The analysis of the state of the environment includes the whole range of all environmental elements and of the factors related to the environment, such as economic development and its pressure to the environment, physical state of environmental parts, as well as the undertaken measures for the environment improvement, the scale of efficiency, priority identification, etc.
This kind of analysis becomes touchable and interpretable, using measurable and clear environmental indicators for every factor or element of that environment.
The state of environment should be analyzed for every part of the environment like air, water resources and related ecosystems, soil and its ecosystems, forests and forest ecosystems, biodiversity and so on. State of environment it’s not the arithmetical average of the environmental parts. Every part of the environment should be analyzed separately, but not disconnected. The Republic of Albania is situated in the South East region of Europe, South-West of the Balkan Peninsula, along the Adriatic and the Ionian Seas. It is positioned between these geographical coordinates: 39o 38’ (Konispol) and 42o 39’ (Vermosh) south-north, 19o 16’ (Sazan Island) and 21o 40’ (Vernik village, Korca) west-east.
The territory of Albania of 28 748 km2 and its population in 2006 was 3.149 million inhabitants. The administrative division of the country consists of 12 prefectures, 36 districts, 374 communes and 2900 villages. The coastal area represents 25 percent of the total territory of the country, while the protected coastal area represents 35 percent of the total protected areas of the country.
The existing protected areas in 2006 are totally 801, covering 261 106 ha, representing 9.08 percent of the Albanian territory and more than 25 percent of the forests of the country. The National Parks in 2006 are 13 in total, covering an area of 88 615 ha which represents almost 3 percent of the total territory of the country.
Although Albania is a small country, due to it various geologic and geomorphologic structures, landscape, climate and hydrology, it is characterized by a prosperous biodiversity. However, the policies and practices regarding environment have been ambiguous and of implementation of related legal framework. The damage and even destruction of the habitat in the recent 50 years is the main threat to the flora and fauna of Albania. The destruction of several brushwood and wetlands of a total area of 200.000 ha, as well as the deforestation of about 250 000 ha of territory, made many wild species disappear or their population is diminished.
The Albanian flora comprises roughly 3235 species of vascular plants (30 percent of the total European species). Almost 450 species (15 percent) of the total can be found only in the Balkan Peninsula.
Although the Albanian flora has not been thoroughly studied, based upon the present evidence, there is general consent that it is rich. It is mainly formed of species of the Euro-Siberian group, with particular presence of the elements from the Holarctic, Mediterranean and Balkan groups.
The pollution, mainly caused by industrial activities, has caused critical environment damages. As a consequence of the lack of accurate information on concentration of chemical another dangerous agents around the country, the risk they represent for the environment and for the health of people remain unclear. Moreover, the sorts and quantities of chemical agents in use of the industry in the country remain unknown.
Urbanization of rural areas represents another environment threat. For instance, the fast and uncontrolled overpopulation of a limited area like Tirana, combined with the poor and inadequate social infrastructure, has caused the fast degradation and deterioration of the urban environment of the capital town.
The urban solid waste in 2004 was calculated to be around 622 400 tones, 61 percent of which was generated by the five largest cities of the country, while only Tirana generated almost 28 percent of it. It is expected that the urban waste generation increase about 9-10 percent per year.
The most important generator of solid waste during 1999 was the industrial sector. Recently, due to the closure of many industrial plants, the solid waste generation of this sector has declined, but the treatment of the already existing stock remains unsettled.
The consumption of pesticides in 2005 was 183 tones varied from 2.6 tones (in the area of Lezha) to 48.7ton (in the area of Fieri).
The priority, the environment protection has taken in Albania was finalized with creation of Ministry of Environment, since September 2001.
The Government is reconsidering the question of funding of environment protection programs through the creation of the so-called “eco-fund”.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Protected, Ministry of Public Works ,Transportations and Telecommunication, Ministry of Economy, Commerce and Energy, Ministry of Work, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Ministry of Health, the Institute of Public Health, Hydro-Meteorological Institute, National Council of Territory Adjustments etc. are the institutions which helps in the implementation of the low for “Environmental Protection” as well as in the right implementation of policies related to the environment.
Data Sources
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Water Administration
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