State Secretary at the Economy and Sustainable Development Ministry, Mile Horvat, said in parliament on Friday that the transition to low-carbon development would have a positive effect on a number of macroeconomic indicators and would increase the number of employed by 50,000 to 100,000 by 2030.

Presenting the proposal of the Low-Carbon Development Strategy of Croatia until 2030 with an Outlook to 2050, Horvat said that about a hundred measures had been selected that could be applied to reduce emissions in different sectors.

“The analysis has shown that the implementation of measures would have a positive effect on a number of macroeconomic indicators, a GDP growth between 2.5% and 3% per year, or about 11 billion kuna per year, an increase in the number of employed between 50,000 and 100,000 by 2030, an increase in tax revenue of about 1.6 billion kuna per year,” Horvat said.

An estimated 39-66 billion kuna will be needed for the transition to low-carbon development in the period from 2021 to 2030, that is, 107-168 billion kuna in the period from 2031 to 2050.

“Croatia has chosen a path that is most favourable for its citizens and the basic message of the strategy is that reducing greenhouse gas emissions must not jeopardose economic development and that implementing low-carbon development measures should be financed by polluters,” Horvat said.

He added that Croatia would have about 62.4 billion kuna in EU funds at its disposal for projects with a positive effect on the climate.

In the gradual transition scenario, greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced by 33% in 2030 and by 56% in 2050 compared with 1990. On the other hand, the rapid transition scenario should reduce emissions by 80% in 2050.

“Croatia as part of the EU shares the climate ambition expressed in the 2019 European Green Deal by the European Commission to make the EU climate neutral by 2050,” Horvat said.

(€1 = 7.53 kuna)