Veterinary authorities confirmed that the bison population, numbering around 300 individuals in the area, suffered massive larval infections that led to a high mortality rate over the past 40 days. The carcasses of the deceased animals were either incinerated or buried to prevent the spread of disease and protect other wildlife, such as bears and wolves.

Officials emphasised that mortality remains below critical levels, noting that the situation becomes severe only if deaths exceed 10-15% of the population. The European bison, a species that had been extinct in Romania for over a century, has been successfully reintroduced through dedicated conservation programs, now numbering over 4,000 individuals across protected mountain regions.

Despite this outbreak, experts emphasise that the reintroduction program has been a significant success in restoring biodiversity and reviving Romania’s wild ecosystems. The recent epidemic highlights the ongoing need for careful monitoring and intervention to safeguard the survival of this iconic species.

This wildlife health crisis in the Țarcu Mountains serves as a stark reminder of the challenges involved in conservation efforts and the fragility of reintroduced animal populations in changing environmental conditions.

The post Epidemic Causes Deaths of 21 European Bisons in Romania’s Mountains appeared first on Valahia.News.

The project from the Romanian hermitage, Prodromu, marks the first phase of a larger initiative. At this stage, Simtel integrated the batteries produced by PRIME in a system that includes the production of renewable energy from photovoltaic panels with a power of 100 kWp and batteries with a total capacity of 512.4 kWh (0.5 MWh). The system uses autonomous (off-grid) Victron inverters, supplied by the Romanian company Darcom Energy.

Designed to allow the expansion of battery storage capacity in future stages, this energy microsystem will be expanded in the second phase by installing 120 kWp of photovoltaic panels, an operation that Simtel will carry out in October of this year. The system integrates three existing diesel generators, which can operate alternately or simultaneously, thus providing flexibility and ensuring continuity of power supply when needed.

The renewable energy system developed and implemented by PRIME and Simtel contributes significantly to the energy independence of the monastic community at Prodromu, by almost eliminating the need to use diesel generators. Also, once the second stage is completed, the energy system will have a total capacity of 220 kWp in photovoltaic panels. It will produce approximately 308 MWh of solar energy annually, generating savings of approximately €60,000 per year and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 206 tons annually.

PRIME Batteries Technology is one of the most important producers of energy storage solutions in the European Union. It is the only Romanian company producing Li-ion batteries and energy storage systems, proving a notable presence in various sectors such as industrial, automotive, maritime, and large-scale BESS. PRIME Batteries Technology is expanding its production capacity to 2.3 GWh by the end of 2024, strengthening its position as a key player in the battery value chain in Europe.

Simtel is a technology, engineering, and innovation group with Romanian origins, an international presence, and a global vision. The group provides companies and organizations with complete solutions and integrated ecosystems, from consulting, permitting, design, engineering, and construction to maintenance, operation, measurement, control, and energy supply.

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The serene trails of Romania’s picturesque mountains turned tragic last week when a 19-year-old girl lost her life in a bear attack while hiking with her boyfriend. The incident has sparked a heated debate nationwide, dividing public opinion on wildlife conservation and human safety.

The young couple was exploring the trails of the Bucegi Mountains, renowned for their natural beauty and abundant wildlife. What started as a peaceful day of hiking quickly turned catastrophic when they encountered a bear. Despite efforts to ward off the animal, the bear attacked the young woman, resulting in fatal injuries. Her boyfriend managed to escape and sought help, but it was too late to save her.

All this tragic incident happened while the two called the emergency numbers, and the operators heard the girl being slain by the animal.

This tragic event is not an isolated incident. Bear attacks in Romania have increased in recent years, leading to increased public concern. The Carpathian Mountains, home to Europe’s largest population of brown bears, have become a focal point for these encounters.

The rise in bear attacks has sparked a national debate, splitting public opinion on how to address the issue. Some Romanians are calling for stricter measures to control the growing bear population.

The Minister of the Environment mentioned that, in the last 20 years, in Romania, 27 people were killed by bears and 274 people were disfigured.

On the other hand, conservationists warn against drastic actions. They argue that the bears are a vital part of Romania’s ecosystem and should be protected. Romania is home to the largest population of brown bears in Europe, estimated at around 6,000 individuals. These majestic creatures play a vital role in the ecosystem, controlling prey populations and maintaining healthy forests.

They emphasize the need for better education and preparation for those venturing into bear habitats, including using bear spray, noise-making devices, and adherence to recommended safety guidelines.

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In this year’s spring and autumn campaigns, Romsilva, the Romanian authority for forest protection, will plant 26 million saplings and regenerate over 12,000 hectares, with an allocated budget of more than EUR 60 million.

