Assessment of Ecosystems and Ecosystem Services in Romanian

Policy
sector
Agriculture
and
Rural
De velopment
192021
Natural
Resource
Ecosystem
Ty pology
(MAES
Level 2)
Cropland
Grassland
2007-2012 reporting on
Art. 17 of the Habitats
Directive
(National summary)
Grasslands habitats: 3%
U2, 12% U1
State of the Environment National Report
of 2013 and/or 2014
SOER2014: Soil pollution from agriculture and forest
waste as well as residues is reported for 1140 ha of which
948 ha are very aggressively and excessively polluted
with animal dejections. The latter type of pollution
alters the chemical composition of soil due to nitrates
augmentation, which can have toxic effects also upon
the underground water. Are affected in varying degrees
4.937 ha of which 1.097 ha are moderately strong/
excessively affected. Pesticides soil pollution is reported
only in some counties for a total of 2.076 ha of which
1.986 ha are in Bacau county in the surroundings of the
industrial compound Chimcomplex; in general, pollution
is low and moderate. Increase of fertilized area (from
3.640.900 ha to 6.676.089 ha) and of the amount of
fertilizers per ha (from 35,4 kg to 48,2 kg); decreased
use of phytosanitary products (from 1,18 kg s.a./ha in
1999 to 0,72 kg s.a./ha in 2014). The surface arranged for
irrigation represents, theoretically, 36,77% of total works,
115413 ha less compared to 1999; the surface arranged
for draining/drainage represents 36,71% of total works
with a decrease of 115.413 ha in 2014 compared to 1999;
the surface arranged with anti-erosion works represents
26,52% of total works with a decrease of 47891 ha in
2014 compared to 1999. Increase of organic agriculture
surfaces; in 2014, only 6,5% of cultivated land is fertilized
with organic fertilizers.
40
2.3. Results of the policy assessment: analysis and
conclusions
Growth is the economic paradigm underpinning Romania’s development path. In 2008
Romania has adopted a National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS) to 2013-
2020-2030 where reference is made to all forms of capital, natural, physical, human and
social, but also to sustainable growth. The concept of Green Economy is mentioned in
the strategy of the Ministry of Economy called “Competitive Romania”, however natural
capital is considered as a driver for development and economic growth. No reference
is made to planetary boundaries and measures mentioned to avoid environmental
degradation in favor of production fall in the category of greening. Without a Sustainable
Green Economy Strategy (general criteria no.1 in the policy assessment), chances to
ensure human well-being across the entire population of the country are little.
The Romanian MAES process has begun in March 2015 with the implementation of the
N4D project, due to time constraints only selected ecosystems (forests, agricultural,
urban and freshwater) had been assessed quantitatively and semi-quantitatively. In any
case, the methodologies developed for the MAES process are applicable to perform a
NEA, which should be pursued as a priority as soon as possible (general criteria no. 2
in the policy assessment).
Institutional integration and coordination is crucial to implement a Sustainable
Green Economy (general criteria no. 3 in the policy assessment). An Inter-ministerial
Committee (ImC) for coordinating the integration of the environmental protection
domain in sectoral policies and strategies at national level has been established with
Government Decision no. 1097/2001 and reorganized with Decision no. 741/2011. It
is a consultative body but not a juridical entity, working closely with the Ministry of
19 Natural regeneration happens in forest where cuttings have taken place, so not in stable forests. Natural
regeneration of forest is directly proportional to cuttings. The more is cut the more is regenerated. Thus,
information about natural regeneration should not be considered independently.
20 Cuttings do not mean that forest vegetation has totally been cut, which should be the case for natural
regeneration to happen.
21 For clarity reasons, reporting about forest habitats needs a better correlation and explaination of data.