&nbsp;To benefit from the support of the Recovery and Resilience Facility set up by the EU in the aftermath of the COVID-19-induced economic crisis, Member States submit their recovery and resilience plans to the European Commission. Each plan sets out the reforms and investments to be implemented by end-2026 and Member States can receive financing up to a previously agreed allocation. Each plan should effectively address challenges identified in the European Semester, particularly the country-specific recommendations of 2019 and 2020 adopted by the Council. It should also advance the green and digital transitions and make Member States’ economies and societies more resilient. The Commission validates the plan after which it effectively enters in force and EU subsidies can start flowing towards the member state. The plan notably&nbsp; aims to enable the phasing out of the use of coal for electricity generation and the phased replacement of the fuel base in the thermal power plants in coal areas of the country by using alternative, environmentally-friendly energy sources such as hydrogen.&nbsp;

This National Forestry Accounting Plan (NFAP) was prepared in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/841 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 on the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions and removals from land use, land use change and forestry in the 2030 climate and energy framework, and amending Regulation (EU) No 525/2013 and Decision No 529/2013/EU.&nbsp; The Plan describes the forestry policies and practices in Bulgaria and provides calculations of forest reference levels for 2021-2025.&nbsp;

The National Energy and Climate (ENCP) Plan is a ten-year integrated document mandated by the European Union to each of its member states in order for the EU to meet its overall greenhouse gases emissions targets.  The measures of the plan aim : 1) to strengthen policy response and ensure that climate change adaptation is included in the legal framework; 2) to build adaptation capacity and develop financial, social and political guidelines on risk management; 3) to improve knowledge management, research, education and communication with stakeholders.In the context of decarbonisation, the objective is to increase the use of renewable sources in three main sectors which are electric power, transport and energy for heating and cooling.The ENCP set several measures to ensure energy efficiency and security : 1) the diversification of the supply of energy resources; 2) increasing the flexibility of the national energy system; 3) addressing constrained or disrupted supply of energy sources for the purpose of enhancing the resilience of regional and national energy systems; 4) improving interconnectivity and information security (cybersecurity).

The aim of the Strategy is to serve as a reference document, setting a framework for climate change adaptation action and priority directions up to 2030. It was approved by Decision № 621/25.10.2019. The document estimates sectoral risks of adverse effects of climate change, and defines strategies and objectives to increase resilience.

The National Strategy for 2013-2020 includes the contribution of the forest sector to climate mitigation as part of the strategic vision for 2013-2020. It further lays down three strategic objectives for the medium term: 
 
1. Ensure sustainable development of the forestry sector by achieving an optimal balance between environmental functions and provision of long-term economic benefits and services 
2. Enhance the role of forests in the economic growth of the country and balanced regional socio-economic development 
3. Increase the contribution of the forest sector in the green economy'. 
 
The corresponding priorities are: 
1. Maintaining healthy, productive and multifunctional forest ecosystems that contribute to mitigating climate change 
2. Conservation, restoration and maintenance of biological and landscape diversity in forest areas 
3. Enhancing the vitality and competitiveness of the forest sector 
4. Exploiting the potential of the forest sector to contribute to development of green economy."

In pursuance of its international commitments and in order to synchronise Bulgarian legislation with the European law, the Climate Change Mitigation Act outlines the overall policy to be followed in order to mitigate climate change and its impacts and fulfil international obligations within the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol, as well as the EU legal framework. &nbsp; &nbsp;The Act integrates the already existing climate change mitigation related articles of the Environmental Protection Act, namely provisions on:</div><ul><li>the National Environmental Monitoring System (including the National GHG Inventory System), directed by the Minister of Environment and Water through the Executive Environment Agency, originally established by the EPA and related regulation</li><li>the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Allowances Trading Scheme, for which the Minister of Environment and Water (acting jointly with other ministers) elaborates a National Allocation Plan every five years</li><li>the National Trust Eco Fund, established in 1995 after signing a swap deal ‘Debt for Nature' with Switzerland and assigned in 2010 with responsibility for managing the funds received by Bulgaria within the Green Investment Scheme and other programmes</li></ul><div>&nbsp; &nbsp;The Act further regulates instruments available under the Kyoto Protocol (Joint Implementation, CDM), administration of the national GHG trading register, and reduction of GHG emissions from fuels used for transport and energy and the voluntary emissions reduction scheme. &nbsp; &nbsp;The Act also reaffirms the National Action Plan on Climate Change as the 'instrument which determines the framework of state policy in the field of climate change for each separate period of action under the policies of the European Union and international treaties to which Bulgaria is a party'. The most recent (Third) National Action Plan (replacing the second one published in 2004) was adopted in 2012. It provides for transition to a low carbon and resource efficient economy and includes measures to achieve the target of over 18.5% GHG emissions reduction by 2020 compared to the 2005 levels and 20% share of renewables in energy production by 2020. &nbsp; &nbsp;The Act further establishes the National Expert Council on Climate Change as an advisory body to the Minister of Environment and Water. The Council includes representatives of the relevant Ministries, the State Agency for National Security, the Executive Environment Agency, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the National Association of Municipalities and non-profit organisations, whose activity is directly related to climate change mitigation'. &nbsp; &nbsp;The Act also mandates the Minister of Environment and Water and other competent ministers to draft, after consultation with the National Council of Experts on Climate Change, a national strategy on climate change adaptation. The adaptation strategy is to be prepared for not less than 20 years, with the exception of the first strategy to be drawn up for the period up to 2030 inclusive, and should be adopted by the Council of Ministers. &nbsp; &nbsp;The Act sets the target of minimum 6% reduction of the lifecycle GHG emissions of liquid fuels and energy for transport per unit of energy by 31 December 2020 compared to the 2010 fuel standards. It provides for every supplier of liquid fuels and energy to the transport sector to submit to the MOEW by 31 March each year a verified report on the GHG intensity of products delivered the previous year. It also establishes coercive measures and administrative penalty provisions in case of non-compliance with the present Act.

