There has been a shift in the focus of the economies of Eastern Europe. They have become more concentrated on the service sector. However, there is still heavy reliance on agricultural and mineral extraction. These activities result in the degradation of the land and create much waste and pollution. Adding to the problem of waste in Eastern Europe is the increase in its consumption. Eastern Europeans are using more products, resulting in more items being thrown away.
Soil. The ever-increasing consumption has resulted in large quantities of waste. People buy more and throw away more. For this reason, waste disposal is a growing problem for the region. Most of the trash ends up in landfills. Landfills cannot handle the increased waste being dumped in them. They are becoming overburdened, and leakage from them is polluting both the soil in the area and the groundwater. Although many Eastern European nations have developed regulations to control waste, enforcement is lacking.
Another land-related problem concerns the clean-up of hazardous waste. Under the past communist governments, industrial controls to prevent the dumping of hazardous waste did not exist in many places. As a result, many areas were contaminated and require clean-up. Removing hazardous waste from these areas is important for both human and environmental health.
Agriculture, through the use of chemical agents, also causes pollution of the soil. The depletion of the water table resulting from irrigation further degrades the soil.
There isn't enough data available to create effective policies to improve soil quality in the region. Data must be collected so meaningful policies can be implemented. Another need is a way for areas with similar soil conditions to exchange their strategies for success. This sharing of information will reduce costs and increase cooperation.
Soil problems are often made worse by the fact that many places in the region are in transition. Low levels of economic development leave little funding to address soil degradation. The cost of clean-up is high. Many countries are unable to pay for it Additional factors include limited access to advanced technology and environmental education. Eastern Europe will require the support of the international community to improve the quality of its soil.
Biodiversity. The loss of habitat and the resulting decrease in biodiversity continues to be a problem for Eastern Europe. Adding to this problem is the increase in the number of non-native invasive species.
Biodiversity is important in and of itself. However, it also provides products and services to the people of Eastern Europe in many ways, including agriculture, forests, tourism, water management, rural development, human health, and quality of life.
The environmental issues surrounding biodiversity include agriculture, urban development, eutrophication, desertification, and land abandonment. Climate change also presents a serious threat, particularly in coastal, arctic and alpine habitats. The introduction of plants and animals that are not native to the region continues to threaten the region's biodiversity. These non-native species compete with native species for nutrients and space. They often win. It is estimated that by 2100, 25 percent of the plant species in Bulgaria and Romania will vanish.
The Kiev Resolution was signed in 2003 by the European Ministers of Environment and Heads of Delegations of the States participating in the process of the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity. Its goal is to stop the loss of biodiversity by 2010. This goal however cannot be accomplished without increased regulations and revenue.
