Radio România Internațional

Tag: climate

  • Climate Change Impact on Romania

    Climate Change Impact on Romania

    In the context of accelerated climate change, the summer of 2024 brought a new series of alarming records at global and regional levels, highlighting the significant impact that global warming has on the environment and society. In fact, in Romania there has been an intensification in the last seven decades, and the “urban heat island” phenomenon has emerged. After a collective scientific effort by a group of 11 authors, a report was published that analyzes in detail all climate change and its effects in Romania. According to the report “State of the Climate. Romania, 2024”, between 1950 and 2023, the duration and frequency of heat values increased significantly, with most regions recording extensions of 10-15 days, and the southwest and east of the country over 25-30 days. Projections indicate a continuation of this trend until the end of the century, affecting public health and the economy. In addition to heat waves, drought represents another major challenge for Romania. The areas affected by moderate, severe and extreme drought have increased, with peaks in the periods 2018-2020 and 2021-2023. The drought in the period 2018-2021 is the longest recorded, with devastating effects on agriculture and food security. The aridification trend continues, profoundly influencing ecosystems and agricultural production. Other extreme weather phenomena, such as severe storms, have also become more frequent. Between 1940 and 2023, an increase in favorable conditions for such events was observed, especially in the east and north of the country. Projections for 2025-2050 and the end of the century indicate an intensification of these phenomena, with negative impacts on agriculture and infrastructure.

    Bogdan Antonescu, one of the authors of the report, is a researcher in the field of meteorology and climatology, lecturer at the Faculty of Physics of the University of Bucharest, and researcher at the National Institute for Research and Development for Earth Physics, with expertise in the study of severe storms and extreme weather phenomena in the context of climate change. Among his contributions are the development of the first climatology of tornadoes in Romania, and a detailed climatology of tornadoes in Europe.

    “Unfortunately, the report shows us that we will have an increasingly greater impact. This is because the global average temperature continues to increase. Europe is warming more than other regions, and then we will feel the impact of these climate changes more and more often. We will have more heat waves, with a longer duration, and more intense. A good example is what happened this year in Romania, when we had a very extensive heat wave. Then, the impact will be directly on the population in the city. This is because, in cities, there is the so-called “urban heat island”. The fact that there are concrete surfaces, asphalt, there is a greater heating in urban areas than in the neighboring rural areas. Therefore, any heat wave that comes over a city is amplified by the city itself. Hence, implications on health, on the economy, but, in general, heat waves will have even greater implications, because we are talking about the heat wave that will overlap with periods of drought, and, hence, the impact on agriculture. So, for the next few years, things will continue to evolve in this direction. More heat waves, more periods of drought, unfortunately, and more storms in Romania than we have observed so far.”

    There have been periods of severe drought and excessive heat in the past. Now, more greenhouse gases are being added to these, which means an increase in the average global temperature. Thus, natural variability, phenomena that used to occur naturally, is now amplified. The frequency of occurrence of phenomena, their duration and, especially their intensity are changing, explains researcher Bogdan Antonescu.

    “For example, an amplification of storms, like the storm Boris, which produced precipitation in Central Europe. This storm was analyzed in detail, and the amount of precipitation would have been 20% lower if these climate changes had not existed. Glaciers are also a critical point in the climate system. Once melted, they will not recover. In principle, we are talking about the disappearance of glaciers, which means a rise in ocean levels and the flooding of some coastal areas. There will be effects on aquatic ecosystems for the first time, but also on constructions in coastal areas. Unfortunately, this is the direction, but the glaciers will melt over a very long period. Even if they reach a critical point, for example, the Greenland glaciers, the melting process will be over a long period of time, we are not talking about a few years. Another critical point is represented by coral reefs. Coral reefs are strongly influenced by the fact that there is a higher temperature in the oceans. Then, they reached a critical point quickly. But for the other phenomena we are talking about decades, if not hundreds of years. Unfortunately, technological solutions are only now in development. For example, to extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. But what we can do is to act on the cause, that is, to try to reduce greenhouse gases, so that we do not continue to modify the climate system. The modification has occurred, and from here there are only solutions to adapt to heat waves, to periods of drought. For example, in agriculture, to find other plant species that adapt more easily to periods of drought. We must act to bring greenhouse gas emissions on a large scale, and not just regionally.

    The authors of the report “State of the Climate. Romania, 2024” show that measures have been implemented at the national level regarding energy efficiency and the promotion of renewable energy, but the lack of a national climate law and poor implementation underline the need for an integrated vision. The energy sector is central to this transition. Although fossil fuels predominate, there are plans to increase renewable and nuclear capacities by 2050. Also, electrifying the economy and developing energy storage infrastructure are essential to achieving climate neutrality.

    On the other hand, public perceptions are mixed. Although climate change is recognized as a problem, only 4% of Romanians consider it a national priority, with economic concerns being dominant. Awareness of the impact on agriculture, water, the economy, and health is not yet translating into strong demand for climate action.

  • September 17, 2024

    September 17, 2024

    EUROPEAN COMMISSION The EC president Ursula von der Leyen today unveiled the new college of commissioners. Romania’s nominee for one of the 27 European Commissioner posts, the former minister for EU funding and incumbent MEP Roxana Mînzatu, was appointed Executive Vice-President for People, Skills and Preparedness and will also be the new Commissioner for Skills, Education, Quality Jobs and Social Rights. The team proposed by Ursula von der Leyen will next be interviewed by the European Parliament. Given the length of the procedures, the new commission might begin their term in office later than scheduled, possibly as late as December.

     

     

    FLOODS The government of Romania approved direct financial aid for the victims of the recent floods in the east of the country, which left 7 people dead and nearly 6,500 homes damaged. Hydrologists warn that the risk of flash floods is not over, and have issued code red, orange and yellow alerts for the counties already affected by heavy rainfalls and floods. People are still accommodated in the temporary sites arranged by the local authorities, and interior ministry personnel are helped by emergency inspectorate staff from other counties, who have brought over intervention vehicles and large capacity pumps to take out the water and mud from the flooded houses. Meanwhile, water and food supplies are being distributed to the victims, both from the state reserve and from private citizens and companies that have donated clothes, footwear, blankets and mattresses. The Red Cross also dispatched trucks with water and food to the area.

     

     

    LAW The Constitutional Court of Romania is to review today, after several postponements, a notification lodged by the High Court of Cassation and Justice with respect to the so-called Fugitives Act. The law endorsed by the Chamber of Deputies in November 2023 stipulates that citizens subject to a final court sentence who fail to turn themselves in within 7 days to be incarcerated are to be declared fugitives and receive a further 6 month to 3 year sentence. The supreme court believes the law comes against the right to fair trial and individual freedom. Sorin Oprescu, a former mayor of Bucharest, and Alina Bica, a former chief of the Directorate Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism Offences, are some of the high-profile officials who managed to leave the country in order to escape a prison sentence. Italy and Greece are the countries preferred by the fugitives.

