ANALYSIS CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT SMART CITIES AND ENERGY TRANSITION Can one happen without the other? Stephanie E. Trpkov December 2020 Smart City initiatives in Croatia are predominantly local initiatives which happen to be driving the energy transition forward. There is neither a common national governance on Smart City development, nor a common deployment strategy. An innovative energy financing mix which includes new sources of finance and upgraded owner­ship models would increase the implementation of sustain­able energy projects and help achieve the sustainability goals. The magnitude of the impacts of climate change presents a unique opportunity for innovation in technology projects, funding mechanisms, stakeholder interaction and knowledge sharing mechanisms.