Adriatic & Water Sports: Barcolana58 presented by Generali is in full swing across Friuli Venezia Giulia, with SUP, youth sailing and the Barcolana Lake Up event drawing hundreds to the Gulf of Trieste and nearby lagoons. Water Quality Watch: A new study says Europe’s rivers are improving, but not fast enough; only Slovenia is cleaning up at the pace needed to hit 2030 water targets. Waste & Health Concerns: In Croatia’s Lika region, locals fear years of illegal hazardous waste dumping near Gospic may have caused lasting environmental and human-health damage, as cleanup still hasn’t removed a single kilogram. Climate Impacts on Farming: Heat and drought are cutting European hop yields and alpha-acid levels; growers are adapting with resilient varieties and more irrigation. Circular Economy in Action: Aquaculture Europe 2026 in Ljubljana put “waste to value” on the agenda, highlighting projects turning mussel shells and harbour sediments into new materials. Energy Transition: ELES, Plinovodi and Yokogawa signed an MoU to develop a hydrogen ecosystem in Slovenia, focusing on integrating electricity, gas and hydrogen networks. EU Budget Politics for Agriculture: Seventeen EU leaders, including Slovenia, urged the Irish EU presidency to protect farm funding in the next long-term budget negotiations. Transport Infrastructure: A proposed Adriatic-Ionian railway corridor aims to connect Italy, Slovenia and Croatia with the wider region, positioning the Adriatic as a key transit hub. Biodiversity & Marine Life: A smuggler ship deliberately sunk as an artificial reef in Killala Bay is now showing colonisation by barnacles, sponges and fish, supporting local biodiversity.