     

     

    CLIMATE Romania plans to be carbon neutral by 2045, as opposed to its previous target, 2050, according to a new version of the National Integrated Plan on Energy and Climate Change. Bucharest also intends to cover 38% of the country’s total energy demand from renewable sources by 2030. The energy ministry announced on Tuesday additional policies and measures to increase the share of renewable energy, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions substantially and to implement innovating solutions in all economic sectors. The revised plan includes measures to cut emissions in essential sectors such as energy, transport, housing and industry, and aims to implement advanced technologies such as the use of renewable hydrogen.

     

     

    ENESCU The 19th edition of the “George Enescu” International Classical Music Competition takes place in Bucharest until September 27, under the high patronage of the Romanian Presidency. Enrolled in this year’s competition are a record 667 musicians aged 13 to 35. The “George Enescu” International Competition, initiated in 1958, is one of the most important events of this kind in the world, providing a platform for rising musicians to prove their skills. Over the years, the competition has consolidated Romania’s standing in the global cultural arena, and is the only competition in the country affiliated to the World Federation of International Music Competitions. The Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation is one of the co-producers of the event.

     

     

    FESTIVAL The 12th edition of Bucharest Music Film Festival continues until September 22nd. The event has been redesigned to include concerts in a variety of music genres, from classical to jazz, film music and pop fusion, and it brings together hundreds of celebrated artists and orchestras. The festival is organised by the Bucharest City Hall’s cultural centre ARCUB, and is part of the Days of Bucharest series that marks 565 years since Bucharest was first mentioned in official documents. (AMP)

  • Romania and climate change

    Romania and climate change


    Romania is very vulnerable to flooding and drought, and the impact of these calamities is felt in different sectors, according to the World Banks Romania climate and development report. The document, which was published on Tuesday, shows that since 1970 until 2021, floods were the most severe disaster associated with the weather in Romania in terms of number of events, persons affected and total damages. The annual average losses caused by floods could reach 1.7 billion euros, and in areas with significant flood risk more than 150,000 persons may be affected. The report warns that the availability of Romanias water resources is half the European average.



    In 2022, Romania was faced with one of the worst droughts on record, and which disrupted the water reserves of 220 towns and villages, reduced by a third the hydro power energy production and put other forms of energy at risk, such as nuclear energy. It also reduced agricultural production by at least 25%, increased sevenfold the risk of forest fires and led to navigation restrictions on the river Danube. In this context, the World Bank believes there is a need for major investments in the safety of dams, the rehabilitation of damaged dams, retrofitting for new multi-purpose uses and adjustment to new hydrological regimes.



    President Klaus Iohannis, who attended the debate held at the launch of the World Bank report, said the effects of climate change are becoming increasingly acute for Romanians and have a negative impact on the national economy. He believes there is potential to significantly improve the quality of peoples lives while going through the decarbonisation process needed to achieve climate neutrality. Klaus Iohannis:



    “We will respond to the climate challenges through measures to adapt to the new reality and through mitigation measures, namely by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Romania is part of the international climate transition processes that will inevitably bring about important changes in many sectors of our lives and activity. It is essential to ensure that the climate transition will be fair, inclusive and compatible with economic growth.”



    The World Banks climate and development report also notes that if Romania takes measures to improve its resilience to climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it can raise its national income almost threefold in the next 30 years. The World Bank experts estimate that the investment needed for a decarbonized energy sector alone amounts to 356 billion dollars by 2050, accounting for around 3% of the countrys GDP. (CM)


  • Romania and the sustainable development goals

    Romania and the sustainable development goals


    Romania has already achieved 62% of its national targets with respect to the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, said the countrys president Klaus Iohannis at a summit held on the sidelines of the 78th UN General Assembly. He presented data from the 2023 voluntary national review of the implementation of the sustainable development goals, noting that Romania made significant progress in respect of the goals relating to environmental protection and curbing climate change.



    The Romanian president mentioned the further development of institutional bodies aiding the implementation of these goals, training experts in the field and establishing a national set of sustainable development indicators. He also said that Romania adopted efficient strategies to mitigate and adapt to climate change, as well as a circular economy and educational elements with respect to climate change, all of which are a priority for the Bucharest administration. He told all those present that Romania was their partner in building a sustainable society and economy. Iohannis also warned that in the seven years left until 2030 the international community must intensify cooperation, for actions that generate results are not possible without unity, solidarity and strong multilateral involvement. He called for further consolidation of the UN Development System, better monitoring of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and for the development policies to be based on science and quality data.



    Romania adopted the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda in September 2015; a global plan for action, it seeks to strike a balance between the economic, social and environmental components. Romania thus joined a group of 192 UN member states that adopted 17 sustainable development goals, including eradicating extreme poverty and famine, combating inequality and injustice and ensuring a balance between consumption and production, clean and affordable energy and climate actions to protect the planet. The foreign ministry in Bucharest said that, as a member of the European Union, Romania contributes to the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals on an international level, through the support it gives to other countries and the official development assistance. (CM)


  • September 2, 2023

    September 2, 2023

    Budget — The European Commission might agree to a higher budget deficit than the one originally assumed by Romania for this year, says the Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, after the meeting, in Brussels, on Friday, with the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. Romania assumed a deficit of 4.4%, but it wants to increase it to over 5%. Marcel Ciolacu also mentioned the package of laws that the government will take responsibility for in Parliament, stating that among the fiscal measures considered, there will not be an increase in the VAT rate over 19%. In Brussels, the Prime Minister Ciolacu also met with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola. They reiterated their support for Bucharests accession to Schengen and, on the other hand, they thanked Romania for the strong support offered to neighboring Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.



    Summit — The US President Joe Bidens special envoy on climate issues, John Kerry, is coming to Bucharest. The US State Department announces that, on Wednesday, he will participate in the Summit of the Three Seas Initiative, a diplomatic format that includes 12 member states of the European Union located between the Baltic, Black and Adriatic seas. John Kerry will talk about how an accelerated transition to clean energy strengthens energy security and resilience in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as about new nuclear technologies, including Romanias role in the construction of small modular reactors. John Kerry was Secretary of State between 2013 and 2017, during the second term of President Barack Obama.



