Greenhouse gases reduction through waste management in Croatia

Abstract

The climate change policy is one of the key factors in the achievement of sustainable development in the Republic of Croatia. Control and mitigation of green house gases is correlated with all economy activities. Waste management is one of the main tasks of environmental protection in Croatia. The Waste Management Strategy of the Republic of Croatia and the Waste Management Plan in the Republic of Croatia de fine the con cept of waste management hier archy and direct and indirect measures as criteria for sustain able waste management establishment. The main constituent of this sys tem is avoid ing and minimizing waste, as well as in creasing therecy cling and recovery level of waste and landfill gas, which also represent green house gases mitigation measures. The Waste Management Plan consists of several direct and in direct measures for green house gases Emission reduction and their implementation also af fects the green house gases Emissions. The contribution of the methane emission from land fills amounts to about 2% of the total green house gases emissions in Croatia. The climate change control and mitigation measures as an integral part of waste management sector strategies represent the measures of achieving the national objectives to wards green house gases emission reduction which Croatia has accepted in the frame work of the Kyoto Protocol.