admin
Ecology

A brief assessment of the situation

Author: Ivelina Vasileva

Institution: Center for Development and Policies

Date: July 2022

Alongside the crises caused by the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine, high inflation, risks to energy and food security, our society is also faced with the challenges related to environmental protection and climate change. The need to deal with them is a serious concern and requires bold decisions and concrete actions.

In recent years, green policies have become increasingly important. They cover every aspect of socio-economic life and are integrated into sectoral policies. There is an awareness that the state of the environment and climate change have a direct impact on people’s health and well-being. From the point of view of opportunities, the protection and conservation of natural capital and the effective utilization of natural resources create prerequisites for a better quality of life and stimulate economic development.

Regardless of the efforts made in Bulgaria in recent years to improve the regulatory framework, to improve the policy implementation mechanisms, to strengthen control and to realize large-scale investments in ecological infrastructure, our country continues to be faced with a number of difficulties. Positive trends are being registered, but the following issues continue to be reported: exceeding the norms and not achieving the goals resulting from the European legislation with regard to the purity of the atmospheric air, the integrated management of water resources, the management of waste, the preservation of natural capital and the protection of biodiversity. This creates risks for the environment, security and human health. It also leads to the initiation of a number of criminal proceedings against the country for non-compliance with the requirements of the European legislation.

 

Main priorities for development

 

The country’s environmental policy is based on the global principles and goals of the United Nations for sustainable development. The European Union, in turn, placed issues concerning climate change and environmental protection high on the agenda, betting on a comprehensive strategy for green and digital transformation of the economy with the adoption of the Green Pact. It adopted the ambitious goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, which requires the implementation of resource efficiency, the development of the clean circular economy and the stimulation of green and blue investments.

The whole package of strategic documents and legislative acts aims to contribute both to limiting climate change and its consequences, and to halting the loss of biodiversity, effective waste management and pollution control. Realizing the twin climate and digital transitions in the upcoming years will require a profound transformation of the entire economy, with a huge need for investment. This will give impetus to scientific and research work, the implementation of innovative technologies and solutions and the implementation of measures at the local, national and regional level in key sectors of the economy and public life.

 

Measures to achieve the main development priorities

 

In the short term by achieving the intermediate objectives by 2030 and in the long term by achieving the goal by 2050, Bulgaria should strive for:

 

green development,

 

based on care for the environment and efficient use of natural resources. This implies:

  • transition to a low-carbon and resource-efficient economy through investments in critical and ecological infrastructure and modernization of technological processes;
  • circular economy – moving from a linear to a circular model of production, consumption and utilization of resources, applying the waste management hierarchy;
  • complying with the goals set in the European strategy for plastics and limiting water and soil pollution;
  • implementing the principles stipulated in the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability of the European Union, and ensuring safety for health and the environment;
  • digitization in the public and private sectors through support with adequate funding;
  • sustainable mobility;
  • intelligent solutions for the urban environment;
  • reasonable and efficient use of mineral waters;
  • interaction with the scientific community and basing decisions and actions on the achievements of science and innovation, in particular eco-innovation and bio-economy.

 

A clean and healthy environment and safe settlements, because taking care of the environment is taking care of our health

 

  • Implementation of the European Union Action Plan „Towards Zero Pollution of Air, Water and Soil (and Annexes), which envisages reducing air, water and soil pollution to levels no longer considered harmful by 2050 for health and natural ecosystems and are aligned with the capabilities of the planet, thereby creating a non-toxic environment. This is reflected in key 2030 objectives to accelerate pollution reduction at source.
  • Improving the quality of the atmospheric air by limiting the emissions of PM10 (fine dust particles 10) and other pollutants. Investments in non-polluting fuel installations, modernization of cars, introduction of integrated urban transport systems, etc. Control to prevent pollution from industrial sources.
  • Modernization and expansion of plumbing systems, rehabilitation of existing and construction of new hydro-technical facilities for protection against the harmful effects of water and water supply, power generation and irrigation.
  • Avoiding noise pollution.
  • Construction and maintenance of green systems in settlements.
  • Biodiversity protection – introduction of a national system for managing the „Natura 2000“ network, monitoring and implementation of protection measures.

 

High quality of life and access to adequate environmental infrastructure

 

  • Management of natural risks, prevention and combating the adverse consequences of climate change (floods, droughts, soil erosion, landslides, forest fires).
  • Construction of modern and safe ecological infrastructure: for waste management, wastewater treatment and protection from the harmful effects of water.
  • Further upgrading of early warning systems to cover more aspects/territories, including strengthening technical capacity in disaster risk forecasting and management by building a national system.

 

Good governance in the Environmental Sector

 

Effective control, transparency and accountability of institutions, access to information, as well as engaging the public to participate in decision-making are not just clichés. The environmental monitoring system and data related to carbon emissions need continuous development and maintenance. These actions are a prerequisite for better management of the sector.