The Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests (MMAP) is submitting for public consultation a draft order approving the Guide on the promotion, selection, evaluation and integration of nature-based solutions and 'green' infrastructure into flood risk management projects.
'Reducing flood risk must be a priority objective for Apele Romane. We are complementing the traditional approach, based on hydraulic engineering works, with natural solutions that reduce risks from the very stage of flood formation. Present reality shows us that it is no longer sufficient to intervene only after danger arises, but that we must act in advance, preventively, using nature as an ally as well. The guide made available for consultation provides examples of interventions applicable in Romania, such as restoring wetlands, afforesting vulnerable land, reconnecting rivers to floodplains or creating natural water retention areas, all of which help reduce the volume and speed of water runoff during periods of extreme rainfall,' Environment Minister Diana Buzoianu is quoted in a press release as saying.
According to the ministry, the new guide proposes a shift in approach: using ecosystems and natural processes to reduce the effects of extreme phenomena, alongside maintaining and modernising existing infrastructure.
In addition, the normative act provides authorities and specialists with concrete tools for choosing the most effective intervention measures, including selection criteria, methods of economic evaluation and models for integrating 'green' solutions into investment projects.
The guide drafting is provided in the medium and long-term flood risk management national strategy, updated under government decision 1566/2024 establishing the action guidelines for 2025-2035, the ministry points out, mentioning among goals green measures, afforesting projects, aimed at increasing resilience to flooding and reducing communities vulnerability.
At the same time, the guide promotes an integrated approach, in which nature-based solutions do not replace traditional hydraulic works, but complement them, ensuring a balance between interventions with immediate effect and those with long-term benefits. This combination allows both rapid protection of exposed areas and the sustainable reduction of risks through the restoration and intelligent use of ecosystems.
The document submitted for public debate aligns Romania with European policies in the area of water and climate change adaptation, facilitating access to funding for projects that comply with the principles of sustainability and environmental protection, the Ministry of Environment maintains.
The draft order and the related guide can be consulted on the MMAP website, and interested parties may submit observations and proposals within ten days of publication.
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