At the global level, it has been acknowledged that
we can not afford to see the ecosystems as something inanimate, as a source of wealth anymore, and
that the humankind is a part of nature. It is essential to reconcile the need for economic
growth and environment protection. It is necessary to promote a sustainable development,
which integrates the economic growth, to improve the quality of life, health, education,
social development and to safeguard the unique Romanian cultural heritage.
The Romanian Ministry of Environment and Waters
Management promotes a unitary, coherent environmental policy, setting for itself some
major targets to achieve:
Integration of the environment requirements in the sectorial
strategies;
Complying with the acquis communautaire for environment: supplying
drinking water in all the localities, purifying waste waters, protecting the population
against the dangerous effects of noise, closing the waste storehouses that do not comply
with the current requirements, renewing the technology of the central heating systems and
increasing the energy efficiency, promoting the renewable sources of energy, and the
ecological rehabilitation of the historically polluted areas or coastal erosion;
Disconnecting the environment damage from the economic
growth;
Guarding the biodiversity;
Monitoring and diminishing the climate change risks;
Risk management and prevention of the flood-associated
disasters;
Implementing the „polluter pays” principle;
Financing the projects related to environment,
inclusively through the Environment Fund;
- Raising the public
awareness and strengthening the cooperation with the environmental non-governmanetal
associations.
Atmosphere Protection
The air is the environmental agent that helps the most rapid transport of
the pollutants throughout the environment. Air pollution has many and significant
effects on human health and can damage the flora and fauna in general. For these reasons,
we pay special care to monitoring activities and the activities aimed at air quality
improvement. The quality of the air is determined by the emissions coming from stationary
sources and mobile sources (road transport), especially in big cities, and from the long
distance pollutants transport.
Taking into
consideration the EU classification criteria, eleven agglomerations were established on
the Romanian territory for the assessment and management of air quality within the
National Integrated System for Assessment and Management of Air Quality, namely: Bucuresti, Craiova, Pitesti, Ploiesti, Constanta,
Braila-Galati, Iasi, Baia Mare, Cluj Napoca, Timisoara and Brasov.
Air quality
management is
realised by way of:
Automatic networks for air quality monitoring in Bucuresti, Cluj, Craiov, and Iasi agglomerations.
Operation of the 23 existing monitoring stations supplied with analysers for sulphur
dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, ozone, volatile organic compounds and also with
samplers and analysers for particulates
On line dissemination of the information on air quality by setting
up indoor information panels (in city halls headquarters) and also by outdoor information
panels (in central areas and intense used roads).
The
extension of the National Air Quality Monitoring Network
will be realized through:
91 automatic
stations which will be placed in 34 counties for monitoring of air quality in urban areas,
suburban areas, regional areas and industrial areas, as well as in areas with hard traffic, three automatic
stations for long range trans/boundary pollution – EMEP (Fundata, Semenic and Poiana Stampei); the stations will
be supplied with the afferent laboratory equipments;
Indoor and outdoor public information panels placed in counties
capital city;
Equipment
for the management of data coming from the Air Quality National Network, at national
level, placed at the National Reference Laboratory for Air Quality within National
Environmental Protection Agency.
Joint air quality
Monitoring Network on the Romanian- Bulgarian border along the lower Danube. In this area
were developed two PHARE CBC Projects through which have been endowed with air quality
stations placed in “the mirror cities” Magurele-Nikopole, Zimnicea-Svishtov,
Giurgiu-Ruse, Calarasi-Silistra and with the equipment for emission control for stationary
sources and traffic for EPA Craiova, EPA Slatina, EPA Alexandria, EPA Giurgiu and EPA.
Waste management
The
communitarian acquis for the waste management is 100% transposed into Romanian
legislation, following that, for its implementation to participate all the stakeholders:
the public institutions and the producers/ importers/ retailers of different
products that will become waste at the end of their life-cycle, collecting, shipment and
recycling companies, citizens.
„The
engine” of the entire waste management flow is represented by the CITIZEN and his
awareness.
On
November 2005, a public awareness campaign took place “Waste concerns
everybody” organized by Ministry of Environment and Waters Management and the Ecological University from
Bucharest. There were over 250 participants from 55 institutions, companies, consultancy
firms, professional associations, NGOs, owners associations.
Taking
into considering the same interest of all the citizens for a clean environment, the main
objective of MATRA pilot projects, developed in co-operation with Ministry of
Economy and Trade, was the collection of portable batteries within the schools from
district 6 in Bucharest and selective collection of packaging waste. The mottos were:
“The first step towards recycling is yours!”
“Let’s recycle paper!”, “Let’s collect PETs!”, “The
integrated management system of school waste”. There were organized the competition
“The best leaflet” and a masked ball with costumes made by recycled materials.
Communication through events is
accomplished by the International Exhibitions (such as ECOMEDIU in Arad and ROMENVIROTEC
in Bucharest) with Ministry of Environment and Waters Management
stalls. Ministry of Environment and Waters Management has organized the Day of Open
Doors for the students within ecological universities.
