🇭🇷 Climate Change-Related Damage in Croatia (January–June 2025)

ᴵⁿ ᵗᶦᵐᵉˢ ᵒᶠ ᶜˡᶦᵐᵃᵗᵉ ᵉᵐᵉʳᵍᵉⁿᶜʸ https://climateclock.world/

🌊 Flooding & Storms

  • In late March, central Croatia experienced severe flooding, particularly in the Slavonia region near the Vučica River. Emergency measures were activated to protect affected areas.

  • Coastal cities like Dubrovnik continued to invest in climate adaptation, especially against sea-level rise and storm surges, which threaten both infrastructure and UNESCO-listed heritage zones.

In 2025, Croatia's Country Overshoot Day fell on April 27, meaning that by this date, the country had consumed all the ecological resources the planet can regenerate in a year if everyone lived like Croatians. This reflects an ecological footprint requiring 1.4 Earths, indicating a significant overshoot of Earth's biocapacity.

🔥 Heatwaves & Drought

  • By late June, Croatia was enduring its second heatwave of the year, with temperatures soaring up to 41°C in some inland areas and reaching 35°C along the Adriatic coast, including Dubrovnik. Authorities issued public health alerts urging people to stay hydrated, avoid peak sun hours, and take precautions against heat-related illnesses. Water shortages and drought warnings have also been raised, especially for vulnerable regions in Dalmatia and Slavonia.


🏖️ Environmental Stress from Tourism

  • In May, high tourist numbers triggered concern about water scarcity, waste pollution, and habitat degradation, especially in Split and Dubrovnik. Over-tourism during a warming climate was flagged as a key vulnerability for coastal ecosystems.

🌱 Policy & Resilience Measures

  • April saw Croatia submit its National Inventory Report to the UNFCCC, detailing its greenhouse gas emissions and climate actions.

  • In June, Croatia expanded its green infrastructure:

    • Opened the Dugopolje Solar Plant (10 MW).

    • Launched rooftop solar incentives and announced a €15 million hydrogen fueling infrastructure program.

    • Ratified the UN Global Oceans Treaty, showing a commitment to ocean conservation and climate resilience.

🪨 Geological Events

  • On February 11, a magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck Zadar County (near Starigrad and Lovinac). While not directly linked to climate change, the event was widely felt and serves as a reminder of the region’s geological vulnerabilities.

Despite no record-breaking disasters so far, 2025 reveals a Croatia under increasing pressure from slow-onset climate stresses and sudden shocks alike. The second half of the year will be crucial to watch.

📚 References

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