This year's Earth Day, 22 April, is being celebrated under the motto "Planet vs. Plastics". The aim is to reduce the use of plastic for the benefit of human health and the planet and to reduce the production of all types of plastic by 60% by 2040.

There are few parts of the world that are not contaminated with plastic waste. The market flooded with single-use plastic products has led to waste ending up in the ground, lakes, rivers and oceans and being transported across the planet by water and air currents, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development told Croatian news agency Hina.

The ministry warns that microplastics can be found in all oceans and in numerous animal and plant organisms, with plastic becoming increasingly embedded in rocks and forming plastiglomerates. Tiny plastic particles disperse in the environment and serve as a microhabitat for bacteria that form a plastisphere, while cracks in microplastics are capable of binding heavy metals.

Greenpeace Croatia: Plastic pollution has become a global crisis

Every year, 14 million tonnes of plastic waste end up in the oceans alone. Of all the plastic waste in the marine environment, 80% comes from land. In the EU, plastic accounts for between 80 and 85% of the litter found in the sea and on the coasts. Single-use plastic items account for 50% and fishery products for 27% of the total.

The plastic waste is then transported by the ocean currents. It can be deposited on land, break down into microplastics or form dense areas of marine litter trapped in ocean eddies. The UN Environment Programme estimates that the damage to the marine environment worldwide amounts to at least 8 billion US dollars, according to the ministry.

The ministry also warns that 98% of single-use plastic products are made from fossil fuels or virgin materials. It is estimated that greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production, use and disposal of fossil fuel-based plastics will increase to 19% of the global carbon budget by 2040.

Global recycling rates for plastics remain low. In Europe, 29 million tonnes of plastic waste is collected, of which 32% is recycled, 43% is incinerated/co-incinerated and 25% is landfilled.

Greenpeace Croatia warns that plastic pollution has become a global crisis that requires coordination at international level. Negotiations on a global plastics agreement are expected to be finalised by the end of this year. The aim is to prevent oil and gas extraction for plastic production, stop the big polluters and enable a cleaner and safer planet. The non-governmental organisation expects Croatian politicians to show their willingness to combat the flood of plastic through national legislation.

Measures to tackle the problem of pollution

Greenpeace Croatia also draws attention to the growing climate crisis, which is primarily caused by the burning of coal, oil and gas.

“Therefore, the energy transition towards renewable energy and energy efficiency is imperative. Maximum investment in domestic renewable energy is necessary, especially in solar energy, which we have in abundance but do not utilise nearly enough. Domestic renewable energy means energy security, a cleaner environment, healthier inhabitants, more green jobs and a contribution to mitigating climate change,” says Petra Andric, Programme Manager at Greenpeace Croatia.

Green Action expects the new government to tackle the crises with determination and work on real solutions. One of the first steps will be to prioritise nature and environmental protection over other sectors instead of subordinating it to the economy, says the NGO’s chairwoman, Dora Sivka.

“Decisions such as the expansion of the LNG terminal, the construction of the Kosinj hydropower plant and the closure of Plomin 2 by 2033 are misguided strategies at a time when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is warning that we are already experiencing climate change that scientists have only predicted for the end of this century,” says Sivka.

Mazzocco-Drvar: We are worried about Croatia’s green future

She emphasises the urgent need for investment in local renewable energy, public transport, energy efficiency measures, the creation of energy communities and a broader change in habits that ensure quality of life without exceeding planetary boundaries.

The World Wildlife Fund is celebrating Earth Day by planting the largest food forest in Croatia at the University of Applied Sciences in Koprivnica, where nearly 1,000 fruit trees, various aromatic and other edible plants will be planted. This will serve as a garden that absorbs part of the carbon dioxide emissions, mitigates the summer heat on campus, absorbs excess water during heavy rainfall and serves as a natural cafeteria where students can pick their favourite fruits.

“Far from being carefree, we are concerned about Croatia’s green future,” says Dunja Mazzocco-Drvar, Director of the Nature Conservation Programme at WWF Adria.

WWF will therefore call on the new government to invest more in protecting nature and biodiversity, set a clear deadline for ending the use of fossil fuels and making a full transition to renewable energy, as well as a gradual transition to a sustainable and resilient agricultural system that is not based on subsidies for big agricultural polluters.