In order to effectively confront climate challenges, Slovenia launched an initiative to establish a Climate Office, which will serve municipalities and regions throughout the country. The project was financed with funds in the amount of 199,000 euros, and the plan is to start work in November 2024 and to last until October 2026.
The new Climate Office will be key in adapting local communities to extreme weather conditions, such as floods and heat waves, which are increasingly affecting the region. The establishment of the Office is a response to the need for more intensive coordination and support at the local level, where the consequences of climate change are most pronounced, according to the website of the Government of Slovenia.
An example of the need for such a project is the floods that hit Slovenia in August last year, causing damage worth hundreds of millions of euros. The supercell storms caused heavy rainfall that led to overflowing rivers and streams, particularly affecting municipalities such as Žalec, Celje and Laško. These events confirmed the urgent need for effective natural disaster risk management systems.
The main task of the Office will be to strengthen the capacity of local governments, enabling them to plan and implement adaptation measures more efficiently. This includes redirecting settlement development away from potentially threatened areas, as well as improving infrastructure to withstand various weather events. In addition, the Office will actively inform municipalities about available national and European financial resources intended for adaptation to climate change.
The office will also organize educational and advisory activities, and will provide support in the preparation and application of projects for financing from various funds. It is planned to create a national adaptation strategy that will include 12 regional action plans, which enables a comprehensive approach to solving a global problem at the local level.
Energy portal
Source: energetskiportal.rs