    Tennis — The Romanian tennis player Sorana Cîrstea qualified, for the first time, in the round of 16 of the US Open tournament, the last Grand Slam competition of the year, on Friday, in New York, after her surprise victory over Kazakhstans Elena Rîbakina, with the score 6 -3, 6-7, 6-4. The Romanian (30 WTA) achieved her best performance at Flushing Meadows. In the round of 16, Sorana Cîrstea will face the Swiss Belinda Bencic. Also in New York, in the womens doubles, the Romanian-Ukrainian pair Gabriela Ruse/Marta Kostiuk qualified for the round of 16, after defeating the Russian-Australian pair Irina Hromaceva/Daria Saville 6-2, 6-2. Ruse and Kostiuk reached the semifinals of the doubles event at the Australian Open this year, stopped in the round of 16 at Roland Garros and in the second round at Wimbledon.



    Swimmer – The Romanian librarian Avram Iancu finished, on Friday, his swimming race on the Rhine, through which he wanted to support, in his own way, the importance of Romanias accession to the Schengen Area. A multi-sport athlete, he managed to cover the 1,032 kilometers of the river in 48 days, without a neoprene suit or other aids, making an effort that he described as titanic and unimaginable. In the summer of 2017, Avram Iancu became the first man in the world who managed to cross the Danube River using only the strength of his arms. (LS)

  • July 19, 2023 UPDATE

    July 19, 2023 UPDATE

    WEATHER Extreme temperatures are still forecast in most of Romania,
    particularly in the south and east, where the temperature-humidity index will be above
    the critical 80% ceiling. The highs are expected to range between 25 and 37
    degrees Celsius. Most regions will also be facing atmospheric instability, with
    heavy rainfalls, thunderstorms and wind. Code yellow and code orange alerts are
    in place in the west of the country, where strong wind, thunderstorms, hail and
    heavy rainfalls are expected.


    FIREFIGHTERS On Wednesday Romania sent another 40 firefighters and
    several fire engines to Greece, where the authorities requested international
    assistance under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The decision to send
    additional intervention equipment and personnel was made by the Romanian
    government. Romania has deployed a total of 13 fire engines and 80 fire
    fighters, after the Greek authorities issued a code-red alert for extreme heat
    across the country, with temperatures of 42 degrees Celsius expected to
    contribute to the spreading of wildfires. The Romanian fire fighters are to
    stay in Greece until August 1.

    CLIMATE The UN says humanity must prepare for more intense heat
    waves and recommends that citizens develop their own battle plan to
    face these extreme day and night temperatures. In North America, Asia, North
    Africa and the Mediterranean, temperatures will keep exceeding 40 degrees
    Celsius in the coming days. According to experts, heat-trapping greenhouse gas
    emissions are at the origin of climate change. Italy is subject to new alerts for
    particularly hot weather, while several regions in Spain have been placed under
    code red alerts due to the extreme danger induced by the heat wave.


    GOVERNMENT The new minister for labour and
    social solidarity, Simona Bucura-Oprescu, and the new minister for family,
    youth and equal opportunities, Natalia Intotero, were sworn in on Wednesday in
    a ceremony held at Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest. Oprescu replaces Marius
    Budăi, and Intotero takes over from Gabriela Firea, who resigned following a
    scandal concerning abuse in care homes for the elderly. The appointment decrees
    were signed by president Klaus Iohannis earlier on Wednesday.


    MEETING The PM of Romania Marcel Ciolacu had an informal meeting
    with the PM of Hungary, Viktor Orban, during a private visit by Orban to Romania. According
    to a news release issued by the government, Marcel Ciolacu emphasised that the
    Romanian party is seeking to maintain an open, positive, and constructive
    approach in the relations between the 2 countries. He welcomed Budapest’s
    support for Romania’s Schengen accession efforts, and voiced hopes that Hungary
    would remain an ally in this respect for Romania. The 2 officials also
    exchanged views on the topic of the EU’s current priorities, ahead of Hungary taking
    over the presidency of the EU Council in January 2024.


    GRAIN Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and
    Slovakia would like the ban on Ukrainian grain imports to be extended at least
    until the end of the year, the agriculture ministers of the 5 countries announced
    on Wednesday after a meeting in Warsaw. They signed a
    joint statement on the need to extend the EU preventive measures concerning the
    imports of wheat, maze, rape
    and sunflower seeds from Ukraine. In the same statement, the signatories also
    suggest that the list of products subject to the preventive measures remain
    open. According to a news release issued by the Romanian agriculture ministry,
    the participants sought a joint approach to the problems facing the farmers in
    these countries, which will be presented in the forthcoming AgriFish Council
    meeting. Romania was represented by the agriculture minister Ionut Barbu. Meanwhile, Reuters reports, an official letter from
    the Ukrainian government says Ukraine is currently working on defining a
    temporary maritime transport route via Romanian territorial waters, to continue
    to export grain via Black Sea ports. On Tuesday Russia pulled out of the
    agreement allowing safe passage to Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea. (AMP)

  • Climate change impacts Romania

    Climate change impacts Romania

    2022 was the
    third warmest year in recorded history, with an average temperature of 11.7
    degrees Celsius and a 1.55-degree difference against the average temperature measured
    between 1981 and 2010, a survey of the National Meteorological Administration
    shows.

     

    The warmest five years between 1900 and 2022
    were: 2019, 2020, 2022, 2015 and 2007, and the period between 2012 and 2022 proved
    to be the warmest 11 years in a row, which confirms the tendency of weather
    warming in Romania as well.

     

    Furthermore, this year saw the warmest
    January day in recorded history when 22.5 degrees Celsius were reported in
    southern Romania.

     

    So, statistics prove what we all
    have seen for many years now that climate change affects the entire planet. And
    we can no longer speak about a local or national problem says Environment
    Minister, Barna Tanczos. This opinion is also shared by climatologist Roxana
    Bojariu, who in the following minutes will be explaining how Romania’s weather
    has changed in the past two decades.

     

    Roxana
    Bojariu: It didn’t happen all of a sudden, you know.
    We have witnessed the global warming for quite some time now, but the problem
    is that this is an accelerating process. It has been doing so in the past years
    but unfortunately the process continues and is getting worse as more greenhouse
    gases are accumulating in the atmosphere. We are feeling this here in Romania
    as well. And even if we had warm winters and periods with temperatures higher
    than usual before, the weather this year was very strange for the cold season
    and that was not only in Romania but in the entire Europe. So, if we draw the
    line and compare the temperatures in the northern hemisphere, we’ll clearly see
    they are higher than usual, which confirms the idea of accelerated climate
    change. And this isn’t visible only in winter. If you remember last summer
    proved to be the hottest in Europe in recorded history and the drought
    affecting the continent was the severest in the past 500 years.

