Climate change mitigation - Drivers and pressures (Romania)

The reduction of GHG emissions requires the adoption of abatement measures in the EU-ETS and non-EU-ETS sectors.

For 2008-2012 the participation of installation in the implementation of the EU-ETS scheme is based on certificates acquired in compliance with the National Allocation Plan, document approved by the European Commission, and on open auction. This will determine the owner of the installations to refit and modernize urgently the existing technologies up to the European level, which requires important financial resources.

For the period mentioned above there are 229 participating installations which received free of charge 349 671 593 certificates.

Since the 8% reduction commitment for 2008-2012 will be met with certainty, no additional measures have been adopted excepting those required in terms of economic efficiency.   

Usually, the GHG emissions trend reflects the main trend in the economic development of the country. According the last GHG Emissions Inventory submitted to the UNFCCC Secretariat in April 2009, in 2007 the GHG emissions have dropped with 44.83% in comparison with 1989, considered the base year for our country in the development of climate change policy.

In Table 1, below, there are presented the values of different drivers indicators on climate change, for 2003-2007: the population, GDP, GDP growth, primary energy intensity, renewable electricity generation. The main drivers for GDP growth are the internal demand and especially, financial investments supported by governmental funds and by EU structural funds.

Table 2 presents the values of relevant pressures indicators, for 2003-2007: emissions and removals of GHGs, by gas, and by sectors..

As the international economy, our country is confronted with difficulties to sustain the economic growth and the current global economic and financial crisis poses the obligation to update the directions of development of our country to meet the EU targets included in the Lisbon Strategy, Sustainable Development Strategy and within the EU's climate and energy policy.

As it is mentioned in the COM(2009) 39 final Communication “Towards a comprehensive climate change agreement in Copenhagen”, the current economic recession should be approached as an opportunity to address climate change and energy security through the transition to the low-carbon economy, securing growth and jobs and promoting sustainable development. The actions to combat the national crisis have to bring support to meet the climate targets.