The Agricultural Land Protection Act allows land use change of agricultural land only in certain specific cases. The owners and the users of agricultural land are entitled to tax and credit preferences when implementing the mandatory limitation on agricultural land use as well as when implementing projects to restore and improve the fertility of agricultural land. &nbsp; &nbsp;The Agricultural Land Protection Act contains a legal framework covering some of the activities envisaged for the agriculture sector in the National Action Plan on Climate Change, such as phasing out burning of stubble and plant waste on agricultural lands and promoting agricultural practices aimed at further reducing GHG emissions.

The Energy Strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria until 2020 was published in 2011. The Energy strategy is worked out by the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism and approved by the Council of Ministers. The present National Energy Strategy till 2020 reflects the European energy policy framework and the global trends in the development of energy technologies. The main priorities in the Energy Strategy are:1) to guarantee the security of energy supply 2) to attain the targets for renewable energy 3) to increase the energy efficiency 4) to develop a competitive energy market and policy for the purpose of meeting the energy needs 5) to protect the interests of the consumers. These priorities also determine the Government's vision for the development of the energy which is :1) maintaining a safe, stable and reliable energy system 2) keeping the energy sector a leading branch of the economy with definite orientation to foreign trade 3) focus on clean and low-emission energy - from nuclear and renewable sources4) balance between quantity, quality and prices of the electric power produced from renewable sources, nuclear energy, coal and natural gas 5) transparent, efficient and highly professional management of the energy companies. The strategy also lays down the main national targets for the energy sector: 16% share of energy from renewables in gross final energy consumption by 2020; 10% share of energy from renewables in the gross final energy consumption in transport by 2020; and energy efficiency increase by 25% by 2020.

The Energy from Renewable Sources Act replaces the Renewable and Alternative Energy Sources and Biofuels Act (2008), which was the first national legislation entirely dedicated to the renewable energy sources, mainly introducing the requirements of the related EU directives. The 2008 Act established support mechanisms that provided for 'equal preferential treatment for producers of electricity (green certificates); mandatory inclusion of utilities generating electricity from RES and biofuels into the national grid; establishing preferential prices for purchasing energy generated from RES (feed-in tariffs); and reducing the administrative burden on producers. The Act resulted in a rapid development of RES (wind and photovoltaic), which put upward pressure on electricity prices. As a result in June 2011 the Parliament adopted the Energy from Renewable Sources Act. The new legislation kept RES preferential treatment options but introduced a preference for energy from biomass and shifted the balance of power from RES producers to grid operators and allowed for a substantial reduction of the prices of energy from photovoltaic (PV)'.

""The Act sets up a basic framework for the conservation of forests and (consequently) the support of the functions of ‘forest areas', which include 'climate regulation and carbon absorption'. Especially relevant for forest restoration and indirectly for CO2 absorption is the chapter on 'Afforestation and protection of forest areas against erosion and floods'. &nbsp; &nbsp;The Act further mandates elaboration of the National Strategy for Development of the Forestry Sector."

Bulgaria. 2022 National Inventory Report (NIR), National Inventory Report from Bulgaria in 2022

Bulgaria. 2021 National Inventory Report (NIR), National Inventory Report from Bulgaria in 2021

Bulgaria. Biennial report (BR). BR 4, Biennial Report from Bulgaria in 2020

Bulgaria. Biennial Reports (BR). BR 3. National Communication (NC). NC 7., National Communication,Biennial Report from Bulgaria in 2017

Early-warning system in case of disasters (Ordinance 26/2009 of the Council of Ministers)

Law passed

The Ordinance provides for the National early- warning disaster system to: 
1. Foster continuous relationship for exchanging information and action coordination within the executive power and a component of the rescue system as defined in the Law on Disaster Protection in the event of imminent or occurring disaster; 
2. Warn and inform the public of impending or occurring disaster, the dynamics of its development, the measures to limit its impacts and appropriate actions to be taken by citizens. 
The ordinance starts to be implemented in individual municipalities - e.g. Sofia, where the early-warning system for flooding should cover 50% of the citizens of Sofia by 2020.

Early-warning system in case of disasters (Ordinance 26/2009 of the Council of Ministers)

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