Series:CSD Ecology - Energy - Environment Papers

Nature and Main Trends in the Development of New Agricultural Cooperatives in Bulgaria

Nature and Main Trends in the Development of New Agricultural Cooperatives in Bulgaria

Author(s): Ivan Angelov / Language(s): English

The cooperative forms of business and social activity are deeply rooted in the traditions of the economic development of Bulgaria. The Bulgarian cooperatives were established as a form of management more than one hundred years ago, shortly after the liberation from the Turks. The first cooperative was formed in 1890 in the village of Mirnovo, Pirdop region. Its name, "Plough", reflects the primitive technical level of agriculture at that time when the wooden plough was the predominant agricultural tool. The number and the types of cooperatives (credit, consumer, agricultural, production, tobacco, silk-worm, forest, dairy, etc.) increased rapidly. In 1909 the number of the cooperatives and associations totaled 492, in 1927 they were 2 852, while in 1941 they went up to 4 476, 1 116 of which were production cooperatives. In 1907 the First General Union of the agricultural cooperatives was founded. During this period the growing number of cooperatives followed the downward trend of the average farm area: 63 dca in 1910, 57 dca in 1926, 49 dca in 1934, 42 dca in 1946. Even at that time the cooperative aimed at more efficient use of the cultivated land through its amalgamation.

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CITIZENS AND SEPARATE WASTE COLLECTION

ГРАЖДАНИТЕ И РАЗДЕЛНОТО СМЕТОСЪБИРАНЕ

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

The study was commissioned by the Ministry of Environment and Water. The purpose of the survey is to establish the attitude of the citizens - in the country and in certain villages - to the separate waste collection and on this basis to make proposals, whose realization contributes to the successful introduction of this practice in Bulgaria.

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Bulgaria and the European Union: Environment and Environmental Policy, 1995

България и Eвропейският съюз: околна среда и екологична политика, 1995

Author(s): Yordan Uzunov / Language(s): Bulgarian

On 1 February 1995 the European Association Agreement (EAA) of the Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union (EU) entered into force. In a special Declaration on this occasion, the Bulgarian Government noted that the Agreement corresponds to the priority national interests for integration into the European structures, stating explicitly that the European orientation is a top priority for Bulgaria.

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Energy Policy in the Context of Bulgaria's Accession to the EU, August 1995

Енергийната политика в контекста на присъединяването на България към ЕС, август 1995 г.

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

The present report aims at following up some trends in the development of the energy and energy legislation in the Republic of Bulgaria and the possibility of its convergence with that of the European Union as part of the processes of integration.

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About Bulgaria 2020 Energy Strategy Project

За проекта на енергийна стратегия на България 2020

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

Bulgaria's energy strategy is the framework document that outlines the vision, policies and priorities for sector development and sets the main parameters for changes in the legislative environment and for decision-making on key investment projects. Unlike previous strategy projects, where politics and big projects are central, the current strategy puts the vision and objectives in focus. Given the traditionally opaque, feudalised and poor governance of the sector over the last two decades, the energy strategy project has been highly anticipated. This document is a commentary on the Bulgaria 2020 energy strategy project.

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Private solutions determine the major infrastructure projects in the Bulgarian energy sector

Частни интереси определят решенията за големите инфраструктурни проекти в българската енергетика

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

Less than one-sixth of citizens believe the government is independent and takes the key decisions for infrastructure projects in the energy sector in the interest of society. More than half of the population indicates that government decisions are dominated by foreign governments, and the interests of local oligarchs and economic groups and international companies are being put forward. These opinions are not influenced by education, age, employment or size of the settlement.

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Energy poverty - risk to Bulgaria's energy security

Енергийната бедност – риск пред енергийната сигурност на България

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

Energy poverty is among the most alarming risks to Bulgaria's energy security. More than 43% of the population said that their household had to be deprived of normal heating and the use of electrical appliances after the last increase in electricity prices by 10% in October 2014. This measure was taken as an attempt to stabilize the financial situation of the National Electricity Company after a period of artificial price retention. The effect is particularly strong on vulnerable population groups (hosts, unemployed, retirees, learners), with some of them over 60% admitting to being deprived of normal heating and the use of electrical appliances to pay their bills. For another nearly a third of the population (30%) had to save, even though this did not lead to real deprivation.

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GOOD GOVERNANCE AND ENERGY SECURITY IN BULGARIA. Policy Tracker: EU and Russia’s Energy Policy at the Backdrop of the South Stream Pipeline

ДОБРО УПРАВЛЕНИЕ И ЕНЕРГИЙНА СИГУРНОСТ В БЪЛГАРИЯ. Policy Tracker: Енергийната политика на ЕС и Русия – предизвикателства и перспективи при спирането на газопровода „Южен поток“

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

The present paper aims at tracking the development of the South Stream gas pipeline project from the perspectives of the EU and Russia, and in the context of the common EU external energy policy. The EU-Russia energy dialogue has become increasingly complicated since the two natural gas crises in 2006 and 2009, when the gas supply was cut for about two weeks due to a gas pricing dispute between Russia and Ukraine. Until then the energy relations between Europe and Russia have run smoothly as Gazprom had been perceived as a reliable supplier operating under long-term, oil-indexed contracts providing predictability of supplied volumes and prices. For producers such as Russia operating in a glut market, the most important goal was to preserve their market share in Europe. An eventual supply disruption would discredit suppliers and will push consumers look for more viable alternatives.

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Are Bulgarian consumers willing to pay for clean energy?

Готови ли са потребителите да плащат за чиста енергия?

