THE CONVENTIONS AND INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

THE CONVENTIONS AND INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

III. THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION IN ALBANIA

III.3 THE CONVENTIONS AND INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

The long isolation of Albania had notable impacts on the environment. Until 1990, the participation of Albania in international organisations and agreements was only formal and very limited.

	On February 4, 1975 Albania ratified the Agreement "For Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons."
	On March 26 1975, Albania ratified the Convention "On the Prohibition of the Development Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxic Weapons and on their Destruction."
	On March 20, 1979 Albania ratified the Convention concerning "The Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage". As part of UNESCO, the World Heritage Committee, which administers the List of World Heritage, was established.

After 1990, Albania started to participate in the international environmental organisations and to benefit from the rights of this participation by trying to fulfil its legal duties as a member and participant. Gradually, Albania is taking part in this initiative by signing different conventions, and by trying to implement them as best as possible under current conditions.

The environmental conventions of which Albania is a party are as follows:

	On May 30, 1990, Albania participated by accession to the Barcelona Convention "For the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution" (Barcelona, February 16, 1976). This convention has some protocols as well, such as the Protocol Concerning Mediterranean Specially Protected Areas (1982), and the Protocol for the Protection of Biodiversity in the Mediterranean Sea (1996).
	On October 4 1991, Albania ratified the ESPOO Convention (Finland) "On Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context."
	On March 18, 1992 Albania signed the convention "On the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes" (Helsinki March 17, 1992). The ratification of the convention was done on January 5, 1994.
	The convention "On Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents" was approved in principle on March 18, 1992, and was ratified on January 5, 1994.
	On November 29, 1995 Albania participated by accession to the Ramsar Convention (Ramsar, 1971). The official name of it is "Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat." Decision no. 581 on June 29, 1993 of the Council of Ministers approved the accession of Albania to this convention. Albania became a party to this convention through ratification on March 29, 1996.
	On October 31, 1995 Albania signed the Bern Convention (September 19, 1979) "For the Protection of Flora and Wildlife Fauna of the Natural Environment in Europe," which was ratified by the Parliament on March 2, 1998.

Around 500 documents were approved, the most important of which were:

1. Agenda 21 – a complex program for the development of ecological actions.

2. Rio Declaration on Environment which proclaims 27 principles following the ones included in the Stockholm Declaration of 1972.

3. Convention on Climate Change. [On October 3, 1994 Albania signed the basic text of this convention (New York, May 9, 1992). The Council of Ministers approved the accession of Albania to this convention by the decree no. 580 on June 29, 1993].

4. Convention "On Biological Diversity" which represents an agreement among different countries for the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable uses of genetic resources, and the transfer of relevant technologies by appropriate funding. [Albania signed the convention on January 5, 1994 and it entered into force on April 5, 1994].

5. The Convention on Desertification and dryness aiming to combat these phenomena in countries suffering form them (December 4, 1996). Annex no.4 recognises the desertification problem in Mediterranean countries. The Council of Ministers and the parliament approved the participation of Albania in 1999.

The Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus-Denmark, June 25, 1998), is an important instrument for strengthening and harmonising the environmental rights of citizens by giving them more possibilities for being informed for public participation and for justice in Europe. Albania was among the 35 countries, which signed this convention.

Albania's participation in other conventions is still under preparation:

1. The Convention on Protection of Migratory Species of Wildlife known also as the Bonn Convention (Bonn, on June 23, 1979. Entry into force on 1983). Albania has signed two protocols of this convention (for the Mediterranean mammals and for the Numenius tennuirostris). The documents for the participation of Albania in this convention have been prepared.

2. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) signed in Washington DC March 3, 1973 with amendments done in Bonn June 22, 1979.

3. Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and their Destruction. The convention was adopted in 1989, and entered into force in May 1992. The Council of Ministers and the parliament approved the participation of Albania in this Convention.