8,102 hectares will be naturally regenerated, and another 3,985 hectares artificially regenerated through afforestation works. Also, in the state forestry fund, current addition works will be carried out on plantations of 2,381 hectares, and restoration works on plantations affected by calamities will be carried out on another 726 hectares. This year’s budget for carrying out all afforestation works, additions to plantations, restoration of disaster plantations, maintenance of plantations and naturally regenerated surfaces is about 296 million lei.

Romania’s Ministry of Environment Press Release

International and national journalists write on this subject: Romania is a country where illegal loggers kill for the “green gold,” and Romanian secular forests turn to timber for furniture factories.

The international press focused on Romania’s deforestation problems, especially after the killing of a dedicated young forester, 37 years old, in Maramures, a county near the Ukrainian border. His death sent the Romanian authorities and the whole world a strong message: stop illegal logging!

Belgian publication MO—Mondiaal Nieuws dedicated a report to the persistent and unsolved problem of illegal logging in Romanian forests. The journalists said, “Efforts against global warming will be pointless if we cut down Romanian primeval forests.”

Yet, despite the government’s annual efforts, crimes continue to be committed in Romania by those who consider forests their business yard. Unfortunately, as things go in Romania at the moment, this investment in afforestation seems nothing more than one to fuel the illegal loggers’ need for more timber.

The post Romania Allocates EUR 60 Million to Afforestation in 2024 appeared first on Valahia.News.

Romania is the largest market in the region regarding the number of companies involved in green energy, as well as the turnovers ticked by them and will remain so in the medium term, according to the centralized data in a study carried out by the SeeNext platform. Thus, according to the mentioned source, were 2,567 companies active in renewable energy in the green energy markets of Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Croatia in 2021. Romania, Greece and Bulgaria occupy the podium; they are currently the region’s stars in terms of investors’ interest in green energy.

This comprehensive analysis is based on data from 633 Romanian companies to give insights into the industry’s performance and trends.

Key findings from the report include:

• Romania’s renewable energy revenues surged by nearly 70% in 2022, reaching EUR 9.6 billion, and the bottom line more than doubled.
• Despite a surge in material costs due to supply chain disruptions, the sector’s net profit margin for 2022 was an impressive 20.9%.
• Romania’s renewable energy sector has attracted foreign investment from 39 different countries.
• Energy storage becomes an increasingly appealing solution to address intermittency and increase grid flexibility, with several hundred MWh capacity expected to be installed by 2025.

Renewables could be the next big thing in Romania’s energy, a sector where Romania is already the most independent country in Europe.

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In 2022, Romania’s renewable energy sector posted a net profit margin of 21% after its bottom line more than doubled to 2 billion euro, according to the report titled Renewable Energy Industry in Romania: Riding the wave and catalysing growth. The report analyzed the performance of 633 companies active in the country’s renewable sector.

You can download the 2023 Renewable Energy in Southeast Europe report here.

With legislative efforts taking shape to boost predictability and new financing opportunities on the horizon, Romania’s renewable industry is poised to grow further, the report’s authors commented.

Strong performance in 2022 was spurred by companies in the operation, maintenance and asset management segment, whose total revenue grew by 69% to 8.5 billion euros, or 89% of the industry total.

Construction, engineering and project development companies grew their revenue by 57% to 895.4 million euros.

Despite constituting only 1.7% of the total industry revenue, the manufacturing segment saw the sharpest rise, expanding more than three times in the year to 161.6 million euros.

The report emphasized the importance of hydropower in the operation, maintenance and asset management segment, accounting for more than half of the revenue. Solar and wind was the runner-up sub-segment among operation, maintenance and asset management companies, generating 3.9 billion euros, or 46% of their revenue in 2022.

In the construction, engineering, and project development segment, solar and wind topped the list of renewables, slicing a share of 92% of the segment’s revenue in 2022.

Italy solidified its presence as the largest foreign investor in Romania’s renewables sector, controlling 43 companies, followed by Cyprus and the Czech Republic. Local shareholders controlled 62% of the companies within the country’s renewable sector.

Propelled by the EU’s legislative thrust towards green energy and a Green Certificate incentive scheme, Romania’s renewables sector witnessed a sharp spike in activity in 2010-2014, with 39% of the companies analyzed in the report being established in this period. After a downturn in activity following the closure of the Green Certificate scheme in 2016, more players emerged again in the 2017-2018 and 2021-2022 periods, signalling increased confidence in the green transition. However, the total headcount of the sector inched down by an annual 0.7% in 2021 before falling 8.5% on the year to 14,511 in 2022.

The post Romania’s Renewable Energy Industry Soars 69% in 2022 appeared first on Valahia.News.

Here is the petition addressed by Agent Green to Roberta Metsola.

