Bulgaria is to provide 20 000 euro annually for the joint EU climate fund. The sum will be given to developing countries to help reduce greenhouse emissions. The Bulgarian contribution to the sum of 2 billion euro, provided by the European Union, seems symbolic. Before the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov declared that Bulgaria “cannot financially support developing countries without guarantees that the country would receive the frozen payments under the operational programmes of the European Union.” Mr Borisov said that Bulgaria would do more in 2011 when the country would be in a better economic condition. According the Andrey Kovachev, leader of a party called “Zelenite” (The Greens), the Bulgarian position shows underestimation of the climate change problem.

“What Bulgaria promised for the developing countries fund is a ridiculous sum”, Kovachev said. “I assume that when PM Borisov made this proposition he did not realize that some of the people present there receive this money for two days of work. It may seem that Bulgaria is saving money this way but in reality it will cost us a lot. It will change the attitude of the EU towards Bulgaria, as the country would not be regarded as a trustworthy partner anymore.”

Andrey Kovachev reminded that the European Environment Agency predicted the average annual temperature in Bulgaria to rise by 3.5 C in 60-80 years with 25-50 % reduction in precipitation. He explained this would bring dramatic changes to the Bulgarian environment, including withered forests and wildfires. Water shortage would occur, affecting agriculture and the environment as a whole. That is why it is important for Bulgaria to join the efforts for curbing the temperature rise to 2 C, The Greens claim. Law changes are needed to stimulate the use of renewable energy sources, they add. “The most important thing is these technologies to reach the ordinary people”, Andrey Kovachev said. According to him, a lot can be done by simple changes in the law and the government has already taken steps in the right direction.

“At the moment the government is preparing a new energy strategy and a strategy for renewable energy sources”, Kovachev said. “We are not sure if these strategies would be ambitious enough or if they would be well planned. It is alarming that ecological evaluation of the energy strategy is being done without consulting us as an environment organisation. We are worried that lobbies’ interests are being protected rather than looking for effective solutions.”

English version: A Markov