In the area of water management, Slovenia is not yet achieving the desired results, as water losses remain above the EU average.

The objective of the component is to implement comprehensive measures to strengthen prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery in the event of climate-related disasters, by improving infrastructure and related organisation, research, awareness-raising and training. The component is also aimed at improving water management.

Investments and reforms under the component will contribute to environmental preservation and climate adaptation, thus strengthening the country’s ecological, social, and economic resilience.

Strengthening preparedness and response in the event of climate-related disasters – reform

The reform shall define the organisation and response to climate-driven disasters through the creation of modular response units specialised and trained to respond to climate-related disasters at national, regional and local level, while redefining the role of the existing units. The structure shall address the climate-related disasters representing the highest risk for Slovenia, such as floods and large wild fires.

Strengthening prevention to increase flood safety – reform

The reform addresses the flood risk, which is among the most relevant climate change-related risks for Slovenia. 

The entry into force of a new Flood Risk Management Plan shall accelerate the planning and implementation of measures and projects that contribute to the prevention of the consequences of floods. Key elements of the reform shall be the establishment of a river control service and the introduction of automated solutions for control systems. The Water Directorate of the Republic of Slovenia shall be reorganised to achieve decentralisation and optimisation of the processes.

Restoring and mitigating the effects of climate change and climate-related disasters on resilient forest biodiversity – reform

The reform on the forest protection and restoration addresses the Commission recommendations for Slovenia’s Common Agricultural Policy strategic plan (SWD (2020) 394) by reducing the risk of the introduction and spreading of forest pests during forest restoration and by ensuring expert supervision through transparent tracking of the origin and genetic diversity of forest reproductive material, which enables future forests to adapt to the changing environment, in particular by maintaining the health and adaptability of forests to climate changes.

The reform shall contribute to achieving a good condition of habitats and species linked to the forests in order to enhance ecological services and biodiversity, and to build resilience to threats such as climate change impacts on forests.

The Rules on the Conditions for Entry in the Register of Suppliers and other relevant obligations of suppliers and requirements for the marketing of forest reproductive material shall be amended to ensure the appropriate quality of forest reproductive material. Rules on Certificates for Forest Reproductive Material shall be amended to improve tracking and expert supervision.

Increasing the efficiency of the operation of public environmental protection services – reform

The reform aims to improve the organisation and control of the public service and, by ensuring the sustainability of financing infrastructure upgrades, addresses the key challenge of losses in water management in Slovenia. The reform will upgrade the standard for the provision of the public service to increase the efficiency of water management and enable the use of reuse systems.

The reform will ensure long-term sustainability of the financing of infrastructure investments by reviewing the cost-effectiveness of the charges and levies on water use. Another key aim of the reform is the upgrade of the information system for monitoring and reporting of the activity of public service providers.

Social and economic resilience to climate-related disasters in the Republic of Slovenia – investment

The investment shall establish dedicated centres for prevention, preparedness and response measures against climate-driven disasters, such as floods and large wild fires. It shall include trainings for the civil protection forces to ensure integrated actions, as well as awareness raising measures for the general public. It shall also cover the digitalisation of the constructed centre for coordinated response and upgrading of the emergency number 112.

The construction of the necessary energy efficient infrastructures shall take into account the need to locate the premises in an adequate area exposed to the relevant climate-related risks.

The investment shall also cover trainings courses to deal with specific risks, such as floods and large wild fires, in the period 2025-2026, as well as awareness-raising activities among the different target groups in the population in the period 2021-2026.

Reducing flood risks and reducing the risk related to other climate-related disasters – investment

The investments to prevent flood risks shall include flood protection measures such as water retention systems and the expansion of existing spillage areas, where this is feasible. They shall prioritise nature-based solutions and green infrastructures to the extent possible. In addition, specific investments shall target the risk of landslides.

Nature-based solutions shall be included among the project selection criteria and prioritised where feasible.

Centre for seeds, nurseries, and forest protection – investment

The investment aims to increase the long-term quantity, quality, and resilience of the EU’s forests, in particular against fires, diseases and pests and other threats that are likely to increase as a result of climate change. The investment will support biodiversity-friendly forest practices, with a focus on genetic preservation and genetic diversity.

The need to concentrate the infrastructure and knowledge base for further innovation, development and research in this field will be considered when building the necessary energy-efficient research infrastructure, including seed, nursery, and forest-protection infrastructures.

Urban waste water discharge and treatment projects – investment

The investment shall finance the construction of additional front-to-end waste water systems with a net zero energy use and the renewal of additional front-to-end waste water system to lead to a decreased average energy use by at least 10 % (solely by energy efficiency measures and not by material changes or changes in load).

The investments shall focus on projects concerning waste water systems contributing to Natura 2000 sites and water protection areas.

Drinking water supply and savings projects – investment

The objective of the investment is to address water losses in Slovenia, which remain significant due to the age of the water infrastructure. The investment consists of building drinking water supply systems with an average energy consumption of ≤ 0.5 kWh or an Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI) of ≤ 1.5 and of renovating existing drinking water supply systems to decrease the average energy consumption by more than 20% or decrease leakage by more than 20%. The projects selected in the call for proposals will be implemented by the municipalities.