Prime Minister Andrej Plenković stated that Croatia's efforts have demonstrated that economic growth and environmental responsibility can coexist. Croatia's carbon footprint is well below the EU average, and the country ranks eighth out of 193 UN member states for achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, reports Vecernji.hr

Currently, Croatia uses at least 29.5% of its energy from renewable sources, with a goal to increase that to 42.5% by 2030 through projects like green hydrogen and geothermal energy, Plenković announced on Wednesday at the COP29 climate summit in Azerbaijan. "Croatia is committed to decarbonizing its energy system and accelerating the green transition," said Plenković in his speech at the United Nations' 29th climate summit in Baku. He emphasized that financial matters at the conference are important, but the most crucial resource is time—"we must act now."

In 2022, renewable sources accounted for 29.5% of Croatia’s energy consumption, and that number continues to rise. With projects like green hydrogen and geothermal energy, Croatia aims to achieve 42.5% renewable energy by 2030, Plenković announced. Croatia also has strong potential for investments in pumped-storage hydroelectric plants, he added.

He emphasized that moving away from fossil fuels is not only good for the climate but is also an economic necessity, as the International Energy Agency warns of an impending peak in oil production. Plenković noted that Croatia’s efforts show that economic growth and environmental responsibility can coexist. Croatia's carbon footprint is far below the EU average, and the country ranks eighth out of 193 UN member states for meeting the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.