Review article
Croatia and an Integrated Coastal Zone Management Framework
Lidija Runko Luttenberger
; University of Rijeka, Faculty of Engineering, Rijeka, Croatia
*
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Coastal development significantly affects all environmental components – the sea, soil, air, and
water, as well as the sensescape of humans and other organisms. In 2013 Croatia ratified the Protocol
on Integrated Coastal Zone Management which sets the principles regarding adequate and timely
participation of local population in a transparent decision-making process, the formulation of land
use strategies, giving priority to public services and activities requiring the immediate proximity of
the sea, avoidance of unnecessary concentration and urban sprawl throughout the entire coastal zone,
and making preliminary assessments of the risks associated with human activities and infrastructure.
The paper aims to analyse the divergence of Croatian practice from international obligations assumed
as Croatia still lacks national strategies related to the use of its coasts and the sea and the ex-ante
environmental assessment procedures are inadequate. Educating the public, capacity building of
public administration bodies at national and local levels, fulfilment of regulatory tasks, compliance
with obligations assumed at the level of United Nations and European Union and taking account of
the need of local population are the prerequisite for preserving coastal environment, communities’
well-being, resilience, and viability of tourism which is based on natural capital.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
347255
URI
Publication date:
19.5.2026.
Visits: 0 *