Adaptation to Climate Change in Adriatic Croatia—The View of Policymakers

Abstract

Changes in temperature, precipitation, and the occurrence of extreme weather events are increasingly present. Due to climate change, the Mediterranean Basin (the focus of this study is on Adriatic Croatia as part of the Mediterranean Basin) is more affected by production and economic losses compared to other parts of Europe. Policymakers are important individuals involved in shaping public policies. The main objective of this study was to assess the opinion of policymakers at regional and national levels in Adriatic Croatia regarding climate change adaptation strategies. The aims are (i) to rank the importance of adaptation measures, (ii) to examine measures that have already been implemented, and (iii) to examine future measures that need to be implemented at regional and national levels. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with representatives of sectoral agencies, the national government, and the regional government to answer the study questions. The main conclusions show that policymakers consider irrigation, organic agriculture, crop crossbreeding and optimization of agrotechnical practices, and agricultural insurance as the most important strategies. Currently and in the future, the most important actions of policymakers are the provision of education, agricultural extension, and information exchange.