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CONSIDERATION REGARDING POLICY AND ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION CONCERNING BIODIVERSITY AND PROTECTED AREAS IN ROMANIA

Gheorghe Cristian Popescu

Abstract

One of the most essential tools to protect nature, environment and biodiversity is to ensure the proper policy and environmental legislation in the creation of protected areas. Nowadays, green economy and environmentally friendly technologies play a major role for sustainable development. The purpose of this paper is to provide a detailed picture of the Romanian policy and environmental legislation regarding biodiversity and protected areas and to outline the importance of the institutional framework, global approach of the environmental issues, international and European law and the legislation and policy of national state in order to promote the establishment of protected areas. In this work, we included a documentary synthesis and an analysis of legal and institutional frameworks for biodiversity and protected areas. Romania is the only state in the European Union having five biogeographical regions (alpine, Black sea, continental, steppic, pannonian). Taking in consideration that Romania has a rich biodiversity and more than 22% Romanian territory is under Natura 2000's ecological network, institutional framework, policy and environmental legislation are the most important instruments to protect species, habitats and ecosystems and to maintain biodiversity. In the last decade the terrestrial and marine protected areas has increasing mainly under the influence of European environmental directives. The Romanian Natura 2000 network is composed of 435 sites under the Habitats Directive (Sites of Community Importance, SCIs, and Special Areas of Conservation, SACs) and 171 sites under the Birds Directive (Special Protection Areas, SPAs). Romania currently counts 19 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites), with a surface area of 1,156,448 hectares and three Biosphere Reserves including the Danube Delta, Europe's largest natural wetland. As a European Union member, Romanian environment legislation and policy is strongly influence by European law. European legislation in the field of nature protection has been compatible at national level mainly with the adoption Government Emergency Ordinance no. 57/2007 on protected natural regimes, natural habitats, wild flora and wild fauna, approved with amendments by Law no. 49 of April 7, 2011. In order to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of nature in Romania through legal instruments is necessary to create: an institutional framework in line with the new environmental protection requirements; sustainable use of natural resources; access to financial support; monitoring, evaluation and control of activities with environmental impact; public?private partnership, institutional and cross-border cooperation.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2018/5.4/s23.048

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