A Climate for Change

(^258) How this Report was Prepared Human Development Report - Croatia 2008
How this Report was Prepared
Annex 4
The idea of focusing on climate change as a theme for
the 2008 NHDR arose from several factors. First global
attention to the issue of climate change has been in-
creasing and conceptual linkages between human
development and climate change were given promi-
nence in the 2006/2007 global Human Development
Report, Fighting climate change: Human solidarity in
a Divided World. Second, Croatia was selected as the
pilot country within UNDP for a climate change NHDR
because of its representative mix of economic sectors
(fisheries, tourism, agriculture, and industry), its expected
challenge in meeting its commitments under the Kyoto
Protocol, and the availability of outstanding national ex-
perts in several fields related to climate change.
Broad cooperation from a variety of stakeholders was
critical to shaping the Report, its messages, and its
added value to existing knowledge on climate change
in Croatia. An initial scoping meeting with more than
30 representatives of Government, academia, busi-
nesses, donors, and the NGO community helped to
ensure that the Report could target gaps in existing
knowledge and take advantage of ongoing research.
In this meeting and in a series of consultations that
preceded it, stakeholders identified adaptation as
a key area to focus on because of the overall lack of
information at the national level and the potential
importance of the findings to policy-making in key
economic sectors. Stakeholders also identified “critical
sectors” that merited extra analysis in terms of poten-
tial socioeconomic impacts: coastal zones and water,
agriculture, and tourism. Croatian contributors to the
Report were selected according to these priorities,
and the project hired an international consultant with
expertise in the relatively new and narrow field of eco-
nomic modeling of the impacts and adaptation to cli-
mate change to provide information on cutting-edge
techniques to the Croatian experts. Over the course
of time after the initial meeting, the team of writers
worked to involve more stakeholders – especially in
sectors that may be affected by climate change. The
participants in the process also organised a relatively
informal advisory group that has provided feedback
on all sections of the Report.
The Report is truly inclusive in terms of the many or-
ganisations and individuals across Croatia who pro-
vided content and analysis for the Report. In addition,
Croatian researchers were extremely helpful in identi-
fying regional or international research findings that
were potentially relevant to Croatia in cases where na-
tional data were not available. Last but not least, the
Croatian public had their say in the Report, with the
opinions of 1,000 Croatians forming the lead chapter
in the Report and resulting in a new understanding of
the awareness and opinions of the Croatian public re-
garding climate change.
Peer review of the Report also reflects a national and
international effort. In Croatia, the Report was re-
viewed by members of the advisory group and several
additional organisations, in the form of both desk re-
views and discussions during a one-day presentation
of findings for the advisory group. The final document
greatly benefited from their input. Feedback and com-
ments were also provided by three international ex-
perts and UNDP experts on climate change and hu-
man development at the regional and global level of
the organizsation.
Finally, it should be noted that this Report is not seen
as the concluding work on climate change in Croatia,
but as a contribution in the ongoing national effort to
address climate change while promoting human de-
velopment. Also, this Report aims to initiate a broad
national discussion with high-level decision-makers
included, on the impacts and vulnerability of the
Croatian economy to climate variability and climate
change and on the challenges, costs and opportuni-
ties that a “climate-altered” world brings. Feedback
and comments from readers are welcomed.