Analele Universitatii Din Oradea, Seria Geografie
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Analele Universităţii din Oradea, Seria Geografie XXIX, no. 2/2019, pp.96-105 ISSN 1221-1273, E-ISSN 2065-3409 DOI 10.30892/auog.292110-824 THE IMPACT OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES ON ATMOSPHERIC AIR IN THE SOUTH REGION OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA Petru BACAL Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chișinău, Academiei str. 3, Moldova e-mail: [email protected] Lunita STERPU Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chișinău, Academiei str. 3, Moldova e-mail: [email protected] Citation: Bacal, P., Sterpu, L. (2019). The Impact of Socio-Economic Activities on Atmospheric Air in the South Region of the Republic of Moldova. Analele Universităţii din Oradea, Seria Geografie, 29(2), 96-105. https://doi.org/10.30892/auog.292110-824 Abstract: The purpose of this research consists in the elucidation of spatial and branch aspects of the impact of pollution sources on the atmospheric air in the Southern Region of the Republic of Moldova. The main topics presented in this paper are: 1) the dynamics of emissions from fixed and mobile pollution sources; 2) spatial and branch profile of emissions generated by fixed pollution sources: 3) existing problems in evaluation and monitoring of emissions sources; 4) the implementation of objectives on adaptation to climate change and low emission economy. The volume of emissions from fixed sources is conditioned by the size of districts and of their urban centers, by the number and capacities of sources from energetics, agri-food complex and fuel stations, and by level of emissions monitoring of environmental authorities. In the majority districts and economic activities is found a oscillatory dynamics of emissions, on the background of a general growth trend. Key words: impact, emissions, region, dynamics, mobile sources, fixed sources * * * * * * INTRODUCTION The Southern Region occupies an area of 9.2 thousand km² or more than ¼ of the total area of the Republic of Moldova. The population of the region is ≈700 thousand inhabitants or 17% of the total population of the Republic. Within the Southern Region are delimited two development regions: 1) The South Development Region, which comprises 8 districts with a total area of 7.4 thousand km² (22%) and about 530 thousand inhabitants (13%); 2) The Gagauz Development Region, with the area of 1.8 thousand km² (5.5%) and ≈170 thousand inhabitants (4.0%). Urban populations account for less than 20% of the total population. Therefore, compared to the other regions of the Republic (Bacal and Sterpu, 2019 a, b), the South Region Corresponding Author http://istgeorelint.uoradea.ro/Reviste/Anale/anale.htm The Impact of Socio-Economic Activities on Atmospheric Air in the South Region … 97 has a much lower level of urbanization and industrialization, which conditions a lesser anthropogenic impact on atmospheric air, water resources, on other natural components and the human body. At the same time, the Southern Region is crossed by international and national roads with intense traffic, and the degree of afforestation of the territory is lower than the rest of the regions. In addition, in the proximity of the South Region there are very high sources of pollution, such as the Dnestrovsk Thermoelectric Plant from left bank of Dniester river and the metallurgical plant form Galati, which significantly affect air quality in the study region. The territory of the Republic of Moldova is extremely vulnerable to the current climate change, which is manifested by the increasing contribution of the anthropic factor. Therefore, reduction and efficiently control of emission has become a key imperative of international politics, stipulated in national strategic documents (Nielsen, 2013; GD no. 1740, 2016; GD no. 1009, 2014; GD no. 301, 2014), in international conventions and agreements on sustainable development and environmental protection (Brega & Tărîță, 2019). Therefore, studies in the field of assessment and management of emissions of indigenous sources of atmospheric air pollution have not only a theoretical importance, but also a great applicative significance. Under Objective 7 of the National Environmental Strategy (2014-2023) (GD no. 301, 2014), in the field of atmospheric air protection is planned the achieving of two directions of actions: 1) creating of integrated management system of air quality; 2) reduction of pollutant emissions into the atmosphere by 30% until 2023, and of greenhouse gases by 20% until 2020, compared to 1990. The main measures planned under the first action are: 1) creating the register of emissions and of pollutants transfers and its inclusion in the integrated environmental information system; 2) elaboration of the mechanism, methodology and instruments for determination of pollutant emission limit