Dear Mrs. Roberta Metsola,

We would like to call your attention to the implementation of the Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (the Habitats Directive) by the Romanian Government concerning one of the protected species from Annex II and IV, Ursus arctos.

The species is endangered by the normative acts passed since 2021, respectively, The Emergency Governmental Ordinance 81/2021 and the Law that approved and modified the Ordinance, no 197/2022. As a result of the government propaganda that brown bears are very dangerous and cold-blooded killers, the Minister of Environment Waters and Forests recently proposed an Order for killing 486 brown bears.

The national action plan for conserving the brown bear population in Romania, approved by the Minister of the Environment no. 625/2018, was never implemented, as the Minister recognized in front of the Court of Justice, as detailed in the annexed report.

The Brown Bears are being sacrificed in Romania because of the lack of conservation measures and to indulge the hunter’s need for trophies. The Arthur Affaire in April 2021 is a perfect example of the illegal hunting parties organized in Romania.

The mentioned legislation allows the killing of Brown Bears by a team composed of a representative of the hunting fund and a gendarme, a representative of the town hall and a veterinarian, who do not have previous expertise, do not possess equipment or substances for veterinary use and are not trained to intervene in such situations where capture is necessary, tranquillizing or possibly euthanizing some bears. They are allowed to kill if the bear seems to be dangerous, both inside the localities and in their natural environment, regardless of the age of the bear. This practice occurs in Natura 2000 sites and violates the Habitats Directive.

The order allowing 486 bears that are neither dangerous nor create any prejudices to anyone is based on only a preliminary study, as it is stated on the first page.

The study only criminalizes bears and categorizes them as dangerous without analyzing prevention and conservation measures. At the same time, this study completely lacks an assessment of the impact of killing the 486 bears; a scientific assessment of the bear population is lacking. Also, an analysis of the causes that lead to human-bear conflicts is missing to determine the most appropriate prevention methods.

As a result, the hunting activities, which are illegal under the current EU legislation, lead to human-bear conflicts, which are provoked by the hunters interfering in the natural habitats of the bears. Therefore, instead of killing bears, Romanian authorities should address the root causes of such encounters, namely illegal hunting in protected areas.

Logging destroys the habitat for bears beyond repair. As a result, they search for shelter and food and are pushed toward human settlements.

We ask you to address this issue in the committee for Petitions and, by doing so, help to protect natural habitats for bears in Romania. We sincerely rely on the understanding of the Members of the European Parliament and their will to address on the EU level the severe issue of hunting, as well as the equally serious issue of the national authorities voluntarily and knowingly going against the EU obligations for nature conservation.

Best regards,

Gabriel Paun, President

The context of the petition to stop the killing of bears in Romania

The bear population in Romania is lower than the official estimates. NGOs conducted extensive research and tracking of bear families and concluded that the bear population is lower than the official figures by at least 25%.

For two years in a row, the volunteers from Conservation Carpathia Foundation collected 1,700 DNA samples from bears and sent them to a laboratory in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The results bluntly contradicted the official figures.

We got a density of 17-18 bears per hundred square kilometers. The official data show around 21 bears per hundred square kilometers. These official data are subjective and shouldn’t be used in the management of this species in Romania.

Ruben Iosif, biologist, Conservation Carpathia Foundation

The fact is that the Romanian authorities seem to have been misusing the data. More precisely, the collection of this data is the problem. The Romanian Ministry of Environment and Forests use the forest rangers’ observations to count the bear population. How precise can they be?

More than that, a recent study published by the same Ministry shows the bear population is close to 8,000. The very minister who signed the order for killing bears in Romania asked, in the past, for the killing of 5,000 bears and estimated, personally, in 2015, that the bear population in Romania is at least 10,000. These bluntly fake numbers made Euronews call the minister “bad news for the bear population in Romania.”

Interestingly, the minister, whose name we prefer not to recall and who has just been ousted from the Ministry after the Hungarian Minority Party entered Opposition, signed the order on his very last day at the office. How cynical is that? What interests can be found behind this sort of order?

About Agent Green

Agent Green is the NGO that came up, along with Charlie Ottley, with the brilliant idea of involving companies in what they called the “bear rights campaign.” They appealed to the companies using bears in their logos, names or communication and asked them to contribute to protecting this species.

The famous British director Charlie Ottley was thrilled to be the main character in the videos shot for the Bear Rights campaign.

The post Petition Addressed to European Parliament to Stop Killing of Brown Bears in Romania appeared first on Valahia.News.

In 2011, the hunting of wood grouses was forbidden. The species was considered endangered after years of hunting, and the ban on hunting these spectacular birds allowed the population to grow again. But the very Minister of Environment considered it had grown too large in number and signed a decision to allow hunting again.

