Environment Minister Tanczos Barna: “We need to have an impact analysis on energy transformations”

Main statements of Tanczos Barna, Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests during SIREN 2021, event organized by the Romanian National Committee of the World Energy Council:

“We are witnessing a revolution in environmental protection. All activities have implications for environmental protection. In the coming decades, all activities will be analyzed from the perspective of environmental impact. The days we live in represent a new philosophy regarding education, investments, functional systems that have a significant impact on the environment.

We saw the impact of the floods in countries such as Germany, Belgium, which claimed that they are ready to deal with such phenomena.

The most polluting sources of energy production will be closed, primarily those based on fossil fuels. We need to come up with alternatives, we need to make the transition to a zero-carbon economy. We must see how Romania will make this transition. There will be huge opportunities for Romania, but everything that means environmental protection involves high investment costs, prioritization of funds, etc.

Environmental protection must also be seen from the perspective of economic impact. We need to have an impact analysis on energy transformations.

We need to provide citizens with a smooth transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy for the next 30 years. We need to support households to switch to using energy with lower CO2 emissions. We need to ensure a bearable transition, with a calculated and conscious impact from polluting technologies to CO2-free technologies.”