At the time of the Industrial Revolution the improvement of the conditions of life and the process of urbanisation occured. Factories were supplied with machines, which made the work of the humans much easier, but their use required the energy obtained from fossil fuels. By using fossil fuels classical industry has been disturbing the natural balance. Emission of damaging gases which appear at the time of combustion of fossil fuels enlarges the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and global warming as well, which results in the climate changes evident all over the world. Climate changes include melting of glaciers, enlarged risk of floods and droughts, rising of the sea level, loss of biodiversity, they threathen human health etc. At the beginning of 1970s due to evident effects of industrial pollution on human health and on environment the processes of growth of development and care of environment started. Business strategies turn to sustainable development, and solutions have been given by modern industry which takes care of environment. Modern industry uses energy supplied by sustainable energy resources with reduced or even non-existant emission of damaging gases. Industrial EU policy plays the role of a starter of sustainable development, and aims and direction of EU industrial development were given in „Europe 2020“ strategy. Croatia, as an EU member, has to align its industrial development policy with EU industrial policy. Even though Croatian industry faces long and demanding way to achieve this, future is seen in using European structural and investment funds which are the main funding source for EU members aiming to achieve „Europe 2020“ strategy.