Let’s meet SPARKLE’s cities: Poreč-Parenzo

Founded by the Romans 2,000 years ago as a military camp, over the centuries, Poreč-Parenzo became a fortified city and an administrative and economic center. Venetian and Byzantine influences remain, enriching the city’s heritage. Today, Poreč is one of Croatia’s top tourist destinations.

The city strives to meet energy efficiency, sustainable development, and environmental protection targets. In line with the Istrian Region’s vision, Poreč aims to achieve Green Istria goals by developing sustainable projects and becoming a role model for good practices. The goal is to promote the city as a sustainable tourist destination, offering visitors a unique experience while ensuring a healthier, more resilient future for the next generations.

How is Poreč-Parenzo working to implement the green transition?

Local authorities are leading the way in implementing the Green Deal and addressing public concerns. According to the European Climate Law, greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by at least 55% compared to 1990 levels by 2030. Cities play a key role in promoting sustainable energy policies, and their efforts need more recognition and support from national governments and the EU.

The City of Poreč believes sustainable development will benefit its residents and improve governance. By enhancing energy efficiency, Poreč aims to transform urban areas into sustainable, environmentally friendly zones, improving citizens’ quality of life and becoming a model for other cities in Croatia.

Which challenges is the city facing?

Smaller historic towns like Poreč face unique challenges in becoming greener, especially with their size, historic character, and tourism. As a top Adriatic tourist destination, Poreč experiences seasonality – its population swells to over 100,000 in summer but drops to around 18,000 in winter. This puts pressure on resources and infrastructure, making it difficult to maintain the economic viability of environmental, energy, and climate actions. Poreč’s long-term strategic goals are:

• Protection of natural resources with a focus on people
• Improving quality of life and health
• Promoting sustainable tourism
• Supporting agriculture and creative industries
• Achieving climate neutrality
• Environmental protection and ecological awareness
• Preserving traditional agriculture as the foundation of a stable ecosystem and biodiversity conservation

Why have you joined SPARKLE? What’s your role and expectations?

As a signatory to the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy and a member of Energy Cities, Poreč is committed to implementing climate change mitigation and adaptation measures. Poreč joined SPARKLE to develop SECAP, climate transition plans, and to share and learn with other cities and municipalities. The city will work on the Community Energy pillar with ReScoop.eu, strengthening public sector capacities and empowering citizens as active participants in the energy sector. By giving citizens a seat at the table, communities can better respond to the climate emergency- boosting renewable energy, reducing energy consumption, and fostering healthy, resilient societies. Poreč wants to inspire cities to collaborate with citizens on community energy projects, enhancing energy security and social equity.