On Tuesday, 10 February 2026, the Croatian Chamber of Economy (HGK) hosted the ESG Academy titled “Sustainable Business Models: Emissions, Carbon Credits and Profit without Greenwashing” in the HGK Assembly Hall. Within the section “Foundations for the Carbon Market and Case Studies”, a joint presentation by Hrvatske šume d.o.o. and EKONERG d.o.o. was delivered under the title: Carbon Storage in Forests and the LIFE CROLIS Project (National Land Information System of the Republic of Croatia).

The presentation was divided into two parts. The first part was given by representatives of Hrvatske šume d.o.o. – Mr Goran Kovač and Mr Zlatko Benković, PhD – while the second part was presented by Mr Stjepan Hima and Mr Vladimir Jelavić, PhD from EKONERG d.o.o.

Croatian Forests – a Strong and Growing Carbon Sink

The first part showcased key data on Croatian forests based on the Forest Management Plans for 2016 and 2026. Forests and forest land cover 49.6 % of the land area of the Republic of Croatia. Forest cover has increased from 33 % in 1948 to 46.1 % in 2026. Growing stock rose from 188 to 444.8 million m³, and annual increment from 3.3 to 10.8 million m³. Between 2016 and 2024, an average of 6.8 million m³ of timber was harvested annually, representing 67 % of the annual increment. Of the total forested area, 54 % are commercial forests, 27 % protective forests, and 19 % forests with special purposes.

The long tradition of sustainable forest management in Croatia, dating back to the 18th century, was highlighted. Hrvatske šume d.o.o. has held the FSC certificate since 2002 and the SURE certificate since December 2023, confirming the sustainability of forest biomass in line with the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED III).

LIFE CROLIS Project – Foundation for Transparent Carbon Monitoring

The second part focused on the methodology for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions and removals in the LULUCF sector, the contribution of forests to carbon storage, and the importance of wood products as long-term carbon reservoirs.

Special emphasis was placed on the LIFE CROLIS project (LIFE19 GIC/HR/001270) – the first national information system for monitoring land use and land cover in Croatia. The system will enable integration of data from various sources and Copernicus satellite imagery, accurate determination of the baseline and monitoring of changes, support for reporting on greenhouse gas emissions and removals, identification of additional potentials for increasing carbon storage (e.g. overgrown agricultural land).

The joint presentation by Hrvatske šume and EKONERG underlined that Croatian forests represent a significant natural resource for carbon storage, while the LIFE CROLIS project provides a key tool for developing a transparent and credible carbon credit market in Croatia, free from the risk of greenwashing.

The lecture demonstrated the importance of cooperation between expert institutions and the valuable contribution of the forestry sector to climate transition and sustainable business models.

The ESG Academy workshop programme can be downloaded here, and the joint presentation in Croatian language delivered is available here.

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