News about Ecology
A delegation from the Republic of Moldova is, after all, participating in the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17), which is taking place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from August 17–28. This is the very same forum for which Prime Minister Vasile Tofan had criticized government officials for their potential participation, considering this business trip not the best use of their working time.
The inflow of water from the Carpathians into the Dniester Reservoir has dropped to 23 cubic meters per second, and the water level in the reservoir is below 112.5 meters. Meanwhile, the outflow from the reservoir downstream remains, for now, at the level agreed upon by the Moldovan-Ukrainian Commission on the Dniester—75 cubic meters per second. Nevertheless, the relevant departments of the Odessa administration are “considering the option of hourly water supply.”
The center will be located on public land approximately 6 km from the village of Șerpeni in the Anenii Noi district — at a safe distance from populated areas and water sources.
The extremely difficult situation regarding water resources in the Dniester River (sharp decline in water levels) and other bodies of water that arose in Moldova this summer is a natural consequence of the authorities’ long-standing indifference to this critical issue.
Repack Company manufactures packaging for eggs, fruits, and vegetables from waste paper; once this packaging ends up in landfills, it breaks down into environmentally safe components within a few weeks, and the company plans to expand its product line.
Low water levels on the Dniester are causing a chain reaction of degradation in hydrological, physicochemical, and biological processes, dragging the river’s ecosystem into a persistent ecological crisis.
The government has approved the National Program for Natural Disaster Risk Reduction for 2026–2030, which outlines measures to prevent and mitigate risks associated with hydrometeorological phenomena (drought, flooding, hail, torrential rains) and other hazardous natural phenomena.
Water discharge from the Dniester Hydroelectric Power Plant downstream on the Dniester River will be reduced to 75 cubic meters per second. This decision was made today by the Moldovan-Ukrainian Commission on the Dniester. The decision is in effect until the end of August.
Moldova will align its environmental goals with economic sustainability. The Biodiversity Expenditure Review (BER), conducted in Moldova with support from UNDP Moldova and the Global Environment Facility, assesses public, external, and private financial flows directed toward nature conservation.
This week, the last protective dams installed on the Dniester River following an oil spill—allegedly caused by an attack by the Russian Federation on the Novodnestrovsk Hydroelectric Power Plant in Ukraine—were dismantled.
New requirements from the executive branch regarding wastewater treatment and discharge, recently aligned with EU regulations, have drawn sharp criticism from the business community. The National Confederation of Employers of the Republic of Moldova (CNPM) has expressed the official position of employers, calling the deadlines and standards for wastewater collection and treatment proposed by the government unrealistic.
The trend of falling river water levels will continue from August 1 through August 7. This warning has been issued by the Republic of Moldova’s Meteorological and Environmental Monitoring Agency. Hydrological warnings of various levels—ranging from “yellow” to “orange”—are currently in effect for most of the country’s river basins.
The Paks Nuclear Power Plant had to be shut down due to record-low water levels in the Danube, whose water is used to cool the reactors. Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Mádor warned of the threat of an energy crisis—the Paks plant generates nearly half of the country’s electricity.
The forest fire warning alert (“yellow code”) has been extended for another week across the entire territory of the Republic of Moldova—the second time this July. Concurrently with this measure, the Meteorological and Environmental Monitoring Agency has issued a “yellow alert” for the period from August 1 to August 3 due to abnormal heat.
Following the meeting of the Moldovan-Ukrainian Commission on the Dniester, a decision was made to reduce the water discharge from the Novodnestrovsk Reservoir downstream from 100 to 85 cubic meters per second. This is a compromise solution. Two weeks ago, the Ukrainian side proposed reducing the discharge to 70 cubic meters per second.
The Chisinau City Council today approved the Local Action Plan for creating a more environmentally friendly transportation system.
The Moldovan government has approved health regulations to ensure the quality of bathing water.
Water resource management on the Dniester River, in light of the current hydrological situation, was one of the topics discussed at the meeting between Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan and Paun Rogovei, Ukraine’s ambassador to the Republic of Moldova.
The Moldovan government today declared a 30-day state of alert (high readiness) in the field of hydrology.
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP), as part of the “Sustainable Communities through Women’s Empowerment” project, funded by Sweden and Norway, will provide 40 women entrepreneurs in Moldova’s agricultural sector with financial support to develop climate-resilient businesses.
