Category: Uncategorized

Climate Change, Agriculture and Considerations for Albania

/ Endri

The population growth trend will lead to increased meat consumption. According to FAO in developing countries where Albania is well positioned, meat consumption will go from 28 kg per person in 2002 to 44 kg in 2050.
However, today it is estimated that agriculture is an important contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions are a global problem ëithout boundaries.
To achieve mitigation actions, the life cycle analysis of farming and agriculture, animals, soil and plants is required. The faster accessible technologies that are recommended for reducing the emission of methane gas (CH4) from agricultural animals are through diet.

Image003

In the case of Albania, arson common practice in agricultural areas and soil erosion are among the common causes of carbon emissions from the soil.
Leguminous plants can lower nitrogen oxide N2O and give fertilization and doing so to achieve mitigation, farms should consider costs, benefits associated with this variety of plants.
European researchers agree that some mitigation best practices are: forestation (sequestration of carbon (C) in biomass and soils); reduction in emissions per unit; food security; reduction of emissions in agriculture.

Implementation of Aarhus Convention in Albania: struggle and policy implementation

/ Kadri

The ratification of Aarhus Convention, which is also called “democracy in the environmental field”, is one of the most important acts in the environmental legislation in Albania. Although Albania has ratified this convention in 2001, there are still things to be done in order to fully implement it.

This policy paper analysis the implementation of Aarhus Convention in Albania, problems that have arisen during this implementations, and puts forward policy options and recommendations for the Albanian decision makers in regard to Aarhus Convention implementation. The paper also explores the issues that the public has in implementing Aarhus Convention.

Conclusions from the analysis and the research, indicate that Albania has a legal framework which favors transparency; however, public participation and access to justice are the pillars where there need for specific amending laws and by-laws, in order to facilitate the implementation of the legal framework. This is very important to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the two levels of government-central and local, and for clarifying these roles and responsibilities within the same level of government. Another key point is that the implementation of the three pillars of Aarhus Convention (access to information, public participation, and access to justice) is still weak. The respective authorities are equipped badly in terms of necessary knowledge and skills for their implementation. There are still problems like: lack of deep knowledge of the Convention from the civil servants in the central and local governments; lack of financial resources and technical infrastructure; need for more harmonization of the actual legislation with the Convention; and lack of practical implementation of the pillars of the Convention.