2026

Download the PDF This study analyses the Zero-Emission Building (ZEB) standard and the mandatory calculation and disclosure of Life-Cycle Global Warming Potential (GWP) for new buildings within the EU's Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). The new extensive body of legislation was created to achieve an energy efficient, sustainable, and decarbonised building stock by 2050.  EPG experts argue that the provisions for new buildings significantly expand on what constitutes a “sustainable” building. While energy use and carbon emissions from buildings’ operation remain a central concern, the new regulatory framework adds a wider perspective, which includes circularity, renewable energy sources, and whole-life carbon impacts. Author's Conclusion: “The study identifies several levers for policy development at the national level, essential to strengthen the implementation of the EU policy framework to improve the prospects of a sustainable building sector.   These include expanding spatial boundaries of assessment to set limits to the construction of ZEB buildings against national and local carbon budgets; developing cross-sectoral municipal planning frameworks to enable ZEB compliance, particularly in dense urban areas; addressing demand through sufficiency-oriented measures; and building public and stakeholder acceptance around such measures.”  – Aura Oancea Autor principal Aura Oancea TeamLead Coautor Radu Dudău Co-founder & President For further details and media inquiries, please contact Aura Oancea at: aura.oancea@epg-thinktank.org

Romania's updated NECP represents an improvement in coherence and ambition, but its effectiveness is constrained by delayed formal adoption and persistent delivery and governance risks. Methodological robustness and transparency remain uneven, raising potential credibility and implementation concerns particularly in the LULUCF sector. Romania’s transition strategy remains strongly anchored in its traditional energy security strengths, yet relies heavily on a limited number of large-scale projects, increasing exposure to execution, financing, and political continuity risks. Emerging transition-era vulnerabilities, such as supply chain dependencies, critical raw materials, circularity, and climate resilience are insufficiently integrated into the NECP’s risk framework. Household affordability constitutes a structural and binding constraint on implementation, with existing measures fragmented and not yet consolidated into a coherent, long-term affordability strategy. System reliability risks are shifting toward electricity networks, flexibility, and resilience, but the NECP lacks operational sequencing and clarity on infrastructure readiness. Public support for climate objectives remains broadly robust, particularly when framed around energy security, but willingness to pay is limited and highly sensitive to fairness and cost distribution. The NECP’s contribution to reducing energy and climate security risks will depend on moving from planning to delivery, strengthening system-level resilience, and embedding affordability and social acceptance as core enablers rather than secondary considerations.  Download the full report The author has also written a Policy Brief about Romania's trajectory in securing its energy and climate transition under the NECP. Download the policy brief Ioana Vasiliu, EPG Senior Researcher Ioana Maria Vasiliu is Senior Researcher within the Clean Economy Department at EPG, where she leverages her extensive expertise in climate policy. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public administration management and a post-university diploma in sustainable development, both from the Economic Academy of Bucharest.   Before joining EPG, Ioana worked as a European Affairs Advisor in the Climate Strategies and Reporting Department at the Romanian Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests, where she was responsible for developing policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing climate resilience. Contact: ioana.vasiliu@epg-thinktank.org The "Fostering Ambitious NECPs in CEE" project is part of the European Climate Initiative (EUKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN). The opinions put forward in this study are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.