At
regional and local level and within the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania, the
awareness and information seminars for economic operators regarding specific waste
management were very helpful. Brochures, leaflets and posters were elaborated and
distributed.
The
2004 PHARE Technical Assistance for Regional Waste Management Plans (1.8 million Euros) is
under tender procedure.
The opening of The national waste management laboratory and other
two laboratories within the Environmental Protection Agencies from Bacau and Galati
represent an important event.
At present, Romania
has 18 ecological waste landfills, 3 are under construction and by the end of 2017, 65
waste landfills are functional.
In
Romania, there are 7 private incineration installations for hazardous waste (in the
counties: Arges, Prahova, Olt and Neamt) and 6 private incineration installations for
hazardous waste which work for third parties (at Timisoara, Suceava, Constanta,
Cluj-Napoca). There will be build or modernize other 7 incinerators
in: Bucharest, Craiova, Constanta, Suceava, Mizil and Tartasesti-Dāmbovita.
The use of
renewable energy is underlined for its effects on environment ecologization. Local heating
installations which use wood waste (sawdust) work in Vatra Dornei, Tasca-Bicaz and
Gheorghieni.
Within
the programme PHARE 2002, in the period September 2003 – September 2005, a Twinning project regarding the improvement of legal
framework and implementation in the field of chemicals was developed, in partnership
with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Waters Management from Austria (RO
2002/1B/EN/01). The Twinning Project focused on professional training for many
persons within the public authorities, including the institutions with responsibilities in
the chemicals field.
The
finalization of the legal framework in the chemicals field was undertaken within the
Twinning Project. At the same time, within the Twinning project, there has been carried
out an information exchange system referring to dangerous chemical substances aiming data
collection, processing and reporting.
Biodiversity
Romania is one of the European
countries with a various and well-preserved natural capital, mainly due to the
interference of five biogeographically regions on the territory of the country - Alpine,
Continental, Panonic, Steppic, and Black Sea. Due to the geographical position of Romania,
the flora and fauna also present Asiatic influences from north, Mediterranean from south
and European continental components from north-west. The relative stability of human
population and the low antrophic pressure during the last 60 years, led to a much
better-preserved natural capital in comparison with other areas from Europe.
As
a consequence to its geographical position, Romania is a country
with a high level of biodiversity, expressed at the ecosystems level as well as at the
species level. Natural and semi natural ecosystems cover approximately 47% of the country
surface.
The diversity of
flora and fauna includes populations of wolves, bears, chamois and lynx, considered to be
the largest in Europe as well as unmodified large alpine and virgin forest habitats,
associated to the Carpathian mountain chain.
In
order to preserve the biological diversity, on the Romanian territory, 963 natural
protected areas are established, representing more than 7% of the country surface. Among
these are 3 biosphere reserves, 4 Ramsar sites, 2 sites which received European Diploma
for protected areas granted by the Council of Europe, 13 national parks and 13 natural
parks which are the base of the national ecological network.
Within
the national network of the natural protected areas, Danube Delta distinguishes, both as
surface (580 000 ha) and level of biological diversity, having triple international
statute: Biosphere Reserve, Ramsar Site (wetland of international importance), site of
Natural and Cultural World Heritage.
The
high level of habitats diversity also reflects a high level of flora and fauna species
diversity, in Romania being identified 3700 plant species, out of which endemic species
represent 4%.
Regarding
fauna, 33792 animal species were identified, 33085 of them being invertebrates and 707
vertebrates.
In
order to protect this valuable natural capital and to insure a favourable status of
conservation of some natural habitats with special significance both at national and
communautaire level, Romania has taken important steps by implementing some projects and
programmes referring to biodiversity conservation.
Therefore,
beginning with 1999, Romania has become the first candidate country to the European Union
which implements LIFE Nature projects. Through this programme, there are many projects
under implementation focused on the conservation of priority species and habitats at the
European Union level.
As
the nature conservation is not possible only at national level, requiring measures at
global and European level, Romania has adhered and ratified the main conventions in
the field: The Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and European natural
habitats (Bern, 1979), the Convention on biological diversity (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), the
Convention on wetlands of international importance (Ramsar, 1971), the Convention on
international international trade with wild species of flora and fauna (Washington, 1973),
the Convention on conservation of migratory species of wild animals (Bonn, 1979), the
Convention concerning the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage (Paris,
1972), the European Convention of Landscape (Florence, 2000), the Protocol concerning
biological security (Cartagena, 2001), the Agreement on the bats conservation in Europe
(London, 1991), the Agreement on the conservation of cetaceans in the Black Sea,
Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic area (Monaco, 1996) and the Agreement on the
conservation of African - Eurasian migratory water birds (Hague, 1995).
A priority in the
field of nature conservation is the implementation of the Acquis Communautaire, our
country making important steps in establishing the Natura 2000 network of sites of
community importance.
In the context of the accession process to the
European Union, the extremely valuable natural heritage of Romania, represents a capital
worthy to be taken into consideration by the Member States and which should be preserved
as the European capital in order to be transferred to future generations.