Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Croatia

Regional Replicators

About the region

Geography: Primorje-Gorski Kotar is Croatia’s sixth-largest county, made up of three distinct microregions: the coastal zone, the Kvarner Islands and the mountainous area of Gorski Kotar. MountResilience focuses mainly on Gorski Kotar, one of Croatia’s most forested and least densely populated areas, characterised by dense forests and karst terrain. The area depends strongly on ecosystem services, forestry, tourism and water resources, is important for its water reserves and biodiversity, and is largely part of the Natura 2000 network.

Key sectors: Tourism (highly seasonal, with growing interest in year-round and health-oriented tourism), forestry and wood processing, and maritime industries

Role: Replicator region

Climate challenges in Primorje-Gorski Kotar

• Extreme weather events (freezing rain, hurricane-force winds) damaging forest ecosystems and timber production
• Higher risk of natural hazards (wildfires, flash floods, landslides) for infrastructure and connectivity
• Changing weather patterns affecting coastal and mountain tourism seasons

What has been done so far The region is working across three focus areas:

• Climate adaptation and restoration of highly exposed areas
• Sustainable and climate-resilient tourism
• Participatory monitoring and public reporting Specific pilot projects have not yet been selected. Partners are currently developing them through the project’s Replication Labs.

Key partners

• Institute for Physical Planning of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County
• Urbanex Ltd.