News

Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning Polona Rifelj attended the informal meeting of EU ministers responsible for the environment and climate that took place in Ireland on 23 and 24 July. The main topics of the meeting were the future of EU climate policy, circular economy, the competitiveness of EU economy and preparations for future international negotiations on climate and the environment.

At the coalition summit at Brdo pri Kranju, Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning Polona Rifelj presented the legislative programme for 2026, which is a key development framework for the coming years.

The 2026 Day of Nature is dedicated to the restoration of nature, the importance of Natura 2000 sites, the coexistence of humans and nature, and the public involvement in nature conservation processes. State Secretary Peter Lovšin presented the Rado Smerdu Award for outstanding achievements in nature protection to Morigenos, the Slovenian Marine Mammal Society. The Škocjan Caves Park Public Service Agency was presented with a commendation for its acts of nature conservation.

Rok Šimenc, State Secretary at the Ministry of Local Self-Government, Cohesion and Regional Development, and Sofia Alves, Director at the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, visited the Zasavje region today. They attended the Zasavje 2026 Just Transition Conference and visited the flood-recovery project in Zagorje ob Savi, co-financed by the European Union Solidarity Fund.

The Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Polona Rifelj, today assumed office. In accordance with the ministry's newly defined remit, responsibilities were handed over to her by the former Minister of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning, Jože Novak, the former Minister of the Environment, Climate and Energy, Bojan Kumer, and the former Minister of Solidarity-Based Future, Simon Maljevac.

Many of the measures introduced in Slovenia under the Recovery and Resilience Plan, implemented with the support of EU funds under the Recovery and Resilience Facility – NextGenerationEU, have already been successfully completed or will be by August 2026. Among these measures is the sustainable renovation of buildings to improve their energy efficiency.

The 70th Meeting of the IWC Scientific Committee, held alongside meetings of other IWC subsidiary and expert bodies since 24 April, concludes today. This is the eighth time that Bled has hosted the event. The meeting was organised by the IWC Secretariat with the support of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

Many of the measures introduced in Slovenia under the Recovery and Resilience Plan, implemented with the support of EU funds under the Recovery and Resilience Facility – NextGenerationEU, have already been successfully completed or will be by August 2026. Among them are measures contributing to improved water management and, consequently, cleaner and safer water.

At today’s session, the Government adopted the starting points for the preparation of legislative frameworks in the area of energy security and the reliable supply of essential goods and services. It also adopted the Strategy for the Prevention and Control of HIV, Hepatitis B and C, and Sexually Transmitted Infections 2026–2035, as well as amendments to the Decree on Drinking Water.

The Government will further reduce duties, thus mitigating the increase in the prices of petroleum products for the next 14-day period, as such an increase cannot be avoided due to the conflict in the Middle East. Without this intervention, there would be a price increase of approximately 26 cents per litre for diesel and fuel oil, and a price increase of approximately 18 cents per litre for petrol.

To mark the 40th anniversary of the Škocjan Caves' inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning (MNVP) organised a presentation of achievements and challenges in nature conservation in cooperation with the Škocjan Caves Regional Park. Participants in the Our Nature Our Future consultation reviewed and assessed these achievements, and discussed ways to improve the management of natural heritage even further.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning has established a clear, transparent and coordinated protocol for gathering information and responding to emergencies in which the health and safety of individuals are directly threatened by large carnivores. Our guiding principle is clear: human safety is the first priority, and all actions must be professional, proportionate and lawful, while ensuring the conservation of populations.

Slovenia welcomes the signing of the Partnership Agreement (EMPA) and the Interim Trade Agreement (ITA) between the European Union (EU) and Mercosur. These agreements are the result of over 25 years of negotiations. The two legally distinct instruments run in parallel and together establish a comprehensive framework for enhanced political, economic and sectoral cooperation between the EU and Mercosur countries.

At an expert consultation on the opportunities and challenges of Natura 2000, organised by the Slovenian Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning in cooperation with the Slovenian Business and Research Association (SBRA) in Brussels, experts from Slovenia, Croatia and the European Commission presented the latest findings, best practices and key challenges shaping biodiversity conservation in this part of Europe.

The UNESCO General Conference today unanimously proclaimed 13 September as the International Day of Caves and Karst. The initiative was officially submitted by the Republic of Slovenia at the proposal of the International Union of Speleology, which is based in Postojna. Under the authority of the Government, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning coordinated the activities for the proclamation of the International Day of Caves and Karst.

On 4 and 5 November 2025, the Slovenian Water Agency (DRSV) hosted the international conference “Water Management in the Digital Age: Opportunities and Challenges” in Portorož. The conference brought together experts from Slovenia and abroad to share best practices, the latest trends, and modern technologies, as well as discuss the current challenges in the digitalisation of procedures in the field of water management.

The 13th Slovenian Development Days have opened in Ljubljana under the title Business for Global Solidarity, highlighting the crucial role of the business sector in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and delivering humanitarian aid.

The tenth edition of the Mediterranean Coast and Macro-Regional Strategies Week in Izola concluded with a forum on ecological connectivity as a key element of green infrastructure. The Mediterranean Coast and Macro-regional Strategies Week featured numerous events attended by more than 300 participants from 20 European countries.

This year marks Slovenia's 24th consecutive year of participation in the largest European initiative promoting sustainable mobility. This year's theme "Mobility for Everyone" highlights the importance of equal access to sustainable transport options.

The floods that hit Slovenia in August 2023 had numerous consequences, ranging from major material damage to entirely personal losses. The worst natural disaster in the history of independent Slovenia affected almost two-thirds of the country's territory.