Rijeka

• Country: Croatia
• Population: 142,500
• Member of Covenant of Mayors?: Yes
• Politician Who Signed: Vojko Obersnel, Mayor
• Website: www.rijeka.hr

City Introduction

The City of Rijeka is situated on an area of 43 km² along both banks of the Rjecina River (“rijeka” means “river”) that flows into the Adriatic. It’s excellent geographical position and natural beauty is influenced and provoked by a turbulent history and rich cultural and industrial heritage.

Rijeka is the most important Croatian harbour with convenient location and natural depth of more than 40 m; it is the second largest city in Croatia. As an industrial, administrative, cultural and university centre of the Region, it serves 400,000 inhabitants. The University of Rijeka with 15,000 students and 12 faculties was founded in the 17th century, in 1625, by the Jesuits. Rijeka is a sport city with 15,000 athletes and 190 sports associations. The City is surrounded by three most important tourist regions of Croatia (Istria, Kvarner and Crikvenica and Novi Vinodolski). It is an open and visitor-friendly city in which some twenty national minorities and ethnical groups live in peaceful coexistence. The most important development project, Rijeka Gateway Project, supported by the World Bank, incorporates the modernization and construction of road and railway infrastructure, port facilities as well as improvements of the Rijeka Airport capacities – all in line with creating Rijeka as a significant European intermodal hub on the Adriatic.

Key developments in the last 10-20 years: Gas Supply Infrastructure of the City of Rijeka; Energy Efficiency Public Lighting; Modernization and Automation of Heating Plants in Central Heating System; Energy Plant Cogeneration of the Kantrida Swimming Complex

Key goals for the next 10-20 years: Energy Efficiency of all buildings owned by the City of Rijeka; Usage of Renewable Energy Sources and Solar Energy in all buildings; Restoration of the Public Transportation System by giving up diesel buses and introducing CNG buses. Installation of LED Public Lighting is foreseen.