The WORLD BANK: programme in the environment protection sector

Doina Rachita
Rural Development and Environment Officer

1. Non-reimbursable funds

The programmes financed by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) are non-reimbursable loans administered by the World Bank.

1.1 projects under implementation

The Conservation of Biodiversity in the Danube Delta Project amounts to 4.8 mil USD of which 4.5 mil USD financed by GEF; it became operational in 1995 and it will be finished in 2000.

The project objectives are:

• to protect the ecosystems from the Danube Delta and to contribute to biodiversity conservation in the Danube Delta, and

• to strengthen the ARBDD and IDD institutional capacity for an efficient administration of this biosphere reservation, for the local communities involvement  in the sustainable utilisation of this resource and of the ecological restoration of the damp areas.

The project includes the following components:

• strengthening the ecological guard by training the eco-agents and the provision  of equipment;

• the improvement of environmental monitoring by providing the necessary equipment and training;

• ecological recovery of agricultural and piscicultural areas;

• measures for the improvement of the ecological situation in the Danube Delta, including studies about the sturgeon stock development and its recovery, as well as a special fund for implementing some small scale research projects;

• developing the awareness of population;

• assistance for the management of regional co-operation activities.

The Management of Biodiversity Conservation Project amounts to 8.8 mil USD, from which 5.5 mil USD financed by GEF; it became operational starting October 1999.

The overall objective of the project is the sustainable conservation of the biological diversity and ecological integrity of the forests and alpine eco-systems in the Carpathians. The project is the first step to the establishment of an efficient nation wide system of protected areas, and the incorporation of biodiversity issues within the planning of Carpathians forestry resources. The project will demonstrate the capacity to administrate, in a decentralised system, the conservation of the biodiversity in three Carpathian areas (Retezat, Bucegi-Piatra Craiului and Vanatori-Neamt), and will develop replication mechanisms of the best practices in other parts of the country.

The project includes the following components:

Strengthening the national management system of the biodiversity conservation (1.1 mil USD). This requires: revision of the legislative framework related to the administration of protected areas, drawing up specific working regulations for the three protected areas targeted by the project, drawing up a strategy which will prioritise the objectives of a national protected areas system, establishing a national monitoring plan of the biodiversity system and encouraging regional initiatives to preserve the Carpathians eco-systems.

Developing new concrete models in the management and administration of the protected areas and forest parks (6.2 mil USD). This requires establishing plans and management systems of biodiversity for the three protected model areas, supplying equipment, training and other facilities needed in the three areas. Monitoring systems for biodiversity will be developed which will provide a periodical feedback on the state of the eco-systems. Also, mechanisms will be set up to reduce the unsustainable use of common resources, e.g. grasslands and forests, and a strategy will be developed for eco-tourism that will be focused on developing the link between conservation and economic benefits for the local communities. Also, this component will include forest conservation practices having in view also the conservation of biodiversity, and also an independent system for certifying the forestry products. A programme will be developed for reintroducing the bison in the Vanatori-Neamt area, contributing to raising public awareness of forest eco-systems and to the ecological recovery mechanism and, finally, to the maintenance of ecological diversity in that mixed area which is made up of grassland and mountain forests.

Strengthening the public support for the conservation of the bio-diversity (0.7 mil USD). This will be achieved by developing and implementing strategies and action plans  on a national and protected area level for developing public awareness concerning the importance and opportunities for conserving  bio-diversity. Through this component we expect  to encourage the use of commercial options like contracting publications to the private sector, the eco-tourism and using eco-labels to promote products provided by the three conservation areas.

1.2. projects under preparation

The project for combating pollution in agriculture is still in a preparation stage, not being operational yet. It will benefit also by non-reimbursable funds from GEF.

The project objective is to reduce nutrients from agriculture, and thus to reduce nutrients pollution in the Danube Delta and in the Black Sea. The project will focus on Calarasi area which has a high level of pollution from agriculture, resulting from different sources such as: non- performing agricultural practices, bad administration of manure and garbage, soil erosion, destruction of damp areas by transforming them into agricultural areas and lack of water treatment plants.

The project will include the following components:

• Promoting performing agricultural practices which do not harm the environment;
• The integrate management and the ecological restoration of the agricultural area Baboianu-Sticleanu;
• Strengthening the legal framework and developing the sector regulations;
• Raising public awareness of the necessity of developing performing and environment friendly agricultural practices.

2. Reimbursable funds

2.1 projects under implementation

The programme for mines closure is in amount of 61.5 mil USD, from which 44.5 mil USD is the World Bank loan; it became operational in October 1999.

The project objective is to support the government efforts to reduce the pressure on the state budget of inefficient mines by closing some of them in a socially and environmentally sustainable manner.

The project has the following components:

• Closing the non- performing mines;

• Social measures to alleviate social problems that may arise;

• Institutional and administrative strengthening of this sector.

From the total value of 31.7 mil USD  for mine closure, 80% (25 mil USD) are earmarked for the alleviation of the negative ecological effects in the mining areas. Such measures will include:

• Removing the buildings, cleaning and levelling the field, fertilising the soil;
• Protection against soil erosion, including protecting dams, strengthening of slope steadiness, planting vegetation for slope steadiness;
• Restoring the lands affected by mining, including refilling of gaps, levelling and planting them with trees;
• Rehabilitation of water streams which are affected by mining operations;
• Collecting and treatment of the polluted effluents from the mines, including acid waters;
• Protection of oil pipes crossing these areas;
• Results monitoring for a period of time after the conclusion of rehabilitation works.

2.2 projects under preparation

 The Programme for Forests and the Forestry Sector is still in the preparation stage, not being operational yet. It starts from the fact that the Romanian forests are a significant renewable resource and their contribution to economic development could be considerably increased by the public sector reform and by an investment programme mixed with supporting the private forestry sector, including wood processing industries and tourism.

The project will contribute to getting together the partners in both sectors, public and private in the forestry field, will enhance inter-sectorial links and create a stimulating environment for investments which will lead to economic increase based on a sustainable use of the forestry resources.

The project will finance the public institutions reform in the forestry sector, the assistance for forestry lands restitution and the support of private industries from the forestry sector.

The p rogramme for s trengthening the m onitoring c apacity of the local EPAs is still in the preparation stage. The loan volume will be reduced and it will be used mainly for strengthening the environment monitoring capacity and the negotiation, control and enforcement capability of the local EPAs. The project will finance acquisition of monitoring equipment, technical assistance and training.