Convenția UNCCD definește deșertificarea ca fiind degradarea terenurilor în zone aride, semi-aride și subumede uscate, ca urmare a unor factori precum variațiile climatice și activitățile umane. Ea presupune pierderea sau reducerea productivității biologice și economice a solului, vegetației și ecosistemelor din aceste regiuni, afectând pășunile, terenurile agricole și pădurile. În esență, deșertificarea înseamnă transformarea terenurilor productive în terenuri degradate, cu impact direct asupra resurselor de apă și asupra calității vieții locale și regionale.  Deșertificarea este atât o consecință, cât și o cauză a schimbărilor climatice: temperaturile mai ridicate, secetele și alte fenomene meteorologice extreme intensifică degradarea solului. Terenurile devin astfel mai vulnerabile la eroziune, inclusiv din cauza inundațiilor. La rândul său, deșertificarea are un efect negativ asupra climei: degradarea solului generează emisii de gaze cu efect de seră, iar solurile degradate au o capacitate redusă de a reține carbonul.  În România, deșertificarea are implicații asupra vieții cotidiene a populației rurale, echilibrului economic și coeziunii sociale. Regiunile Sud-Est, Sud-Muntenia și Sud-Vest Oltenia se află în prima linie a impactului climatic. Zonele cele mai afectate includ județele Mehedinți, Olt, Giurgiu, Călărași, Teleorman, Ilfov (inclusiv București), Constanța și Tulcea. Acestea se confruntă cu un număr crescut de zile cu temperaturi ridicate și lipsă de precipitații, ceea ce amplifică deficitul de apă din sol și contribuie la procesele de aridizare3 și deșertificare. De asemenea, zonele marcate în roșu deschis și portocaliu închis indică arșiță severă sau ridicată, reflectând extinderea impactului și către alte teritorii din sudul și sud-estul țării. Astfel, se confirmă tendințele climatice, respectiv extinderea treptată și intensificarea aridizării în aceste zone, care accentuează vulnerabilitatea ecosistemelor și comunităților locale.   Analiza de față își propune să aducă în atenție deșertificarea ca o problemă multidimensională: socială, economică și de mediu. Scopul este de a oferi o perspectivă integrată asupra fenomenului, evidențiind riscurile sistemice pe care le implică și propunând recomandări care să sprijine dezvoltarea durabilă a zonelor afectate.   Impactul socio-economic al acestui fenomen se manifestă mai ales în comunitățile rurale dependente de agricultura de subzistență, unde se suprapun condițiile climatice extreme, o structură economică fragilă și un acces redus la infrastructură. Agricultura, principala sursă de venit pentru numeroase gospodării, înregistrează scăderi semnificative de productivitate, ceea ce limitează perspectivele economice și accentuează vulnerabilitatea locală. Lipsa alternativelor viabile de venit agravează situația, generând presiuni economice tot mai mari.  Accentul este pus pe impactul deșertificării asupra categoriilor sociale vulnerabile, adesea cele mai expuse efectelor schimbărilor climatice, din cauza unor factori precum sărăcia, accesul limitat la resurse, dependența de agricultura de subzistență și capacitatea redusă de adaptare la aceste efecte.   Descarcă analiza Ioana Vasiliu, EPG Senior Researcher Ioana Maria Vasiliu is Senior Researcher within the Clean Economy Department at EPG, where she leverages her extensive expertise in climate policy. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public administration management and a post-university diploma in sustainable development, both from the Economic Academy of Bucharest.   Before joining EPG, Ioana worked as a European Affairs Advisor in the Climate Strategies and Reporting Department at the Romanian Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests, where she was responsible for developing policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing climate resilience. Her work reflects a strong focus on climate change, sustainable development and international cooperation.  Notably, Ioana played a key role in formulating Romania’s national position on EU climate legislation, helping align the country’s climate goals with broader EU objectives. She actively participated in expert-level EU negotiations, advocating for Romania’s specific needs and ensuring they were represented in final policies. She also coordinated Romania’s climate-focused efforts during its accession to the OECD, representing the country in key working groups, including the Environment Policy Committee, the Working Party on Climate, Investment and Development, and the Inclusive Forum on Carbon Mitigation Approaches.  She also played a role in preparing international reports on Romania’s environmental performance, such as the UNECE Environmental Performance Reviews and the OECD Economic Surveys 2024, with a focus on decarbonizing Romania’s industry and the EU report on Strengthening cultural heritage resilience for climate change – Where the European Green Deal meets cultural heritage and she contributed to the development of the UNIDO Strategy for Climate Change.  In addition to international work, Ioana supported significantly the development of Romania’s National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change, the National Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Climate Change Strategy for Ministry of National Defense. She also served as Romania’s rapporteur for Articles 17 and 19 of EU Regulation 2018/1999.  Further, as a member of the interministerial Working Group for the Social Climate Fund, Ioana provided recommendations to address energy poverty and the socio-economic impacts of Romania’s green transition. She also contributed to the review and amendment of Romania’s Emergency Ordinance 64/2011, ensuring it remained aligned with EU legislation and national priorities.  Contact: ioana.vasiliu@epg-thinktank.org