English - Convention on Biological Diversity

COUNTRY STUDY FOR BIODIVERSITY OF THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
5.5.3. Impact on biodiversity
The construction sector adversely affects biodiversity through: air pollution, new
impacts to natural land areas, use of mechanisation, noise, pollution of aquatic
ecosystems and soils (due to the disposal of waste materials from construction and
demolition activities), destruction of habitats and their fragmentation and isolation.
There are no specific data available on the extent of these impacts in the Republic of
Macedonia.
5.6. Mining
5.6.1. and 5.6.2. Current status and economic importance of the sector and changes
in the sector over time
There is no relevant economic information specific to the mining sector, because this
sector is incorporated within the established category of metallurgy. In the Republic of
Macedonia, this sector is represented by the extraction of both metals and non-metals.
The mining of lead and zinc ore (eastern Macedonia), iron ore (central and western
Macedonia), coal (south-western Macedonia) and non-metals, mainly marbles and
travertines (central and north-eastern Macedonia), dolomites, lime, silicates, ceramic
clay, feldspar, gypsum, diatomaceous earth etc. is of particular importance.
In the past, the non-metal industry contributed 2.2% of the economic structure of the
country; however, since the establishment of the value-added tax (VAT) for industry and
metallurgy, it now represents 2.7% of total current production.
5.6.3. Impact on biodiversity
The main activities causing negative impacts on biodiversity are excavation, the
opening of new mines, and pollution caused by wastewater from the flotation process
and from slag piles.
Effluent from the flotation process contaminates many downstream natural systems.
For example, effluent reaching the river Zletovitsa continues downstream to the river
Bregalnitsa which, in turn, flows into the Vardar River, polluting them all with heavy
metals (lead, zinc, cadmium, mercury, thallium and arsenic) and causing enormous
damage to these aquatic ecosystems (Sections 3.5.3.3., 3.6.1. and 3.6.3.).
In conjunction with the opening of a new mine, construction activities and new
transportation infrastructure cause additional losses of biodiversity, most frequently by
the fragmentation of un-relocatable communities.
5.7. Energy
5.7.1. and 5.7.2. Current status and economic importance of the sector and changes
in the sector over time
The energy sector (together with gas and water supplies) participates with a modest
4.5% in the GDP of Macedonia. This percentage participation has been maintained
during the second half of the 1990s. The share of capital expenditures in electricity is
relatively high compared with overall investments in the social, cooperative, mixed and
State-owned sectors. They constitute about one-fourth of total capital expenditures,
indicating high investment efforts under restrictive conditions (26.1% in 1997, 26.4% in
1998 and 22.2% in 1999).
With regard to energy consumption, it is clear that the beginning of the transition
process has brought about a decrease in consumption, due to the transitional recession
through which the Macedonian economy has been passing. This trend was particularly
notable during the first half of the 1990s, that is, up to 1995/96. In contrast, if the issue is
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