English Version - United Nations Development Programme Romania

effects on the environment should be accepted, but under different circumstances an ecosystem or a
certain aspect of the environment must be protected. Thus, a clear notion of the weight given to each of
these factors is required.
Traditionally, the environment has been protected by imposing regulatory measures that control,
for instance, the emission of polluting agents and the exploitation of land. However, rules and regulations
are not always the best way to achieve either environmental or economic objectives. Implementing
regulation might, for instance, involve hidden costs because, it may generate waste that may require
costly treatment processes or storage. Therefore, the simplification of regulations must be compulsory
wherever possible. The use of economic methods is desirable when taking decisions regarding
environmental protection. This could lead to the development of innovative techniques for a better
protection of the environment.
In general, a cost-benefit analysis should be used when deciding which aspect of the environment
must be given priority. Evaluating risks can be useful when decisions and plans are being made in
uncertain conditions. Of course, uncertainties must be identified and must be weighted appropriately
when evaluating risks.
The overall principles of sustainable development have been established, though they will, to a
certain degree, still be the subjects of debates at national and international level. Economic development
is important for any society, but the benefits of economic development must exceed its costs. These costs
also include the price of environmental protection. Currently, attention has to focus on how to apply the
principles of sustainable development to the different areas of economic and social development.
For Romania, sustainable development is not a matter of choice, one option among many
others, but it is the only responsible way to plan medium - and long-term development in line with
Romania's national interest and the requirement of international collaboration.
Romania's European and Atlantic integration has been a primary objective which has been
pursued in varying degrees by all governments since 1989, and has always received the support of the
Romanian people. This requires Romania to adopt a coherent set of values corresponding to those of the
Western civilisation. Correlating the objectives of national development with the experience already
gained by the West regarding the quality of life and the interest in the wellbeing of future generations
is part of this integration process.
Therefore, the first national strategic study for sustainable development does not simply attempt
to follow the most recent trends of the international scientific community. The endeavour to incorporate
the philosophy of sustainable development in any national or local development strategy is essential for
Romania to cope with the requirements of, and fit into, the complex world we live in today.
The Objectives of the National Strategy for Sustainable Development
Sustainable development means progressive improvement and preservation of the population's wellbeing,
paired with rational use of natural resources and conservation of ecosystems.
Fundamental objective:
Increased standard of living and prosperity for individuals and society as a whole at the national level;
economic development within the sustainability limits determined by the natural capital in a way that
should guarantee the quality of life for future generations.
Main objectives:
To guarantee public health. To ensure complementarity and correlation among all economic and social
sectors for the purpose of sustainable human development.
To establish those sectors that could potentially be competitive as priorities for sustainable development in
the context of the overall international trends and in accordance with the international commitments
Romania has made.
To adjust the size of social and economic structures, to reshape them and to transform them into a
sustainable system. To ensure the continuous and stable improvement of the standard of living in
accordance with the requirements of E.U. integration.
To stop the deterioration of the country's natural capital and to start rebuilding it.
To develop a coherent legislative and institutional framework, compatible with that of the E.U. countries,
and to consolidate democracy by encouraging civic participation.
To create human resources meeting the international scientific, technological and information standards in
all social and economic sectors.
To ensure continuous monitoring and evaluation of economic, social and ecological performance within a
system of quantitative and qualitative indicators.
10