The Romanian Government this month has adopted the first National Strategy on Climate Change. With this Strategy, Romania takes its first steps towards a targeted and coordinated national effort to limit emissions of greenhouse gases and to deal with the climate change impacts that are to be expected.

The focus of Romania’s approach to climate change is on the future requirements resulting from the country’s upcoming membership of the EU (including participation in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme) as well as from international commitments under the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol.

Key issues and selected highlights include:

Adaptation to climate change: The Strategy calls for action to improve knowledge and adopt no-regret and cost-effective precautionary adaptation measures.
Complying with international requirements from EU and UN: Romania intends to start trading under the ETS at the expected date of accession to the EU (1st January 2007)
Opportunities from the Kyoto Protocol and its flexible mechanisms: Romania will pursue JI Track I and II and also intends to develop a framework for a Green Investment Scheme.
Policies and measures to limit Romanian emissions of greenhouse gases: Current emissions are well below the Kyoto target but are set to grow in the coming years. Policies and measures will be identified that require a limited contribution from the state budget only while showing economic side-benefits.
The political, institutional and legal framework for Romania’s climate change activities
Education, Research and Awareness
The Climate Change Strategy will be followed later this year by the National Action Plan on Climate Change.

The Strategy has been developed under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment and Water Management of Romania.

The process has been supported financially by the Danish Government through the Danish Environmental Protection Agency. Technical assistance has been provided by a team lead by Danish COWI supported by CAP SD from the Netherlands.

This is the link to the strategy document (in English) from the Ministry’s website: 

http://www.mappm.ro/informatii/SchimbariClimatice/The National Strategy of Romania on Climate Change final.pdf