Situated along the serene shores of Boka bay, the Municipality of Tivat is a shining example of sustainable development. A combination of modernity, intertwined with efforts to preserve rich cultural and environmental heritage, makes it a unique place on the coast. Its commitment to the highest environmental standards, community engagement, and innovative initiatives is a testament to their strategy to integrate tradition and progress.
The mayor of Tivat, Željko Komenović proudly says:" Tivat's commitment to sustainability is rooted in our deep respect for our cultural heritage and natural surroundings. We strive to create a thriving community that honours our past while embracing the opportunities of the future. Tivat Municipality is strongly dedicated to the principles of sustainable tourism, as reflected in the recent international recognitions such as Green Destinations award".
Tivat has embarked on a journey to attain international recognition for its eco-friendly practices back in 2020, and it was the first destination in Montenegro that started working towards the prestigious Green Destinations award.
The road ahead was made of rigorous procedures of implementing criteria and global standards of the Global Council for Sustainable Tourism and Green Destinations. After completing the task of reporting on 100 criteria from these organisations, Tivat has won a Bronze award from Green Destinations, making it the first travel destination in the Western Balkans to reach this level. Nowadays Tivat maintains this crucial achievement, seeking for the next level recognition and getting ready for the Green Destinations revision scheduled for 2025.
This is just one among many recognitions Tivat has achieved due to their commitment toward becoming a sustainable tourism destination, including the Green Destinations Story Award in both 2020 and 2021 in the category “Nature and ecotourism”.
Starting from 2021, the Municipality of Tivat is committed to enhance energy efficiency in its administrative buildings, by obtaining energy-efficient LED lamps and panels, replacing traditional lighting fixtures and significantly reducing energy consumption. Within the IPA project IRENE, Municipality of Tivat has replaced 593 traditional street lights with LED lamps.
The Secretariat for Spatial Planning is working on Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan /SECAP/ for the period by 2030, within the EU project “EU4 Energy Transition: Covenant of Mayors in the Western Balkans and Turkey”, jointly financed by the EU and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, implemented by GIZ. By signing the Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (CoM), the Municipality of Tivat has committed to develop a Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP) for the period up to 2030, aiming to reduce CO2 emissions, and where possible, other greenhouse gases, following a common approach in addressing climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Tivat promotes green initiatives and certifications among local tourism establishments. So, several hotels and touristic agencies in Tivat have embraced eco-friendly practices, earning them green certifications for their commitment to sustainability.
The central element of the Tivat sustainability strategy is also community engagement and collaboration.
Local residents, businesses, and local government entities work together to promote a culture of sustainability and environmental awareness. This is best reflected in the municipality's commitment toward implementing innovative projects, nurturing green entrepreneurship, and promoting environmental education initiatives. The municipality of Tivat is currently working on founding a Center for Mediterranean Agricultures which will be located on a former landfill Grabovac. Tivat will soon benefit from the results of the ongoing IPA projects: installation of a mini power plant on the rooftop of the Municipality building, as well as a super-green addition to local public transportation – an electric minibus.
“It’s not a coincidence that we’ve chosen Tivat, as the first destination in Montenegro that has joined the international program Green Destinations, and municipality with the highest level of good practice in terms of sustainable tourism and environmental protection, to be the host of ESG Adria Summit, event dedicated to sustainable development and green agenda”, said Biljana Braithwaite, founder and CEO of Sustineri Partners.
Besides focusing on sustainable development, ESG themes and partnership building, the Summit aims to showcase the beauty and what unique and impressive experience Tivat, Porto Montenegro, and Boka bay have to offer to its visitors.
