News

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 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.

At today's press conference, Minister of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning Jože Novak, State Secretaries Lidija Kegljevič Zagorc and Miran Gajšek, Director of the Office for Natural Disaster Recovery Ervin Vivoda, Director-General of the Water Directorate Lidija Globevnik and Acting Director of the Water Agency Urška Hočevar presented information on the implementation of works and plans for the future.

Minister Dr Aleksander Jevšek, State Secretary Dr Lidija Kegljevič Zagorc, State Secretary mag. Andrej Rajh, and European Commission delegation led by Sofia Alves, Director responsible for Administrative Capacity Building and Programmes Implementation in the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy in the European Commission, were on a field visit to the municipality of Črna na Koroškem to learn more about the projects funded by the EU Solidarity Fund.

With these awards, now in their 19th year, the Commission recognises the most innovative, inspiring and effective Life projects in three categories: nature and biodiversity conservation, the environment and climate action.

To mark Earth Day, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning held an expert consultation on our role in protecting the planet in the face of climate change. Participants presented systemic spatial planning measures, seismic activity aspects, landslides, mining and resource extraction. The consultation also addressed key legal and information arrangements aimed at reducing the impact of natural disasters.

The Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration hosted the Spring plenary meeting of the Western European Nuclear Regulatory Association (WENRA) in Bled, Slovenia, on 8 and 9 April.

At the proposal of the Minister of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning, Jože Novak, the Environment Council yesterday in Brussels discussed, among other things, the activities and achievements of Slovenia's Presidency of the Barcelona Convention, particularly in the context of the current and upcoming global negotiations on the protection of oceans and waters.

Last June, the Council of the European Union adopted a Regulation on nature restoration. The overarching objective of the Regulation is to restore at least 20% of the EU's terrestrial and marine areas by 2030 and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning has therefore started to prepare a National Nature Restoration Plan, which will be a key document for the implementation of the Nature Restoration Regulation.

On the occasion of World Water Day - 22 March - the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning (MNVP) organised an event to bring together connoisseurs and experts to share their views on the hydrological challenges posed by climate change and human interventions. Altered water runoff and sediment regimes are greatly increasing water-related risks and hazards.

Under this year's theme "Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet", World Wildlife Day (WWD) 2025 highlights the urgent need for innovative and sustainable financial solutions to preserve the planet's biodiversity and secure a prosperous future for both wildlife and humanity.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning organised the fourth consultation with the mayors and other representatives of Slovenian municipalities. The Minister of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning, Novak, and the Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development, Dr Jevšek, along with their colleagues and representatives of the Government, presented information regarding flood recovery, the analysis of the municipalities’ needs, and EU funds absorption.

Slovenia took over the presidency of the commission that protects the world's most international river basin last December, at the regular meeting of the commission's contracting parties. At today's ceremony, which was organised by the Secretariat of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), Slovenia officially took over the presidency in the presence of high representatives of Danube countries. The ICPDR, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, has significantly contributed to improved cross-border cooperation in reducing water pollution, reducing flood risk and improving the ecological status in the Danube River Basin.

Minister of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning Jože Novak hosted, on behalf of Slovenia as the presiding country, ministers and other high representatives of the contracting parties to the Alpine Convention at Brdo pri Kranju. At the Alpine Conference, ministers and other high representatives of the contracting parties reviewed the work performed, which the Slovenian presidency led under the slogan "Quality of life in the Alps for everyone", took note of the results achieved by the Convention's working bodies in the last two years and approved the mandates for their future work.

The tenth Meeting of the Parties to the Water Convention, hosted by Slovenia in Ljubljana and thus taking over the Presidency of the Convention Bureau, is coming to an end. The session was organized by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia in cooperation with the Secretariat of the Water Convention.