ROMANIAN NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY 2013-2020-INTEGRATION OF EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES

As early as 1994, Romania ratified The Convention on Biological Diversity signed in Rio de Janeiro on June 5th 1992, and has ever since been continually concerned with elaborating and applying national strategies in order to ensure adequate conservation of the ecological biodiversity that is present within our national borders. The Romanian territory shelters habitats and species of national, European and world interest.The common concern of the EU member states, which is to conserve and make use of the biological diversity in a sustainable way, is to be found on two different levels. Firstly, in the environmental policies adopted at European level, in accordance with the international commitments taken on during the UN Convention on biological diversity. At the same time, this concern is visible in the national legislation and strategies adopted by each member state. Up to now, Romania has developed two strategies on the conservation of biodiversity: the first in 1996 and the second in 2000. Nevertheless, not all set objectives and targets have been reached, the decline and fading of the ecological diversity being a problem not only for Romania, but for most states. The current Romanian Strategy for the conservation of biodiversity refers to the period 2013 - 2020. It was developed within the UNDP/GEF project: "Support for the confirmation of the National Strategy and Action Plan for the Conservation of Biodiversity with CBD and the realization of the Clearing House Mechanism - CHM" and it is meant to be a technical and legal tool which at the same time ensures that the action plan for the conservation of biodiversity is put into practice. The proposal for the new Romanian strategy, which is currently in the stage of public debating, is of major significance, because it starts with the description of biodiversity and the importance of its conservation, the identification and analysis of direct threats on biodiversity in Romania. It also establishes the strategic objectives, and the national action plan intended to lead to the conservation of biodiversity. Last but not least, it establishes the authorities responsible for implementing it, the financial resources required and the reporting indicators. The strategy is aligned with EU environmental policies and with the international commitments that EU took on at the UN Convention on ecological diversity. It pays special attention to maintaining coherence and expanding the Natura 2000 ecological network, as well as to the sustainable management of the other categories of protected natural areas.