values in accordance with local conditions and industrial capacity; 3) optimization of the control system of air quality; 4) creating a national emissions inventory system and setting of national emission ceilings; 5) the introduction of new ecological standards for vehicle emission and fuel quality. Also, Objective 2 of the National Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change provides creation and operation of the National Monitoring and Reporting System of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GD no. 1009, 2014), the adjustment of the existing national methodology (Methodology for calculating concentrations of toxic substances in the atmospheric air from enterprises, 1987) to the European Emissions Assessment Methodology (Nielsen, 2013). The Low Emissions Development Strategy of the Republic of Moldova (GD no. 1740, 2016) provides the unconditional, until 2030, of the total national emissions of net greenhouse gases, with not less than 64%, compared to 1990 level, in support of the global effort to maintain the overall global warming trend. The overall objective will be achieved by reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the energetics, transport, agriculture, households, industry, forestry and waste. MATERIAL AND METHODS In this study are included the absolute majority of enterprises and public institutions, the volume of which is about 90% of the total emissions of fixed sources, with the exception of emissions from communal waste landfills and of emissions from households. For achieving of the present study have been applied the following research methods: analysis and synthesis, statistical, mathematical, analogical, normative and sociological. Statistical and mathematical methods were used to process statistical data on the volume and toxicological composition of emissions, depending on their branch profile. The analysis and synthesis method were used to identify problematic situations, elaborating of conclusions and recommendations for optimizing the management of emission sources. The sociological method was applied to the consulting of environmental authorities, to interviewing of selected companies in the Southern Region of the Republic of Moldova. The analysed period includes, mostly, the years 2004-2018. 98 Petru BACAL, Lunita STERPU The main information sources were: Yearbooks of the State Environmental Inspectorate "Environmental Protection in the Republic of Moldova" (2004-2008); Yearbooks of Environmental Agencies and Inspections (2004-2018); National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reports on atmospheric air protection (2007-2016); National reports on the inventory of greenhouse gases (2017); national strategies in the field (GD no. 1740, 2016; GD no. 1009, 2014; GD no. 301, 2014); methodological guidelines for the assessment and reporting of emissions (Nielsen, 2013; National reports on the inventory of greenhouse gases, 2017; Methodology for calculating concentrations of toxic substances in the atmospheric air from enterprises, 1987). Recent bibliography on national and regional air pollution (Bacal, 2010; Bacal and Sterpu, 2019a, b; Brega & Tărîță, 2019; Comisia Economică pentru Europa, 2005). RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS Emissions of mobile sources Atmospheric air quality is conditioned by the heavy traffic flow, from which comes about 90% of the total volume of emissions in the South Region (table 1). The volume of emissions of mobile sources is conditioned by the configuration of the road network and by the intensity of car traffic, as well as by the amount of delivered fuel in the districts and cities of the region. Therefore, the maximum volume of emissions from car transport is attested in the ATU (Autonomous Territorial Unit) of Gagauzia (6.0 thousand tonnes/year), in the districts of Cahul (7.6 thousand t/year), Cimislia (2.7 thousand t/year) and Căuşeni (2.4 thousand t/year) (Environmental Protection in the Republic of Moldova, 2004-2008), and the minimum volume – in the smaller districts such as Basarabeasca (449 t/year), Taraclia and Cantemir (1.2 thousand tons/year for each). On the whole, the volume of emissions from mobile sources registered an oscillating evolution, on the background of a general positive dynamics (+ 45%), which is observed in most districts of the region. The maximum increase is recorded in the districts of Taraclia (7.6 times) and Cahul (3.3 times), which is conditioned by the construction of the new fuel stations and the multiple increase of the volume of delivered fuel in these districts. In addition, the multiple increase of emissions from mobile sources in the Cahul district is largely due to the small border traffic achieved through the two access ways to Romania (Cahul/Oancea and Giurgiulești/Galați). The predominance of old cars and the low quality of the used fuel contribute to the air quality reduction in the study