genetic diversity in agriculture along the Croatian
coast, including a great number of native varieties
of grapes, olives, cherries and other cultures might
be affected, but it is still difficult to predict the ex-
act consequences. Many important protected sites,
like national and nature parks, that conserve bio-
diversity and are valuable tourist destinations and
sources of national income, may also be vulnerable
to climate change.
Though experts in Croatia have predicted the vul-
nerability of biodiversity to climate change, the is-
sue has yet to be recognized as an important issue
at the national policy level, which should be incor-
porated into strategy documents or action plans.
No specific monitoring or physical impact study
programmes regarding climate change impacts on
biodiversity have been undertaken, even though
on-going research activities could have significant
results and serve as a basis for future systematic
monitoring and actions.
It is important to raise the issue of climate change
and its effect on biodiversity to the policy level, both
to protect nature and because biodiversity is an im-
portant resource for a number of economic sectors
like tourism, agriculture, forestry, fishery and others.
Additionally, biodiversity is responsible for a num-
ber of ecological functions, which are critical for the
survival and development of human society.
Jasminka Radović, Head of the Department for Nature
Impact Assessment, State Institute for Nature Protec-
tion
Arsen Pavasović, International Consultant
What Would Climate Change Affect in Croatia?