Second Environmental Performance Review of Albania

14 Part I: Policymaking, planning and implementation• Further develop the marketing of agriculturaland agroprocessing products – in order to ensureinvestments for environment-friendlytechnology;• Increase the level and quality of technologies,information, and knowledge of farmers andagroprocessors – using these tools fordissemination of environment-friendlyproduction and processing methods.The 2007 Strategy for the Development of Businessand Investments pays special attention to thedevelopment of the mining sector and stresses theimportance of environmental protection andrehabilitation.The strategic priority of the 2007 Intersectoral RuralDevelopment Strategy (ISRDS) for the period 2007­2013 is to contribute to the balanced development ofall rural regions in Albania, improve the quality oflife in a sustainable way and reduce poverty amongthe rural population. It was founded on the principlesof sustainable management of renewable naturalresources, paying special attention to themaintenance of cultural landscape and environmentalprotection, as well as the maintenance of settlementand rural identity in the countryside. One of thetargets of the ISRDS was directly aimed at theenvironment: protect and enhance the environmentthrough sustainable management of natural resourcesin rural areas (Table 1.3). Implementation ofmeasures to achieve these targets is not sufficientlysupported by annual budgets.The National Cleaner Production Programme(NCPP-Albania), part of the United NationsProgramme of Cooperation for the period 2012-2016,was aimed at building the capacities of Albanianindustries to be more resource efficient and to reducetheir environmental impacts by promoting ResourceEfficient and Cleaner Production (RECP). Theproject is being jointly implemented by MoEFWAand the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Energy(MoETE) with technical support from UNEP and theUnited Nations Industrial Development Organization(UNIDO).NCPP-Albania consists of two components which arebeing implemented in parallel:• Industrial support component: aimed at buildingcapacities for RECP demonstration andapplication in Albanian industries (supported byUNIDO);• Policy component: aimed at developing thenecessary institutional framework for theeffective promotion of RECP (supported byUNEP).1.3 LegislationIn recent years, the process of drafting nationalenvironmental legislation and policies has been basedon requirements defined by the approximation of EUenvironmental legislation. Albania considered thistask extremely important and concentrated its effortson fulfilling the obligations, sometimes paying lessattention to the existing conditions and capacitywithin the country which, in the short term, are notalways sufficient to adapt to the new requirements.The National Plan of Action for Approximation ofEnvironmental Legislation was prepared and theImplementation of National Plan for Approximationof Environmental Legislation project was launchedwith the financial support of the EU’s CommunityAssistance for Reconstruction, Development andStabilisation (CARDS) 2006 Programme to facilitatethe implementation of the Plan.Table 1.3: Selected environment-related indicators in the Intersectoral Rural Development StrategyIndicatorPercentage of protected land with special bird speciesPercentage of the cultivated land of protected areaPercentage of protected water resources areaBaseline value6% (183,400 ha)1% ( 27,300 ha)Target value1% of the territory12% of total agricultural land(367,000 ha)2% (54,600 ha)Percentage of organic production area of total utilized Less than 0.1% Around 0.12%agricultural area (UAA)Percentage of renewable energy production in agriculture and 13.2% of the total source of 14% (+5%)forestry sector energy (2011)Percentage of area with adverse natural conditions of total Has not been designated Introduction is envisaged foragricultural area the first time for the year 2010Area of organic farming 1,200 ha (estimation) 2,000 haSource: Intersectoral Rural Development Strategy, 2007.