Several amendments have been submitted to the new Forestry Code currently debated in the Romanian Parliament, and protecting the forest vegetation in Ilfov, the county surrounding Bucharest, is among them. Safeguarding these forests would be the starting point for creating a Green Belt around Bucharest as a solution to the worrying pollution levels in the capital.

The legislation aiming to protect Bucharest's surrounding forests was first introduced to the Parliament a year ago, on April 12, 2023, as part of the civic platform Together for the Green Belt/Împreună pentru Centura Verde. After passing the Senate with a unanimous vote, the bill has been stuck for roughly six months in the last expert committee of the Chamber of Deputies, just before the final vote. 

In the meantime, the new Forestry Code started its legislative process, as an essential milestone of Romania's recovery and resilience plan (PNRR). Thus, the initiators of the Together for the Green Belt civic platform also decided to take on a new legislative path. With the support of the Environment Ministry and some MPs from across the political spectrum, they submitted their bill's initial text as amendments to the new Forestry Code that the Parliament is set to adopt in the coming weeks. 

Submitted by deputies Diana Buzoianu (USR) and Oana Cambera (REPER), the amendments are also backed by MPs from other parties, such as the acting environment minister Mircea Fechet (PNL) and former environment minister Tanczos Barna (UDMR), Kelemen Hunor (UDMR), Senate president and PNL leader Nicolae Ciucă, senator and justice minister Alina Gorghiu (PNL), Cristian Țâgarlaș (PNL), Robert Cazanciuc (PSD), or Liviu-Lucian Mazilu (PSD).

Alex Găvan, founder of the Together for the Green Belt civic platform, commented: "The Bucharest-Ilfov Green Belt needs dedicated supporters to turn it into reality. And this involves 'opening the eyes' of all relevant decision-makers, current or potential, regardless of the party they belong to, and their deep understanding that they must join hands to make this public health project possible."

In his turn, Florin Stoican, co-founder of the civic platform, said: "The new Forestry Code is to be adopted quickly, under the pressure of losing money from PNRR. It was supposed to be adopted last year. Although it misses the systemic reform, it does bring some reform, supported by the Ministry of the Environment and many politicians: protecting the forests around Bucharest and Ilfov as a first step for creating Bucharest's green belt, protecting the remarkable trees, unrestricted access to the forest for recreation, or the transparency of the forest management process."

Protecting Romania's remarkable trees and fully opening the forests for recreational activities are other amendments to the new Forestry Code supported by the Together for the Green Belt civic platform.

The Together for the Green Belt platform was launched at the initiative of high altitude climber and conservationist Alex Găvan and Florin Stoican, president of the Kogayon and Văcărești Natural Park associations. It is a multileveled civic initiative joined by more than 150 local non-profits, civic groups, and public figures, and supported by the Presidential Administration, launched with the aim of offering concrete solutions to combat the worrying pollution in Bucharest and create a Green Belt.

One of its pillars is a memorandum of understanding, which includes the bill on protecting the forests in Ilfov and other solutions for a healthier environment in the capital city and beyond. Several high-ranking political and executive decision-makers from all relevant parties have backed the memorandum. In fact, the initiators say that the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) has remained the only political force yet to support the project openly by signature.

The Bucharest-Ilfov Green Belt is a public health project with a strong social, environmental, and anti-pollution component. The civic platform also includes an online petition that gathered more than 11,800 signatures so far and still awaits public support here. Further details about the initiative are available here (in Romanian). 

Bucharest is one of the most polluted capitals in the European Union. And air pollution not only means health issues for its inhabitants but also translates into an annual cost of EUR 6.35 billion. 

At the same time, the project initiators say the forests around the capital are systematically decimated. With only 16% wooded area, Ilfov county is considered an "area with a deficit of forest vegetation."

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Alex Găvan; Centuraverde.ro)