12.06.2024.
The second European GREEN Conference held in Vodice gathered numerous scientists and experts who discussed climate change and achieving of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).The director of the Water Institute and the President of the Board of Directors of the Fund, Mario Šiljeg, PhD, who organised the conference together with the International Association of Scientists and Environmental Experts (IAESP), pointed out in his introductory speech that Croatia was among the three European countries that suffered the greatest impact from the consequences of climate change and that the Water Institute, as the national body responsible for water monitoring, was strengthening its capacities to detect these consequences timely detection of these consequences. "Accurate and timely data on trends observed in the quality of water bodies that are also a consequence of climate change will help water service providers in more efficient planning and selection of technological solutions in the procedures of both drinking water preparation and climate change adaptation measures of all stakeholders in the water management system," said Šiljeg.
The deputy director of the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, Mirko Budiša, also addressed the audience, saying that the Fund had been dedicated exclusively to "green" topics for twenty years, which were, over time, supplemented with new content, but the goal had always been the same - to help citizens, companies, and local self-government choose more sustainable practices and establish greener habits. This includes, among other things, encouraging systematic waste and energy management with an emphasis on encouraging the use of renewable energy sources: "There is a lot of activity and work ahead of us, and a large part of it is related to changing the way we live our everyday lives, so we must not neglect the communication part. I believe that many of the findings we hear at the conference will be excellent content for further sensitization of the public on these topics," said Budiša, who also participated in the expert panel on the topic of green transition.
Mirna Habuda-Stanić, PhD, expressed her appreciation of interest of scientific and professional public shown in this year’s GREEN Conference: "The number of submitted papers and this year's participants confirms the relevance of the conference's goal, which is to contribute to a multidisciplinary approach to environmental protection and the achievement of the European Green Deal and the UN Sustainable Development Goals," said Habuda-Stanić.
Contribution to the conference, which was also sponsored by the Government of the Republic of Croatia, was also made by experts from the Fund. Heads of department Vesna Cetin Krnjević and Vlatka Gulan Zetić, and Ivana Jonke, green infrastructure projects manager, each held presentations in their respective field outlining various activities of the Fund aimed at improving nature and environmental protection.
