ALBANIA

Environmental Overview
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Diverse habitats marred by exploitation of nature

Albania's natural wealth stretches from fragile coastal habitats at sea-level on up to alpine meadows, hundreds of meters above. But exploitation of the country's natural resources and poor waste management systems pose a threat to forests, soil, and water.

Along the shoreline, the diverse mosaic of coastal habitats includes lagoon-reed-beds, dunes, forest, tamarisk and salt marshes. On the old dunes along the Adriatic and Ionian seacoast, there are rich forests of deciduous and pine trees, sections of which have been designated national protected areas.

Further inland, where the plains end and the mountains begin, the scenery is alpine, with steep mountains occasionally broken up by deep valleys, through which numerous streams and rivers run towards the sea. The Albanian Alps are covered with beech forest and alpine meadows and include wild and untouched habitats that shelter many threatened species, such as eagles, bears, wolves and many endemic flora species.

The country's main environmental problems are caused by over-exploitation of natural resources:

Forest areas, especially those not far from cities, have been seriously damaged by illegal tree cutting. Some of the national protected areas are so badly damaged that they have lost much of their unique natural value. This deforestation, together with hill-side terracing for agricultural purposes, causes serious problems with soil erosion, which in some cases is as high as several millimeters per year. In other areas, where there is not major human interference, nature is revitalizing.

The metallurgical and copper mining and treatment industries have also been identified as environmental threats. Environmental hot spots created by this industry are spread around the country, especially in the mountainous areas. Most of the waste from mining is disposed of in the surrounding countryside, causing not only landscape destruction but also soil pollution. The environmental impacts of smelting facilities, some of which are no longer functioning, are visible on the flora and fauna of the region as well as on rivers that have been used for industrial discharge. The resulting pollution could have negative effects on human health.

The petroleum industry is another cause of environmental problems in the country. A huge area of 24,300 hectares, in the Fieri district, is polluted by oil that has leaked from wells, heavily polluting the surrounding soil and water. The river Gjanica, which passes through this district, is virtually dead due to the thick layer of oil that has been discharged into the water. The citizens in this area have complained to the local authorities and business about the loss of agricultural production due to this kind of pollution.

The insufficient solid waste collection and treatment system is another major problem, especially in the cities. The growing urban population has increased the generation of waste, which has a negative impact on citizens’ health and living conditions. The lack of investment funds and low taxes make easy solutions seem unlikely, and the population can clearly see this problem has grown worse in the last 10 years. Most rural areas are not covered by solid waste treatment plans. There are some small cities, where solid waste collection is undertaken by private companies. These should serve as a positive examples.

Noise pollution and air quality are both becoming worse as a result of traffic congestion – from mostly second-hand cars – and construction activity in the bigger cities, like Tirana.

Some new businesses in Albania pose a potential threat to the country's environment because the eagerness to attract foreign investment has meant that environmental impact of these enterprises have been ignored. Indeed, some companies have located facilities in Albania precisely for the purpose of exploiting the country's natural resources.