Bulgaria's Water Strategies for Transition to a Climate Neutral and Resilient Society

The project is being implemented by (Coordinating Beneficiary) the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works and (beneficiaries) the Ministry of Environment and Water and Club “Economika 2000”.

The project is implemented with the financial support of Program LIFE 101074157 LIFE21-GIC-BG-LIFE WatClima.

Increased water scarcity, floods, extreme weather events and reduced water quality due to climate change pose serious challenges to the water sector. This requires new approaches that integrate actions for transition towards a climate-neutral and resilient society in the planning and implementation of strategic decisions as well as better capacity of public and private authorities in the water sector. Consequently, the general project objective is to support Bulgaria’s preparation for the climate action challenges facing the water sector over the next decade.

The general objectives of the project are:

to support Bulgaria’s preparation for the climate action challenges facing the water sector over the next decade;
to plan the mobilization of investments for the next decade for the implementation of the water policies, taking into account all climate change issues;
to improve the governance of the competent public authorities and organizations at the national and regional level in the analysed field, including by building and improving the capacity for planning and implementation of the climate action policies and involvement of the stakeholders and civil society in the process of elaboration and application of strategic documents in the water sector;
to catalize and replicate the successful results and practices from the project into the practices of all WSS operators in the country.

The specific project objectives are:

Elaboration of two long-term national strategies for the water sector, embedding the climate objectives into the policies for the water sector in Bulgaria and addressing the transition towards a climate neutral and resilient society.
Improvement of the capacity of the administrations of the beneficiaries MOEW and MRDPW to: analyse and plan long-term policies and specific measures in the water sector, while addressing the policies and objectives in the field of climate change as well as to plan the mobilization of investments for application of the water policies, while taking into account all climate change matters
Building the capacity of WSS operators in the country for integration of the matters relating to climate neutrality and climate change adaptation in their development Plans by: elaborating pilot action plans for climate change mitigation and adaptation for two WSS operators and implementing demonstration small-scale investment measures from the elaborated plans; by elaborating methodological guidelines for elaboration of action plans for climate change mitigation and adaptation; and by preparing and delivering trainings of employees of the WSS operators in the country.
Strengthening the inter-institutional coordination in the elaboration of strategic documents and integration of climate issues into the sectoral policies
Raising awareness and creating a well-informed civil society as a partner, opponent and corrective of the administration with regard to the national policies for transition of the water sector towards carbon neutrality and climate change adaptation.

Expected results from the implementation of the project are:

Establishment of a framework for management and implementation of the project
Conducting a study of level of satisfaction of the population and the business by the services provided in the water sector
Drafting a National Strategy for Management and Development of the Water Sector in Republic Bulgaria
Conducting public consultations and environmental assessment of the Strategy
Coordination and approval of the strategic document
Drafting a Strategy for Management and Development of Water Supply and Sewerage in Republic Bulgaria 2024-2034
Conducting public consultations and environmental assessment of the Strategy
Drafted ordinances regulating specific issues related to the implementation of the Water Supply and Sewerage Regulation Act
Elaborating pilot Action Plans for climate change mitigation and adaptation for two WSS operators
Elaborating methodological Guidelines for development of action plans in changing climate conditions for WSS operators in the country
Conducting trainings of operators in the WSS sector to strengthen their capacity to perform in changing climate conditions
Elaborating an After-LIFE Plan for the sustainability of project results
Mobilization of funds for implementation of short-term actions of the national Water Sector Strategy and national WSS Strategy

More detailed information about the project is being published on the official project website: https://lifewatclima.eu/

You can find more information about the LIFE Programme of the EU on the official site of the programme: https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/programmes/life_en