Croatia consumes at least 29.4% of its energy from renewable energy sources. Our goal is to increase this percentage to 42.5% by 2030 through green hydrogen and geothermal energy projects, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Wednesday at COP29, the UN climate summit in Azerbaijan.

“Croatia is committed to decarbonising its energy system and accelerating the green transition,” said the Prime Minister in his speech at the UN Climate Change Conference in Baku.

Financial resources for climate-related issues are important, but it is even more important to act now, said Plenkovic. In 2022, the share of renewable energy in Croatia was 29.5%, and this share continues to increase, the Croatian Prime Minister said.

Croatia’s carbon footprint far below the EU average

Projects for green hydrogen and geothermal energy will enable Croatia to increase this share to 42.5% in the next five years, he announced. Plenkovic emphasised Croatia’s great potential for investment in pumped storage power plants (PSH), which are a form of clean energy storage.

He said that moving away from fossil energy in favour of renewable energy is not only beneficial for the planet and the climate, but also an economic necessity, considering the International Energy Agency’s warnings about the imminent peak in oil production.

In the IEA’s current policy scenario, the decline in coal production begins around 2025, while demand for oil and gas peaks towards the end of the decade.

Croatia’s efforts have proven that economic growth and a responsible approach to the environment can co-exist. Croatia’s carbon footprint is far below the European Union average. Of the 193 members of the United Nations, Croatia ranks eighth when it comes to achieving the UN’s sustainable growth goals.

The Mediterranean is one of the most vulnerable regions

Croatia is supporting its neighbours, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, in their efforts to strengthen their resilience to climate change, said Plenkovic.

The catastrophic floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as in southern Croatia and Spain have shown the devastating effects of rising temperatures, he added.

Croatia plans to protect 30% of the Adriatic Sea ecology-wise and the Prime Minister said that the Mediterranean is one of the most endangered regions, which is why he called for immediate action.

Plenkovic welcomed the establishment of a Mediterranean department within the new European Commission, which will be headed by Croatian Commissioner Dubravka Suica.