Parenzo interview

Town of Poreč about Life Sec Adapt

Town of Poreč – Parenzo hereby informs you that we have been invited by our local TV station (TV Nova from Pula) to talk about Climate change, Climate Adaptation strategies, New Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy Adhesion, implementation of Life SEC Adapt project and to give an overall review of the activities regarding energy efficiency, sustainable development, renewable energy sources and e-mobility implemented so far by the Town of Poreč – Parenzo.

The interview aired on October 25th 2017, the name of the show is ''Zapadna strana'' (''West side'') and it can be found on this link.

Due to the fact that the interview is in Croatian, we bring a Summary in English in order to give an introspective of the climate change and climate adaptation strategies issues, as well as our Life SEC Adapt project and other topics that were adressed during the interview.

Climate is changing. Climate change/variation has occurred in the past, in the present and is also foreseen in the future, with a very high intensity of change expected in the very near future – by the end of the 21st century.

Increasingly, climate change is becoming a cause for serious concern among policy-makers, civil society and the general public who recognize the potential it has to damage human health, economies and societies.

Within the end of the century climate changes include higher temperatures, less precipitation, and a greater risk of floods, droughts, heat waves and forest fires. Sectors particularly vulnerable to climate change include tourism, human health, biodiversity, agriculture, energy and water resources.

The Town of Poreč – Parenzo, as one of the Partners on EU Life SEC Adapt project, a Signatory member of Covenant of Mayors since 2012, and one of the first 6 Signatories in Istria region of New integrated Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy since April 2016, with an existing and fully applicable SEAP (Sustainable Energy Action Plan), once again shows determination and dedication towards ''low carbon and sustainable developing society'' by implementing mitigating and adaptive strategies through over 30 successful projects during the past three years.

Through the implementation of Life SEC Adapt project, two very important documents have been created so far by the Town of Poreč – Parenzo; first one being “Current Baseline Assessment Report”, which analyses the average values of climate parameters, air temperature and precipitation, as well as the recent past climate through the recognition and estimate of climate trends of both mean and extreme values; and the second one being ''Current condition and future changes of climate indicators as an introduction to Climate Change Adaptation Strategy of Town of Poreč - Parenzo'', the first technical milestone to define the adaptation process at local level, future regional climate projection and, therefore, the subsequent phase of risks and vulnerability assessment of local territory.
    
The results for the current climate suggest presence of significant warming in the area of the city, both on annual and seasonal scales, while the amount of precipitation during the analyzed period shows a slight tendency to increase in all seasons, except Summer. During the 21st century Town of Poreč – Parenzo can expect frequent and intense extreme events such as heat waves and storms accompanied by heavy rain and strong wind. The Summers are expected to be warmer and drier while Winters are predicted to be much wetter.

Reducing the vulnerabilities in each sector is possible. A key strategy, recognised and, currently in the process of implementation by Town of Poreč – Parenzo, will involve integrating climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction policies into planning and development strategies, and the development of comprehensive national climate change adaptation plans.

The Town of Poreč - Parenzo has long recognised the path of sustainable and ''green'' development as the imperative of the 21st century for all energy conscious cities, and has demonstrated its determination and consistency in the implementation of projects that tend to connect energy conscious European cities into a permanent network, with an aim of exchanging experiences in implementing effective measures in order to improve energy efficiency and adaptive capacity of urban environments.

---