Covering an are of area 14.000 km² (4.500 land, 9.500 territorial sea) and a coastal length of 1.200 km (300 km on land, 900 km on islands), the Region counts 74 islands (5 large, 11 populated), 16 cities and 39 municipalities. It has a population of 450.000 inhabitants (Split region 250.000) with 80% of the population living in coastal areas

Main economic activities are tourism related with 90% of the activities located in coastal zone.

Current climate impacts and vulnerabilities
Main coastal zone pressures are caused by urbanisation and climate change. Main coastal hazards include heat waves, droughts, flash flooding, coastal floods, and storm surges.

In 2015 a DIVA assessment of costs of sea level rise in the Republic of Croatia has shown that the highest number of people flooded annually per built-up cluster will be in Split; while the highest number of people flooded per floodplain area will be in the Kaštela Bay, meaning the population of Split, Solin, Kaštela and Trogir.

Transformation scenarios through DesirMED
This case study will be mainly focused on addressing the degradation of marine ecosystems and providing solutions for the protection of coastal systems.

Potential testing of innovative NbS include:

• Innovative NbS for narrow coastal strip as a protection from flooding and erosion
• Solutions for increasing soil permeability, entitled Water sensitive urban design (WSUD)
• "Greening" of beaches – coastal afforestation for erosion protection and temperature alleviation (shading) – Kaštela area
• Renaturalization of tributaries (Jadro River area)
• NbS for Urban-Heat Islands (integrated with WSUD and biodiversity enhancement)
• Innovative financing solutions for NbS