Croatia is actively bolstering its disaster risk reduction strategies through a multi-faceted approach involving domestic organizations like ProGEO-Croatia and engagement with international bodies. Recent efforts highlight a commitment to safeguarding geological heritage and enhancing resilience against natural hazards.
The International Association for the Conservation of Geological Heritage, known as ProGEO, plays a significant role in this endeavor. ProGEO, a global community of geologists, researchers, and heritage specialists from over 50 countries, focuses on geoconservation and the protection of geological diversity worldwide. ProGEO-Croatia, a national branch, actively participates in this mission, working to promote and protect Croatia’s geological heritage. The organization is involved in various initiatives, including contributing expertise to the IUCN Key Geoheritage Areas (KGA) initiative, which aims to identify sites of outstanding international geological significance.
Advancing Disaster Preparedness in Croatia
Croatia has been increasingly focused on integrating disaster risk reduction (DRR) principles into its national framework. This includes efforts to enhance official geospatial data for DRR assessments, as supported by EU funds. Projects have focused on establishing official mapping lines and developing topographic databases to aid in risk management. Notably, a European Union-funded project involving multisensory aerial surveying aims to produce digital terrain and digital surface models using LiDAR data to develop more efficient risk management strategies. This initiative also includes developing a methodology for earthquake risk management, with Zagreb identified as a pilot area for this crucial work.
The country’s commitment to DRR is further evidenced by its participation in the Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) network. Both the City of Zagreb and Dubrovnik-Neretva County have joined this global initiative, which provides tools and a network for cities to enhance their resilience and reduce disaster risks. A national MCR2030 webinar brought together over 50 participants, including representatives from the Civil Protection Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), to foster collaboration and share best practices in building local resilience.
International Cooperation in Geoheritage and DRR
ProGEO-Croatia, as a member of the broader ProGEO international association, benefits from and contributes to global knowledge exchange in geoconservation. This collaboration extends to initiatives focused on disaster risk reduction. For instance, ProGEO-Croatia has been involved in discussions and activities related to tsunami risk in the Adriatic Sea, recognizing the vulnerability of coastal communities.
Ljerka Marjanac, a researcher with ProGEO-Croatia NGO, has been identified as a contributor to preserving the world’s collective disaster memory, underscoring the importance of documenting and learning from past events to shape future policy. This aligns with Croatia’s broader engagement with international frameworks such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
In 2017, a UNESCO-organized national training workshop on the Island of Hvar brought together Croatian site managing authorities, emergency response agencies, and World Heritage focal points. The workshop aimed to integrate DRR principles into management plans for World Heritage sites and strengthen coordination mechanisms. Participants, using the ‘Stari Grad Plain’ as a case study, identified challenges in DRR for cultural heritage and adopted a statement structured around the priorities of the Sendai Framework.
These initiatives demonstrate Croatia’s proactive stance in leveraging both national expertise and international partnerships to build a more resilient future against natural hazards, with a particular focus on integrating geological heritage conservation with disaster risk reduction strategies.
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