The NGOs disagreed, though, and addressed the Romanian court. The decision came very quickly: the order given by the minister was suspended; thus, the species is now protected, and hunting is banned.

It’s not a final decision, though, but it’s a big step to stop what would’ve been a hunting spree. The order mentioned that 239 wood grouses could be hunted. Interestingly enough, the county where the Minister lives, Harghita, received the most significant quota in the country.

Tanczos Barna is famous for supporting bear hunting. In his opinion, the bear population in Romania has grown too big, but again, the environmentalists contradict the official figures.

Romanians started to care about the environment. After years of illegal logging and hunting sprees destroyed flora and fauna in the country, the people started fighting against those who broke the law. Smartphone apps have been designed to help Romanians report any illegal activity they notice, such as trucks carrying logs, and the police are notified and take appropriate action.

This is why decisions, such as those recently taken by the Minister of Environment, are not well received by the locals. Romania has started to understand that its inheritance, the secular forests and the diverse flora and fauna, are meant to be protected for future generations and foreign tourists to continue to enjoy nature in the country.

People like Charlie Ottley, the British producer now living in Romania, immensely helped. Charlie produced quite a few documentaries on Romania. Wild Carpathia, featuring King Charles III, who owns properties in Transylvania, Flavors of Romania, where he wonders the country to show each region, and Wild Danube, a documentary dedicated to this exceptional area. Maybe, at least from time to time, Romanians have to learn that the experience of Western environmentalists is needed when it comes to protecting the environment.

The post Romanian Court Suspends Minister of Environment Decision on Hunting Wood Grouses appeared first on Valahia.News.

Bucharest is the most polluted city in the European Union, and this problem comes from various sources. Still, the most significant ones are the heavy traffic, unauthorized waste storage and illegal waste disposal that is poisoning the air and making it a health hazard for all the city’s residents.

What are the causes of pollution in Bucharest?

Most of the time, the authorities seem unable to identify the source of pollution and pretend to be taking measures in this matter. As mentioned in a previous post, a similar situation was registered in 2020 when the pollution level în Bucharest reached alarming levels. The authorities promised to fix that situation at that time.

One of the measures intended to solve the problem was imposing the vignette oxygen, disallowing Euro 2 and lowering cars to enter downtown Bucharest. That measure was not taken, and the city mayor initializing it was changed after the local elections. The unbreathable air in Bucharest persists in 2022, as we can see on a dedicated app.

From 2020 since TomTom, the app which monitors and indexes traffic jam levels ranked Bucharest the first among the EU cities by the level of congestion registered and the 14th in the World, nothing seems to have changed. The air in Bucharest is a significant risk factor for the population’s health, degrading living conditions.

Curiously is that other conglomerate cities in Romania are not facing this issue. Romanian cities like Timisoara and Cluj-Napoca, both located in Transylvania, Western Romania, are raking in the Top 20 Healthiest Cities to Live in the World, having the cleanest air.

Can the pollution in Bucharest be solved?

The change starts with everyone who lives in a conglomerate city like Bucharest. Some solutions to improve the air condition would be:

1. The use of public transport. Bucharest is benefiting from hybrid buses for public transportation. An eco-friendly way that protects the environment in order to travel in a busy city.
2. Composting plant residues. Instead of burning the vegetable residues, it is possible to opt for their composting to reduce pollution.
3. Reducing the number of trips by car. If not necessary, people should opt for walking to shop, for example, instead of using their personal car.

In case both citizens and the authorities remain indifferent to the growing pollution in Bucharest, they will have to face, shortly, a much more severe problem than the current crisis.

The post Unbreathable Air in Bucharest (Again) appeared first on Valahia.News.

This appears to be like the EC is giving up on green energy under the pressure of the richest European states.

Europe’s plan triggers backlash from climate campaigners

The intention to place these energy sources on the EU green list could open the door to plenty of new nuclear and gas projects. Still, the Commission’s plan has enraged environmentalists and could be stopped in the European Parliament, where lawmakers are split on the subject.

Is the EU giving up its plan to switch to green energy?

After more than a year of discussions, the EU Commissioner for Financial Services presented the idea to journalists, dismissing concerns that the EU was abandoning the transition to “green” energy but noting that the concept was “imperfect.”

I think we’ve found a balance between fundamentally different opinions. The goal is a low-carbon future powered by renewable energy. We cannot yet do that.

Mairead McGuinness

Only four countries, Spain, Austria, Denmark, and Luxembourg have publicly expressed objection to both natural gas and nuclear energy being included on the “green” list, but this is unlikely to influence the outcome since most Member States, including Germany and France, have supported at least one of the two sources of energy to be mentioned on the list.

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