     

    Last year’s drought also affected Romania but
    the Environment Ministry has given assurances they have resources to fight
    climate change. According to him, the section Forests and Biodiversity
    Protection, part of the National Plan of Recovery and Resilience, includes a
    total budget of roughly 1.2 billion euros, which can be used to increase the
    surface of forests. Barna Tanczos has underlined that forests are the most
    resilient when it comes to climate change effects. He recalled that the
    National Forestry Strategy was endorsed last autumn with a view to setting
    mandatory norms on afforestation and reforestation as well as on forests and
    forested surfaces located in areas that are vulnerable to climate change.

     

    At the same time, owners of forests
    and plots of land are being given incentives to preserve and capitalize on the
    true potential of these surfaces. They will benefit from 456 Euros per year per
    hectare for 20 years, in order to turn these areas into real forests. The
    forestry carbon reward is a measure through which we stimulate the
    transformation of as many plots of land as possible into future forests,
    Minister Tanczos explains. Roxana Bojariu tells us more about the future of the
    climate change and what we should expect next.

     

    Roxana
    Bojariu: The weather is not going to remain like that of course and even in the
    optimistic scenario when we have succeeded in limiting the rise of the global
    temperature to 1.5 Celsius under the Paris Agreement, we are still going to see
    higher temperatures. However, they will not be as high as in the worst case
    scenarios, where we haven’t managed to impose a limit. And this means not only
    a uniform warming in space and time but also extreme phenomena like those we
    have already witnessed. Suchlike phenomena will be affecting Romania as well, and
    the situation will worsen with the growing greenhouse gas emissions. Every
    tenth degree in the global average translates into hotter heatwaves and Romania
    will be in for more intense, more frequent and more persistent heatwaves. These
    will also cause wildfires although not like those affecting the Mediterranean
    countries, Greece, southern France or Portugal.

     

    The statistics of the meteorological
    alerts between 2017 and 2022 in Romania highlight the intensity, frequency and wider
    area covered by the dangerous phenomena with an impact over the social-economic
    activity. In 2022 alone, 130 weather alerts were issued, out of which five were
    Code Red. Roughly three thousand Nowcasting alerts were issued out of which 95 Code
    Red. At the same time, the 2021-2022 drought was a longer one, which
    intensified from one month to the other and eventually affected almost all the
    country’s agricultural regions.

     

  • November 15, 2021

    November 15, 2021

    COVID-19 The latest updates released by Romanian
    authorities point to a decrease in the number of new cases in the
    country-little over 2,100. The authorities also reported 195 fatalities,
    and more than 15,000 COVID patients are hospitalised, 1,720 of them in
    intensive care. In the capital Bucharest the infection rate dropped below 6 per
    thousand. On the other hand, as compared to a peak of over 110,000 people
    vaccinated on 27th October, the vaccination rate in Romania has also
    been dropping steadily. So far 6.8 million Romanians have been fully vaccinated.




    CERTIFICATE The draft law that makes the digital COVID
    certificate compulsory at the workplace may be discussed as of today in the
    Chamber of Deputies. In a first stage, the document was rejected by the Senate.
    The interim PM Florin Cîțu called for exemplary mobilisation in the Chamber of
    Deputies, so as to ensure the bill gets enough votes to pass. Florin Cîţu also
    said he disagreed with the proposed free-of-charge testing of unvaccinated
    workers, because this would put pressure on the public budget, whereas the
    vaccine comes at no cost to citizens. In several cities, including Bucharest, rallies
    were held to protest the possible introduction of the digital certificate and
    other restrictions.




    GOVERNMENT Negotiations continue in Bucharest, with
    the National Liberal Party, the Social Democratic Party and the Democratic
    Union of Ethnic Hungarians trying to reach an agreement on a governing
    programme. After Save Romania Union left the ruling coalition in September, the
    Social Democrats introduced a no-confidence motion and dismissed the Liberal
    cabinet. Today the talks will focus on the public
    finances and justice fields. The
    Liberal Party leader and interim PM Florin Cîţu announced that as far as the
    labour area goes, a 7% pension rise has been discussed, but that a final
    decision is to be made after the impact on the public budget has been analysed.
    He also said child allowances are also to be raised. In turn, the Social
    Democratic leader Marcel Ciolacu mentioned the pension and child allowance
    increases, but said several scenarios are being analysed and a complete set of
    measures in this respect will be announced this week. So far the 3 parties have
    not reached an agreement on a new prime minister designate.


    MIGRANTS Brussels is hosting today a meeting of EU
    foreign ministers focusing on the situations in Belarus, Ethiopia, Western
    Balkans and the Sahel. Romania is represented by foreign minister
    Bogdan Aurescu. According to a news release, the Romanian official is
    taking part, alongside his EU counterparts, in an informal working brunch with
    the Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba. Bogdan Aurescu will
    also attend the ministerial meeting of the Eastern Partnership. As regards the
    situation in Belarus, Romania’s foreign affairs chief will express the
    country’s solidarity with Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, which are facing a
    growing number of migrants at their borders with Belarus, and will promise to
    support swift additional sanctions against Minsk.




    CLIMATE The agreement to reduce coal use, reached
    at the UN Climate talks in Glasgow, is a game-changing agreement which sounds the death knell
    for coal power, said the British PM Boris Johnson, the host of the
    COP26. According to analysts, the document, although imperfect, is nonetheless
    an achievement, insofar that for the first time in the 25 climate conferences
    held so far, it explicitly mentions fossil fuels as elements contributing to
    climate change. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in the UK, one of
    the critics of the deal was India, who said the plan to phase out coal use was
    unfair for poorer countries.




    FOOTBALL Romania’s national football team Sunday defeated
    Liechtenstein 2-0 in Vaduz, but still failed to qualify into the playoffs for
    the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, as it finished the preliminary phase 3rd
    in its group. Second in the group came North Macedonia, which has reached the
    playoffs after defeating Iceland 3-1. The top-ranking team in the group,
    Germany, goes straight into the World Cup final tournament. Romania’s coach Mirel
    Radoi announced he would leave the national team. Romania last took part in a
    World Cup final tournament in 1998. (tr. A.M. Popescu)

  • October 31, 2021 UPDATE

    October 31, 2021 UPDATE

    GOVERNMENT Romania’s Prime Minister designate, Liberal Nicolae Ciuca on
    Sunday summoned the candidates for the position of ministers in his minority
    PNL-UDMR cabinet for talks over the ruling programme before the Parliament
    hearing scheduled for Tuesday. Most of the nominees have also served in the
    cabinets headed by Liberals Ludovic Orban and Florin Citu. The Foreign Ministry
    is headed by career diplomat Bogdan Aurescu, Lucian Bode is to take over the
    Interior Ministry, Virgil Popescu is to become in charge of the Ministry of
    Energy, Raluca Turcan will be heading the Labour Ministry, Sorin Campeanu, the
    Ministry of Education and Tanczos Barna, the Environment Ministry. UDMR leader
    Kelemen Hunor will be deputy Prime Minister. About Alina Gorghiu, who is expected
    to take over the Justice Ministry, papers in Romania wrote that she tried to
    promote a controversial draft law, which might have undermined the
    anti-corruption fight as it allowed for prison sentences under 7 years to be
    commuted to house arrest. The new cabinet is to be sworn in on Wednesday but
    its rejection could pave the way for snap election, which would be a first for
    Romania in the past 30 years of its post-communist democracy.






