EU environment agency: Bulgaria faces significant challenges in relation to climate adaptation

Bulgaria faces significant challenges in relation to climate adaptation, including increased vulnerability to extreme weather events and economic risks from climate-related events, the European Environment Agency said in a report released on September 29.

According to the agency’s  five-yearly State of Europe’s environment report, Bulgaria, given its geographic position and diverse natural environments, is one of Europe’s biodiversity hotspots, holding a leadership position in shares of terrestrial protected areas included in Natura 2000 in the EU.

Having exceeded the EU target of 30 per cent, the policy focus has now shifted to the effective management and development of the marine network.

In terms of economic change, the country has demonstrated progress regarding renewable energy, with the deployment of hydrogen and solar energy power, but is progressing slowly in terms of circular economy goals and lags behind in waste management and resource efficiency.

The energy system is still partially dependent on fossil fuels, especially in electricity production and national energy security. Bulgaria has made some initial progress in green mobility, with investments in rail infrastructure, metro expansion, low-emission zones in the capital and electric vehicle incentives, the agency said.

Social change is hampered by demographic and economic factors. Bulgaria has strong academic traditions in science and engineering and strong regional leadership in information and communications technology, the report said.

Nevertheless, effectively incorporating eco-innovation and scientific research remains a challenge for the just transition process. Digitalisation and innovation can boost productivity while preserving resources, helping the transition process.

Environmental policy in Bulgaria has yielded positive results, the agency said.

“Nonetheless, transformation towards sustainability still needs more action in several areas,” it said. “The availability of high-quality land resources, diverse meteorological and natural conditions, good practices in the agricultural sector and the steps planned by Bulgaria are a good foundation to boost the development of organic production.”

The agency said that significant progress has been made in nature protection and restoration in line with EU legislation.

With 35 per cent coverage of the National Ecological Network for the inland territory, Bulgaria is among the top performers in the EU, following Slovenia and Croatia. The policy focus is now on the effective management and development of the marine network, the agency said.

Bulgaria is in compliance with air quality standards for almost all of the basic air pollutants, according to the report.

There has also been significant progress in achieving compliance with EU air quality standards for particulate matter with a diameter of 10 μm or less (PM10), which has been a long-term problem for Bulgaria.

“To stay consistent in terms of air quality, it is important to keep implementing measures targeting the major pollution sources,” the report said.

Bulgaria is catching up with the EU average for GHG emission trends, it said.

The key sectors vulnerable to climate change are agriculture, biodiversity and ecosystem services, energy, forestry, human health, tourism, transport, urban environment and water. The national adaptation policies aim to improve the resilience of all sectors by taking into account regional, sectoral and cross-sectoral aspects through diverse measures set out in the action plan of the national climate change adaptation strategy.

“The pace of the circular economy transition is slow, and there is room for improvements in waste management and resource efficiency.” the agency said.

It said that another concern is the high rate of resources used combined with the rather low usage rate of secondary raw materials.

There is still a risk of Bulgaria not meeting the 2025 recycling targets for municipal waste, the agency said.

(Photo: Clive Leviev-Sawyer)