Climate-Warming Methane and Health-Damaging VOCs Found Around Fossil Infrastructure in Croatia
Zagreb, 2 July 2026 - Greenpeace activists called for the authorities to protect Croatians’ health and the environment as opposed to the interest of fossil fuel companies in front of the Okoli Underground Gas Storage. The action highlighted the results of a new field investigation in Croatia by Greenpeace experts from Germany, Croatia and Greenpeace Research Laboratories. At six out of eight observed locations enhanced concentrations of methane, VOCs (1), carbon monoxide and/or sulphur dioxide were reported. (2)
“As people have been dying across Europe due to a recent record-breaking heatwave, the fossil fuel industry must do everything it can to cut methane emissions. Methane is responsible for nearly one-third of global warming to date. (3) Reducing methane emissions is considered one of the fastest, cheapest and most effective ways to tackle the climate crisis in the near term while improving air quality.” warned Dr Eszter Matyas from Greenpeace CEE.
Recently the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has also called for decisive actions to cut methane, while the EU Methane Regulation also mandates the elimination of pollution sources and bans routine flaring from February 5, 2026.
The monitoring took place in early June, using a Gas Sniffer 4D, an advanced gas detection device. The Greenpeace field team from Croatia and Germany visited different industrial locations in Croatia, and directly measured methane and other gas plumes in the air.
"Mobile, high-precision air sampling is a powerful tool for independent monitoring of the fossil fuel industry. It is very important that this type of measurement is conducted continuously by the industry, and that the sources of pollution are immediately eliminated," said Jael Kluchert from Greenpeace Germany.
The analysis of the collected data was carried out by the Greenpeace Research Laboratories from the UK. (4)
“We looked at concentration data, wind directions and background conditions and our analysis suggests that operations at some of the oil and gas facilities were emitting methane and air pollutants," said Dr Aidan Farrow from Greenpeace Research Laboratories. "Carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide are gases associated with burning fossil fuel in flares, engines or other equipment. Methane and other VOCs can be emitted when fossil fuels are not burnt fully or from leaky equipment. These pollutants can be hazardous for people and the environment."
"With our previous research using thermal imaging cameras, we could see leaks at fossil fuel facilities. This research provides evidence which harmful gases are found around industrial sites. There is no more room for excuses from the fossil fuel industry," concluded Petra Andrić from Greenpeace in Croatia, calling on the Croatian Government to strictly enforce the new methane regulations and draft a plan to phase out fossil gas by 2035.
Greenpeace Croatia team recently also launched Methane Detector (6) - a new interactive map with flares around the country, as a tool for citizen monitoring of fossil fuel operations in their vicinity.
Notes:
(1) Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are carbon-based compounds which evaporate easily into the air. There are thousands of different VOCs in the environment, many are present in fossil gas when it is extracted. Some VOCs are hazardous to health, even at low concentrations.
(2) Out of the eight sites visited:
• enhanced concentrations of methane were detected at three locations
◦ Fractionation facilities Ivanić Grad,
◦ Gathering Station IVA-1, Ivanić-Grad,
◦ Underground Gas Storage facility Okoli north,
• enhanced concentrations of VOCs were detected at three locations,
◦ Fractionation facilities Ivanić Grad,
◦ Gathering Station IVA-1, Ivanić-Grad,
◦ Underground Gas Storage facility Okoli south,
• enhanced concentrations of carbon monoxide were detected at three locations
◦ Gas Facility Molve East,
◦ Gathering Station IVA-1, Ivanić-Grad,
◦ Rijeka Refinery, Urinj, and
• enhanced concentrations of sulphur dioxide were detected at one location
◦ Gas Facility Molve East.
(3) https://www.unep.org/explore-topics/energy/facts-about-methane
(4) The Greenpeace Research Laboratories form the Science Unit of Greenpeace International. Located at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, the laboratories provide scientific advice and analytical support to Greenpeace offices worldwide, across various disciplines. The laboratories are equipped with instruments for analyzing environmental pollutants, including volatile organic compounds, plastics, heavy metals and other organic pollutants in various environmental samples.