    COVID-19 The latest data provided by the authorities monitoring the pandemic in
    Romania show a decrease in the number of infections although the number of
    fatalities remains higher. Over 74 hundred new cases have been confirmed in the
    past 24 hours in Romania while 427 people have been killed by the virus.
    Capital city Bucharest is reporting a decrease in the infection rate, which has
    presently reached 14.35 per thousand from 15 reported a couple of weeks ago. 89
    thousand people have been vaccinated in Romania in the past 24 hours and the
    total number of those fully vaccinated has exceeded 6.2 million. The country’s
    vaccine rollout has gained momentum and authorities believe that if maintained,
    by the end of the year, Romania will have 70% of its population vaccinated.
    Germany has dispatched a medical team to Romania to sort the patients who can
    get treatment in German hospitals, where they can be flown by a plane belonging
    to German Air Forces. In another development, the National Committee for
    Emergency Situations in Romania has updated its list of the countries with a high
    infection risk, placing the Netherlands and Russia in the red tier. Malaysia,
    Cuba, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Germany, Switzerland,
    Liechtenstein and Jordan are in the yellow tier.








    DAY The Romanian public radio on Monday celebrates 93 years since
    its first broadcast on November 1st 1928. Unlike in the previous
    years, the anniversary takes place under the conditions imposed by the Covid-19
    pandemic and an atmosphere of severe austerity. In 2017, the leftist government
    led by PSD leader Liviu Dragnea, who subsequently served a prison sentence for
    corruption, ruled to remove the so-called radio-TV fee paid by subscribers and
    the two institutions be founded from the state budget. A social survey
    conducted by the former interim administration shows that the institution
    presently relies on unmotivated, aging personnel. 80% of the respondents have
    been working in the public radio for at least 16 years. Little over 20 percent
    of them believe the institution offers them opportunities for professional
    development and about three quarters believe they aren’t paid properly in
    accordance with the labour market in Romania.






    CONFERENCE As of today, Glasgow in Scotland is hosting the he 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26).
    The event is expected to bring together over 120 heads of state and government
    who are going to tackle the climate change, one of the world’s greatest
    challenges at present. COP 26, which is expected to take place until November
    12th plays an essential role in the implementation of the Paris
    agreement with a view to limiting global warming by 1.5 degrees Celsius.
    Romania is being represented at COP 26 by its president Klaus Iohannis who is
    expected to attend the World Leaders’ Summit over November 1st and 2nd.








    TENNIS Romanian-Georgian pair made up of Irina Bara and Ekaterina
    Gorgodze on Sunday won the doubles finals of the tennis tournament Transylvania
    Open staged in Cluj-Napoca, north-western Romania. The two secured a 4-6, 6-1,
    11-9 win against Alexandra Krunic of Serbia and Lesley Pattinam Kerkhove of the
    Netherlands. Also on Sunday, Romanian tennis player Simona Halep lost to Anett
    Kontaveit of Estonia 2-6, 3-6 in the finals of this competition.




    (bill)

  • EU Missions for major challenges

    EU Missions for major challenges


    The ongoing
    climate and health crises facing all of us are forcing us to join efforts in
    new and innovating ways. We need a courageous and ambitious policy, setting
    clear goals to help us shape the future that we desire. This is the view of the
    European Union, which is seeking answers to some of the most important current
    challenges. These include fighting cancer, adjusting to climate change, protecting
    oceans and waters, greener cities, a healthy soil and healthy food. New EU
    missions have been initiated for all of these areas. Why is joint action
    necessary? MEP Victor Negrescu attempts an answer:


    Victor Negrescu: I believe the pandemic has once again proved how important it is for us
    to work together. Global challenges require joint responses. We had to come up
    with a joint response in the healthcare field, we had to come up with a joint response
    in terms of economic recovery. And there is no doubt that in order to cope with
    the new challenges related to the environmental and digital transition, we
    still need a EU-wide, joint response. I think this pandemic has brought us all
    together, helped us to better understand the importance of the European project
    and is, somehow, a common starting point that we share regardless of our
    political views. So I hope we will take advantage of this context, which
    unfortunately is not in the least favourable, and understand the importance of
    resetting the EU agenda and of a substantial development of what the EU will
    mean in the future.


    What
    are these missions? A co-ordinated effort, says the European Commission, to
    bring together the necessary resources in terms of financing programmes,
    policies and regulations, as well as other activities designed to contribute to
    fulfilling the goals. With research and innovation as their starting points, the
    EU Missions set ambitious, concrete and measurable objectives, to be
    accomplished in clearly defined timelines, in order to obtain tangible results
    for all Europeans.


    One goal
    of these missions is to mobilise and actively involve stakeholders in the
    public and private sector, member states, regional and local authorities,
    research institutes, entrepreneurs and investors, as well as citizens, in order
    to encourage the adoption of new solutions and approaches at society level. Not
    least, the Missions are a novelty of the largest publicly funded research and
    innovation programme, Horizon Europe, to be held until 2027. MEP Cristian
    Bușoi explains:


    Cristian Bușoi: Obviously, this Horizon Europe programme was
    bound to take into account the challenges facing the EU at present, as well as
    the Union’s strategic goals. This is why an important part of the programme
    focuses on climate change, on digitisation, on artificial intelligence and, of
    course, on healthcare, with special emphasis on beating cancer.


    Supporting at
    least 150 European regions and communities in becoming resilient to the effects
    of climate change by 2030 is one of the EU objectives. In order to fulfil it, Mission
    Adaptation to Climate Change intends to make 100 million euros available for
    large-scale action related to major climate threats like flooding, adjusted to
    local circumstances.


    Mission
    Conquering Cancer plans to introduce a new, common governance model able to
    ensure systematic and effective integration of research, innovation and
    political developments with respect to cancer across Europe. Its targets
    are equally ambitious: cooperation with Europe’s
    Beating Cancer Plan to improve the lives of over 3 million people by 2030 through
    prevention, treatment and solutions for better and longer living. The implementation
    will go beyond research and innovation, but this mission too originates in the
    Horizon Europe programme.


    Mission
    Restore our Oceans and Waters will create a network of lighthouses and
    broaden the networks of protected maritime areas.