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

Bulgarian households pay the lowest price of electricity in Europe in absolute terms. Price increases are inevitable to cover costs of new investments in production and transmission. Bulgaria has signed binding agreements within the European Union to achieve 16% of final or energy consumption from renewable energy sources (RES) by 2020, which will bring further pressure on prices for final consumers. Are Bulgarian households ready to foot the bill of more expensive electricity? How much more are they willing to fork out of their budget for green energy? A mere 13% of Bulgarian households are willing to pay extra for clean energy. Of those 82.5% would only bear a modest increase in their electricity bills – with up to 10%. Willingness to pay a ‘green energy premium’ is directly linked to the level of income. Low income households support cheaper although ‘dirtier’ energy. 63% of the population has used wood for heating, which remains the cheapest energy source. This shows that sustainable development through RES is not readily supported by Bulgarian consumers and there is a need of economic stimuli and campaigns to activate people and businesses in that direction. The Bulgarian government needs to balance carefully between new investments and the effects of price increases on socially and energy vulnerable members of society.

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The Energy Sector in Bulgaria: Major Governance Issues

Енергийният сектор на България: основни проблеми в управлението

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

The report analyses the major governance issues of the energy sector in Bulgaria, as well as the common energy crimes. It makes an overview of the 2020 Strategy and presents a recommended governance approach. The Bulgarian energy sector is key for the future development of the country’s economy. For the past decade energy exports and imports formed on average 12% (16% in 2008) and 21% (22% in 2008) of the value of the country’s outgoing and incoming trade flows respectively. Every fourth public procurement contract is concluded in the energy sector, making it one of the biggest taxpayers’ money spenders in the country. In 2008, in a single year, the Bulgarian government committed to energy projects, requiring budgetary investments equal in value to the whole EU funds support for the country for the current European seven year budget period 2007 – 2013.

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Green Growth and Sustainable Development for Bulgaria: Setting the Priorities

Зелен растеж и устойчиво развитие: приоритети за България

Author(s): Denitsa Mancheva,Stefan Karaboev,Ruslan Stefanov / Language(s): Bulgarian

The report reviews the green growth and sustainable development for Bulgaria. According to the authors, the current pattern of energy use in Bulgaria (including both households and industry) is unsound. The country’s energy intensity is striking, when compared to other European countries, thus, Bulgaria’s overriding priority is stimulating energy efficiency by sufficiently utilizing EU funds. Measures to boost energy efficiency mean more jobs and revenues for Bulgarian SMEs, while measures promoting energy savings mean utilizing the existing capacity at a low or no extra cost

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Copenhagen 2009: Outliers among CO2 emitters: choose your pick

Копенхаген 2009: България, двойкаджията-отличник?

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

Reaching an agreement at the Copenhagen conference on climate change starting on 7 December 2009 will be tough. Everyone is a sinner in a way: (1) the main advocates of binding agreement on climate change such as the European countries (EU plus Norway) and Japan are big emitters, taken together; (2) the main suspects - US and China are the biggest emitters, each in its own different way and are seen as dragging their feet over target agreements; (3) the rest are falling in between with less access to novel technologies and gaping inefficiencies in their economies. Bulgaria has evidently fulfilled its target commitments under Kyoto and it is a small emitter. Nevertheless, Bulgaria remains more carbon-intensive than China as per capita and than US as per GDP. Its inefficient economy, however, holds considerable potential for a greener future. This is particularly true for its industry. Bulgaria needs to take decisive actions in improving the energy efficiency of its industrial and energy production and in introducing green technologies and further measures for sustainable consumer behavior. But how much is it willing to pay for it?

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Media note: Energy in(security): the parliament’s decision on the South Stream pipeline increases the risks for Bulgaria’s energy security

Енергийна (не)сигурност: решението на българския парламент за Южен поток засилва рисковете пред националната енергийна политика. Медийна бележка

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

The decision of the Bulgarian Parliament from 4 April 2014 to adopt at first reading the amendments in the Energy Law, which grants South Stream special status highlights the lack of logic in the national energy policy and compounds the impression that public interest is not the driving force behind the proposed changes. The decision and the manner, in which it was taken, reveal some of the most serious problems in Bulgaria’s energy policy in terms of bad governance and corruption.The adopted amendments at first reading to the Energy Law demonstrate yet again the risks of state capture by third-party interests, which do not correspond or even contradict the public interest. The real problems, which Bulgarian society faces on a daily basis, such as energy poverty, high energy prices, and low diversification and energy efficiency receive only a fraction of the attention, in terms of institutional and policy-making focus, compared to projects such as South Stream. What is even more alarming is that the recent actions of the ruling majority take place in the context of increasing geostrategic insecurity and danger of confrontation, which further exacerbate the risks deriving from such decisions.

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Energy Saving Technologies in the Bulgarian Residential Sector

Енергийна ефективност в българските домове

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

The growing consumer prices of electricity have remained at the center of public debates over the past months, especially following their increase last year by 13%. Even though the regulated market supresses their growth, prices have steadily increased since 2005, both in Bulgaria and in the EU. In Bulgaria, the liberalization will most likely cause an additional short-term increase in consumer prices, before open competition exerts enough pressure on the market to perform better and eventually bring prices down. In the context of these developments, measures aimed at improving the energy efficiency of buildings are becoming increasingly popular.

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Media Note: Bulgaria goes ‘green’?

Медийна записка: Зелена енергетика в България?

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

Bulgaria’s energy sector suffers from deep governance and security challenges, which hold the first pages of the mainstream media in the past year with stories of fraud, nepotism and political corruption. The urge for action to transform the sector’s governance and open up markets for competition has been growing louder in the face of shrinking resources and increasing demands from different lobbies. The EU green policies and funding have been one of the precious few anchors, which the Bulgarian government should use to diversify its energy sources and liberalize its markets. Can the Bulgarian government really deliver for the benefit of its citizens?

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