21 January 2010 [MEDIAGLOBAL]: Moldova, the small developing European country ranked by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as the 117th developed country out 182 countries surveyed, isn’t the first country that comes to mind when considering areas threatened by climate change. However, after the UNDP issued a publication last month warning that climate change could bring drought and adverse effects to the Moldovan public’s health and infrastructure, the Moldovan government reacted by beginning discussions to prepare for future disasters.
Ludmila Tiganu, a Communications Specialist for UNDP in Moldova, elaborated on what the government and UNDP are doing to prevent a repeat of disasters like the drought which devastated Moldovan agricultural in 2007. She told MediaGlobal that the UNDP climate report, titled “Climate Change in Moldova: Socio-Economic Impact and Policy Options for Adaptation,” was “very well received and there is a lot of consensus in the country on the need to urgently move forward with concrete measures in order to avoid negative repercussions on the country’s development goals and major costs in the future.” Tiganu went on to state that discussions on how to better equip for the adverse effects of climate change have been very inclusive, and that “the Minister of Environment has announced the ambitious target of developing a National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, and UNDP is committed to support this effort.” UNDP is actively working to develop strategies to protect the environment and address problems like pollution in the country, but Moldova will still have to make a strong push to develop its own future strategies.
With the drought of 2007 causing nearly $1 billion in damages, preventing future disasters should be a priority. Throughout much of 2008 and 2009, the “government’s focus was more on assisting the most vulnerable people affected by the natural calamities rather than on long-term strategies and policies which would result in an agricultural sector reform adjusted to climate change needs” said Tiganu. Moving forward, the government will place an emphasis on such policies as communicating to the public the dangers of climate change. Additionally, adaptation policies expected to be adopted include farming techniques that are more resistant to drought, planning for water shortages, and developing infrastructure more secure and useful during climate changes. Ryan Dicovitsky