    As part
    of Mission 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, the selected cities will get
    their citizens involved in drawing up contracts for climate-neutral cities so
    as to contribute to ensuring climate neutrality by 2030. This is yet another ambitious
    goal, whose reaching would entail substantial benefits, particularly
    considering that, according to the UN, over two-thirds of the total carbon
    emissions come from cities.


    Not least,
    Mission A Soil Deal for Europe will encourage people to take part in
    scientific citizen initiatives to collectively improve the soil health.


    The EU
    Missions will help turn Europe into a greener, healthier continent, more
    favourable to inclusion and more resilient, says Brussels. It is a set of actions
    – research and innovation projects, policy measures and legislative
    initiatives, citizens’ involvement – to achieve concrete goals with large
    societal impact. We want
    to deliver solutions to key global challenges by 2030!, said Margrethe Vestager, Executive
    Vice-President for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age. (tr.
    A.M. Popescu)

  • August 10, 2021 UPDATE

    August 10, 2021 UPDATE

    Immunity — Herd immunity against COVID-19 in Romania is around 50%, through vaccination or the development of antibodies following the disease – the president of the National Committee for Coordination of Vaccination Activities, doctor Valeriu Gheorghiţă said on Tuesday. He added that although the number of infections is on the rise, the situation is stable as compared to other European states. In another development, Valeriu Gheorghiţă specified that the authorities’ aim is to increase the number of vaccinated people, especially among the most vulnerable category, but that, at the moment, anti-Covid vaccination should not be mandatory, because the Romanian society is not prepared for this type of approach. Approximately 5 million Romanians, i.e. a quarter of the total population, have been fully vaccinated. More than 300 new cases of Covid 19 were reported on Tuesday in Romania, after processing more than 34,000 tests, this being the largest daily number reported since the end of May. Four deaths have also been announced. The number of hospitalized patients is also increasing, over 660, of whom about 80 are in intensive care.



    Humanitarian action — A Romanian Air Force aircraft transports, on Tuesday, to Egypt, 525,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine, produced by AstraZeneca, for the management of the pandemic in that country. Romania has received a request for international assistance from the Cairo government through the European Civil Protection Mechanism, thus joining European and international efforts to support Egypt. Similar humanitarian aid would be sent to Albania and Vietnam. Already on Monday, the Romanian Air Force transported to Tunisia approximately 180,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, antigen tests and medical supplies, as well as a 13-strong medical staff team who will provide support to the Tunisian health personnel. In a statement, the Tunisian Embassy in Romania thanked the Romanian state for its action.



    Attack – Romania reiterated its strong condemnation of any acts of aggression that represent violations of the principles and norms of international law and voiced its concern over the negative effects of these actions on regional and international security. This view was shared on Monday at an open debate of the UN Security Council held in video-conference format discussing maritime security as an expression of international cooperation. The Romanian foreign ministry said the attack on the Mercer Street oil tanker is a threat to peace and a blatant violation of international law. The European Union also condemned the attack and called for compliance with the principles and norms of international law. The Romanian foreign ministry recalled that Romanias and Britains permanent representatives at the UN together with Liberias permanent representative (under whose flag the ship was sailing) signed a joint letter to the president of the UN Security Council and the UN Secretary General on the subject of the attack on the Mercer Street tanker, in which a Romanian was also killed. The US presented information that the drone that hit the vessel was an Iranian-made kamikaze drone.



    Climate — The Romanian president Klaus Iohannis promised to get actively involved in the processes aimed at solving the climate crisis following the stark warning issued by a major UN report on the accelerated pace of climate change caused by human action. The report notes that global warming may exceed by 1.5 degrees Celsius the levels recorded at the end of the 19th century by around 2030, ten years earlier than previously estimated. UN experts speak of a genuine red code for humanity and unprecedented disasters, including more heat waves and floods. In response to the UN report, the European Commission said it is not too late to stop this trend provided the countries of the world act immediately and do so together. The US said the world cannot delay ambitious climate action, and the UK said the transition to renewable energy must be made fast, an idea supported by France. Greenpeace insists that it is now up to the worlds governments to take measures and commit to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.



    Police — The Romanian Police on Tuesday launched a road safety campaign entitled “View from the hospital”, in order to reduce the accidents caused as a result of drivers’ failure to observe speed limits on national highways and roads. The policemen presented what is meant by aggressive driving and explained that the dangerous maneuvers for drivers will be defined in the new proposals for the modification of the Traffic Code. The Interior Ministry has proposed, among other things, to double the sanctions for wrong-way driving on highways, i.e. withholding driving licenses for 120 days, as compared to 60 days at present, and license suspension for 60 days for driving in the emergency lane on highways instead of fines, as the rule goes at present. In Romania, excessive speed is the main cause of traffic accidents in the summer season. Statistics show that in summer, many drivers go on holiday with their families and try to reach their destination as soon as possible.



    Senate — The Romanian Senate’s Permanent Bureau on Tuesday summoned a plenary extraordinary session to inform about the adoption by the government, on August 5, during the parliamentary break, of the Emergency Ordinance repealing provisions regarding the disconnection of customers that do not pay their natural gas and thermal energy bills. So far, during the state of alert, conveyance and distribution operators have ensured the continuity of service provision for all subscribers who have not paid their bills. According to the authorities, the number of final customers – domestic and non-domestic – who had not paid their electricity and natural gas bills recorded in the period for which disconnections were postponed, was, at the end of May, over 200 thousand, the amount of outstanding debts standing at almost 250 million lei (about 50 million Euros). (LS)

  • August 10, 2021

    August 10, 2021

    Covid-19. Romania recorded 312 new Covid infections today, the highest
    daily figure since the end of May, as well as 4 new related fatalities. The
    number of Covid patients receiving hospital treatment is also on the rise,
    passing 660, including 86 in intensive care. The infection rate in Romania went
    up to 0.12 per 1,000 inhabitants. The coordinator of Romania’s mass vaccination
    campaign Valeriu Gheorghiţă made a new call on public radio for the population
    to comply with Covid protection rules and to get the vaccine. He warned that
    the Delta variant is much more contagious. Some 5 million Romanians accounting
    for a quarter of the country’s population have been fully vaccinated to date.






    Climate. Romanian president Klaus Iohannis promised to take an active
    involvement in the processes aimed at solving the climate crisis following the
    stark warning issued by a major UN report on the accelerated pace of climate
    change caused by human action. The report notes that global warming may exceed
    by 1.5 degrees Celsius the levels recorded at the end of the 19th century
    by around 2030, ten years earlier than previously estimated. UN experts speak
    of a genuine red code for humanity and unprecedented disasters, including more
    heat waves and floods. In response to the UN report, the European Commission said
    it is not too late to stop this trend provided the countries of the world act
    immediately and do so together. The US said the world cannot delay ambitious
    climate action, and the UK said the transition to renewable energy must be made
    fast, an idea supported by France. Greenpeace insists that it is now up to the
    world’s governments to take measures and commit to the reduction of greenhouse
    gas emissions by 2030.




