The Agent Green Association, represented by Gabriel Păun, and Cristian Ghinea, co-chair of the USR PLUS delegation in the European Parliament and coordinator of the government programme, held an initial consultation on environmental protection topics for the 2021-2024 government programme at the end of this week.
Agent Green welcomes the creation of the “O Țară ca Afară” platform, launched at the end of last year by USR PLUS MEPs Cristian Ghinea and Vlad Botoș, which offers concrete solutions to the waste crisis or concerning the packaging deposit system. We also welcome the fact that Uniunea Salvați România — USR — PLUS supports elements of Agent Green’s vision for forests. For example, the national programme to increase the country’s forest cover from 29% (at present) to 40%, as well as expanding the Natura 2000 protected-area network to 30% of Romania’s territory. USR PLUS firmly undertakes the following government commitments: rapid implementation of the packaging deposit system, a special prosecution unit for environmental offences (DNA-ul Pădurilor) and a national afforestation programme.
If USR PLUS enters government, dialogue remains open on other key elements of Agent Green’s proposed vision. For example: increasing the strictly protected area to 10% of Romania’s territory (including strict protection of the existing national parks, which cover 1.3% of Romania’s area) and moving production forests from the current intensive exploitation system to close-to-nature forestry. Dialogue also remains open on the need to conduct environmental assessments for projects in all sectors.
On the other hand, no common ground has yet been found on the transition to clean energy, more specifically the gradual elimination of nuclear energy and energy based on fossil fuels. While USR has not yet communicated a policy on nuclear energy, the political group considers that gas can be a targeted, local solution for reducing energy generated from coal and biomass (wood burning).
During the consultation, Agent Green pointed out that both the EU Member States in Eastern Europe and those in Western Europe have precise objectives for the gradual elimination of nuclear energy (including France — currently no.1 in nuclear energy) and Poland (currently no.1 in coal).
Agent Green considers it possible for Romania to use its own resources, as well as European funding, for a direct transition to clean energy without gas, without waste incinerators and with the gradual elimination of nuclear energy production. Regarding gas, Agent Green pointed out that it is a huge generator of greenhouse gases from the extraction stage onwards. The technological solutions for a Romania that produces and consumes clean energy already exist, are cheaper in the long term, kinder to the environment and better for people’s health.
