Romania’s Climate Progress: Records Hiding Deep Problems

by Elena Popa

The European Investment Bank came out with an article in the autumn of 2021 stating that 85% of Romanians believe that their government is not as concerned about the issue of climate change as they are. Further statistics show that only 36% of Romanians think that the country will succeed in lowering its carbon emissions by 2050, according to the Paris Agreement. This has led to pessimistic opinions about the government’s efficiency in relation to environmental laws, as more than half of the Romanian population would prefer stricter laws. 

Located in the Eastern part of Europe, Romania, like the rest of the world, has also experienced differences in weather due to climate change. For example, the month of July, 2023, was reported to have been one of the hottest months ever recorded, with the air being 0.72 degrees higher than the July average of previous years.

Romania’s environmental records

In 2019, Romania ranked third lowest in terms of per capita emissions . The country released only 3% of the European Union’s total emissions, having achieved a 26% reduction in emissions between 2005 and 2019. Some of these results have been achieved by the afforestation of unproductive agricultural lands and the creation of forest barriers. In terms of carbon intensity, the country has seen a reduction of 54%, despite continuing to have several carbon-intensive industries. This decrease was facilitated by the transition from a command to a market economy in 1990. 

Furthermore, in 2022, greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) have been 7% lower than in 2021. In this case, the GHG emissions per capita from Romania has been 6 tonnes, 2 tonnes below the European average. Net domestic emissions, such as the in the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector, have also decreased by 75.1% compared to the 1990 levels. Overall, considering these statistics the country’s GHG emissions have been estimated to reach 3.7 tonnes by 2050.

Pressing issues despite the records 

Although the statistics have been positive, Romania continues to face environmental problems. For example, the GHG intensity has been above the EU average . At the same time, according to Sustainable Governance Indicators (SGI), Romania has a score of only 5.9/10 in environmental policies . This ranks it 25th internationally, placing it in the lower- middle ranks. The main reasons for this score and ranking seem to be related to the fact that the authorities have not collected accurate data in relation to the decrease in emissions. Another aspect is the absence of a national air pollution program, resulting in air pollution throughout the country. Lastly, the country is reported to have an oversaturated energy market with too many electricity producers. This leads to the energy industries accounting for the largest share of Romania’s GHG emissions . 

The transport sector has also been a part of the problem as it has seen an increase in emissions. The share of emissions from this sector grew to almost 16% in 2019, previously being 8.2% in 2005 . According to the European Investment Bank, Romania is among the countries with the least developed transport infrastructure . This results in a lack of highways and newer trains. Currently, Romania is building only 45 km of highway per year and the average speed of a train is 15 km/h. The issue of infrastructure can have a negative impact on the environment. For example, Romania’s biggest cities, Bucharest, Cluj and Iași, have been classed as the ones with the most air pollution. This is a result of the heavy traffic which can occur in these cities.

Are the government’s actions enough?

Currently the government has plans to improve the country’s infrastructure by building more highways. However, one aspect which might be hindering the government from doing more is the country’s economy. Although Romania has been helped by European funds, the economic growth has decelerated by 2.1% in 2023. Despite this, economic growth is expected to increase over the next few years. In order for a visible improvement to happen, though, more funds are needed which places Romania in a dependency relationship with the European Union. Therefore, some of the climate problems which are directly caused by the country’s infrastructure, such as air pollution, might be too expensive to solve at the moment. 

Another reason for why the Romanian government has not done more to tackle climate change can be the high levels of corruption within the country. Romania ranks as the second most corrupt country in the European Union, after Bulgaria. Members of the government are among the most likely to go to prison because of some sort of corruption related crime. The levels of corruption can make the citizens wonder whether the country’s leaders are much more interested in taking bribes than in improving the infrastructure, economy or the environment. 

In this sense, the Romanian government might be doing too little for the benefit of the climate within the country. Highways, which help facilitate driving in and out of a city and would prevent some of the heavy traffic which occurs in the biggest cities, are built over a long period of time if they even are at all. The trains and trams are old and take too much time to get to their destination, on top of being often delayed. This could mean that fewer people are likely to get on a train and, from an environmental perspective, it is much more beneficial to take a train rather than a car. Opting for taking the train can reduce carbon emissions by 80%, however, most of the Romanian cities are not facilitated for that. Despite these problems, the government does not seem to be taking any measures towards the improvement of trains, trams and roads.