    Attack. Romania reiterated its strong condemnation of any acts of
    aggression that represent violations of the principles and norms of
    international law and voiced its concern over the negative effects of these
    actions on regional and international security. This view was shared on Monday
    at an open debate of the UN Security Council held in video-conference format
    discussing maritime security as an expression of international cooperation. The
    foreign ministry in Bucharest said the attack on the Mercer Street oil tanker
    is a threat to peace and a blatant violation of international law. The European
    Union also condemned the attack and called for compliance with the principles
    and norms of international law. The Romanian foreign ministry recalled that
    Romania’s and Britain’s permanent representatives at the UN together with
    Liberia’s permanent representative (under whose flag the ship was sailing)
    signed a joint letter to the president of the UN Security Council and the UN
    Secretary General on the subject of the attack on the Mercer Street tanker, in
    which a Romanian was also killed. The US presented information that the drone
    that hit the vessel was an Iranian-made kamikaze drone.


    Tennis. The Romanian tennis player Sorana Cîrstea reached the fourth
    round of the WTA 1000
    tournament in Montreal, in Canada, worth over 1.8 million dollars in prize
    money. She defeated Alison Riske of the US, 6-3, 6-4. Another Romanian player, Simona
    Halep, who is seeded sixths at this event, will be playing straight in the
    second round against the winner between Danielle Collins of the US and Jil
    Teichmann of Switzerland.




    Football. The Romanian football champions CFR Cluj are today playing the
    decisive match in the Champions League third preliminary round against the
    Swiss side Young Boys Berne. In the first leg at home, CFR drew 1-all. If they
    qualify, CFR will play the Champions League play-offs against the winner
    between Ferencvaros Budapest and Slavia Prague and if they lose they will be
    playing the Europa League play-offs against the losing side in the match
    between Red Star Belgrade and Sheriff Tiraspol. If they lose this latter match,
    CFR will in any case have a seat in the Europa Conference League groups. (CM)

  • AUGUST 9, 2021 UPDATE

    AUGUST 9, 2021 UPDATE

    CLIMATE Romanian president Klaus Iohannis on Monday said the latest UN
    report on climate change must be an alarm signal for everybody adding that he
    would get actively involved in all the processes aimed at solving the climate
    crisis. The Romanian president says that firm action is needed and that must be
    coordinated at national, European and international levels in order for the right
    public policies to be implemented. The magnitude and fast pace of these
    human-induced changes do not allow us to postpone decisions and measures to
    curb their dramatic effects, president Iohannis wrote in a Facebook message. According
    to the UN latest report on climate published on Monday, mankind will be facing
    a significant rise in temperatures, heavy rainfalls in some areas and drought
    caused by greenhouse gases. The UN experts believe the tendency is affecting
    every inhabited area while some changes, such as increased sea levels, are to
    be seen for hundreds and even thousands of years. ‘It is unequivocal’ the
    report says, ‘that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land’. Scientists
    say that if carbon emissions are halved by 2030, their devastating effects can
    be stopped. Britain is to stage a major conference on climate change in Glasgow
    over October 31st – November 12th.




    FIRES 45
    Romanian firefighters continue their mission in the Spatari area on the Greek
    island of Evia. The intervention is facilitated by six fire engines, two tanks,
    and six rescuers whose mission is to ensure the supply of trucks with water and
    use chainsaws to create corridors that help contain the fires. According
    to the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, Romanian firefighters use
    drones to monitor new fire outbreaks. These are the deadliest fires in Greek
    history and have devastated northern Evia, burning down more than 35,000
    hectares of pine forest and hundreds of homes. Thousands of residents and
    tourists have been evacuated by sea from the affected regions. In another
    development, two planes of Romanian Air Forces have joined the firefighting
    efforts in neighboring North Macedonia, a country also affected by forest
    fires. The Romanian firefighters accomplished three missions on Monday and nine
    missions since their deployment three days ago.






    AID A
    plane belonging to Romania’s Air Forces on Monday carried to Tunisia approximately
    180,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine produced by Astra Zeneca, as well as antigen
    tests and sanitary materials, to help manage the pandemic in that country,
    the Romanian Defense Ministry announced. Romania was among the states that
    received a request for international assistance from the Tunisian government,
    by activating the European Civil Protection Mechanism. This mechanism
    coordinates the response to natural and man-made disasters at EU level,
    enabling coordinated, effective and rapid assistance to support affected
    populations.






    BUDGET In
    Bucharest, the Liberal Prime Minister Florin Cîţu continues, this week, talks on
    budget adjustment, with his ministers, but also with the leaders of the ruling
    center-right coalition. According to the draft, the Ministry of Health will
    receive the largest amount, followed by the Ministry of Finance and the
    Ministry of Development. On the other hand, the Ministry of Labor, the Court of
    Accounts and the Senate will get less. The Prime Minister has reiterated that
    additional funds will be received only by ministries that reported a good
    budget execution in the first six months of the year. For his part, the Deputy
    Prime Minister Dan Barna, from USR-PLUS, has expressed his conviction that an
    adjustment formula will be found that will guarantee investments in the coming
    months of this year as well.


    (bill)







  • July 15, 2021

    July 15, 2021

    Covid-19 update. With 62 new Covid cases recorded on Thursday, the number of new infections remains low in Romania, but health experts and
    the authorities fear the highly transmissible Delta strain may
    become dominant in autumn. In their opinion, the only solution to counteract
    the unfortunate effects of this variant is vaccinating as many people as
    possible. From December last year, when the mass vaccination campaign got
    under way in Romania, over 9 million doses were administered to some 4.8
    million people, of whom 4.7 million are fully vaccinated. Unhappy with these
    figures, the authorities are looking for ways to boost vaccination rates.




    Protests. Dozens of thousands of people
    protested on Wednesday across France against the new coronavirus restrictions.
    President Emmanuel Macron announced that vaccination will become mandatory for
    healthcare workers and other professions and a health pass will be required to
    gain access to public places like cinemas, theatres, trains and long-distance
    flights. Rallies were also held in Greece, where thousands protested against
    the government’s measures to contain the spread of the virus. The country’s
    prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the staff of care homes for the elderly
    must get the vaccine or face dismissal. 4.3 of Greece’s 10.7 million population
    are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, but the Greek government fears a new rise
    in cases and pressure on hospitals.






