11 June 2014: The World Bank has announced the approval of two Global Environment Facility (GEF) grants for the Adriatic Sea Environmental Pollution Control Project for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. The project will focus on reducing the discharge of pollutants into the Adriatic Sea and strengthen government capacity to monitor sea water quality.

Transboundary pollution is currently threatening the Adriatic, impacting fisheries and tourism and threatening livelihoods, according to the World Bank. The project aims to reduce the discharge of pollutants with transboundary importance, particularly Nitrogen, in selected hotspots, through demonstration projects. It also aims to improve government capacity to prepare pollution control projects in selected localities of Dalmatia and Herzegovina. The project consists of three components, including the demonstration of investments to reduce nutrient discharges and improve sea water quality monitoring capacity. The Bosnia and Herzegovina grant is US$2.44 million and the Croatian grant is US$4.33 million. [World Bank Press Release] [GEF Adriatic Sea Environmental Pollution Control Project (I)]