    Afghanistan. The end of the Romanian Army’s
    mission in Afghanistan this month will be marked on 21st July in a
    special ceremony in Bucharest. Troops representing the different units who
    served in Afghanistan since 2002 will march under the Arch of Triumph in the
    centre of the city. The Romanian defence ministry says the parade will be
    opened by a detachment of Romanian soldiers wounded during missions in
    Afghanistan. The military flags of various command structures and units that
    led or carried out missions will be decorated and the soldiers killed in
    foreign theatres of operation will be commemorated. 27 Romanian soldiers were
    killed during Romania’s presence in Afghanistan and over 200 were wounded.










    Climate. The European Commission on Wednesday
    proposed ambitious measures to reach its climate goals. Together with the
    distribution of national targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, these are
    likely to be subject of heated debates among the 27 EU member states, Reuters
    notes. The proposals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% compared with
    1990 include increasing costs for emissions generated by heating, transport and
    the industrial sector, taxing the fuel used in air and naval travel and
    banning, from 2035, the sale of new diesel and petrol cars. In Romania’s case,
    the target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will increase from 2% to 12.7%.
    The plan will be negotiated with member states and the European Parliament.










    Tennis. The Romanian-Italian pair Irina Bara and Sara Errani reached the
    doubles semifinals at the Budapest WTA tournament worth over 235,000 dollars in
    prize money. On Wednesday, they defeated the first seeds Anna Kalinskaya and Yana Sizikova in straight sets,
    7-6, 6-4. In the quarterfinals, the Romanian-Hungarian pair Mihaela Buzărnescuand Fanny Stollar are facing the all-Hungarian pair
    Anna Bondar and Dalma Galfi, with the winners of the match due to play Bara and
    Errani in the semis. In men’s tennis, the Romanian-German pair Horia Tecău and Kevin
    Krawietz on Wednesday reached the doubles semifinals in Hamburg, at an ATP
    tournament worth over 1 million euros in prize money. They defeated the
    all-German pair Daniel Altmaier and Rudolf Molleker. (CM)




  • New sources of energy for the future

    New sources of energy for the future


    The International Energy
    Agency has delivered a tough and pointed warning to the energy industry. The
    Energy Agency emphasized the fact that investors should not earmark funding for
    new natural gas, oil and coal-based projects any longer, if humankind wants to
    reach the zero-gas emissions target until 2050. It is estimated that, globally,
    gas emissions this year are sure to increase at an alarming rate as global
    economy recovers from the pandemic-generated crisis. Climate-wise, the economic
    recovery occurring in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis is in no way sustainable
    at the moment. The Agency also added that governments worldwide need to move
    fast in order to reduce gas emissions or else we’re highly likely to face an
    even more serious situation in 2022.UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has
    in turn called on the developed countries to gradually eliminate the use of
    coal until 2030 and stop building coal-fired power plants altogether. All that
    has occurred against the backdrop of an estimated increase in electrical energy
    demand, the fastest in the last decade. There is nonetheless good news to that
    effect, such as the reported increase in the production of solar and wind
    energy in China. By the same token, the government in Berlin has adopted a plan
    meant to speed up the implementation of the climate objectives; Germany is set
    to reach the neutrality of gas emissions by 2045. Actually, the developed
    countries in the last months have ambitiously committed themselves to reducing
    polluting emissions. Such far-reaching pledges need to be complied with. In
    turn, French president Emmanuel Macron shared the belief whereby the African
    states should not be stuck up with the fossil energies. The African states will
    have to make sensible progress to that end, at the same pace with the rest of
    the world. Accordingly, massive investments need to be drawn in renewable
    energies sector. In fact, the appeal made by the French president highlights
    the heart of the matter from the viewpoint of production and the economy.
    Basically, it is all about a groundbreaking change in society and economy.

    Here
    is what Professor Mircea Dutu told Radio Romania:


    In the last
    200 years or so, the progress made by the entire society and the economy on the
    planet has been based on an energy model that heavily relied on fossil fuels:
    coal, oil and gas. Therefore, under the circumstances, in a bid to harmonize
    the economic development with what happens in terms of climate change, the
    option has been made for the change of that fundamental way of producing
    energy, that is doing away with the fossil fuel energy and using the renewable
    energy instead, and, in some case, the nuclear energy, at any rate, such an
    option resorted to energy sources with low greenhouse gas emissions. The stated
    aim of the action to be taken at global level, in a bid to mitigate effects and
    adapt to the ensuing climate change, is, from the sheer climate viewpoint,
    reaching the 2 degree Celsius temperature limit, even 1.5
    Celsius degrees, if possible, as against the reading levels prior to the modern
    age, the pre-industrial age, that is, and concurrently but definitely
    concertedly, reaching the climate neutrality level in mid-century, all that as
    a component of the action humankind takes in order to comply with the set
    target of reaching the average temperature limit at global level.


    To what extent human
    activities have accelerated changes in climate at global level, as of late? To
    a great extent, certainly. And we are even more accurate stating that than we
    were 10 years ago, or at least that’s what climate expert Roxana Bojariu says.
    According to the most recent report of the Intergovernmental Climate change
    study group, human activities have caused 95% of the reported increase in
    temperature readings beginning the second half of the 20th century.

    Roxana Bojariu:


    These are numerical
    experiments, they are the perfect equivalent of the physics lab experiments
    revealing the fact that, unless we take into account the increased
    concentration of the greenhouse gas emissions, we will not be able to obtain
    the upward trend of the average temperature reading at
    global level.     So the natural factors do not have any effect whatsoever on
    the creation of the upward trend of the global average temperature reading,
    basically. The activity of the sun, the volcanic activity, they cannot explain
    that overwhelming increase either, we can all see records are set from one year
    to the next, from one month to the next. The last six years have been the
    warmest six years in terms of recorded temperature readings, beginning the
    second half of the 19th century. The last decade was the warmest of
    all decades for which temperature readings have been recorded. But these
    all-time high temperature readings go with extreme phenomena, record-highs in the case of
    several manifested phenomena. Last year, we recorded the hurricanes’ most
    active season in the Atlantic. Concurrently, we have an accelerated melting of
    the ice layer in Greenland, but also in western Antarctica. Unfortunately, such
    phenomena are highly likely to intensify in the future. Fires will break, like the
    ones we had in Australia but also in the Amazon, in much the same way as we had
    fires that flared up in southern Europe. Numerical experiments even point to
    the fact that in Romania, vegetation fires will unfortunately have an increased
    impact as the upward trend continues in the case of the global average temperature
    readings, as the ongoing change expands .


    As for the climatic
    neutrality, we need it by 2050. Which means that all our activities that
    eventually lead up to emissions in the atmosphere must be balanced out. All
    things considered, we need to have net zero emissions, so that our imprint, the
    imprint our activities have on the environment, all that should no longer
    exist, according to climate expert Roxana Bojariu.