German Environment minister visiting Romania July 24 - 26

Germany's Federal Minister for the Environment, Climate Action and Nuclear Safety Carsten Schneider is paying a visit to Romania July 24 to 26.

According to a release from Germany's Embassy in Bucharest, on Friday Minister Schneider has meetings scheduled with Romanian politicians and representatives of the civil society regarding climate protection in Romania.

He will subsequently meet with the Romanian Minister of the Environment, Diana-Anda Buzoianu, to discuss bilateral cooperation in the field of climate and environmental protection, as well as ramping up Germany - Romania exchanges and collaboration at European level.

The meeting between the two ministers will be followed by a joint press conference at the seat of the National Weather Administration. The ministers will then travel together to the Vacaresti Natural Park, where they will continue their dialogue on urban nature reserves.

"Germany and Romania are close partners - this is also true for cooperation in the field of environmental protection, nature conservation and climate protection. We are pleased that Federal Minister Schneider wants to engage in dialogue with his Romanian counterpart right from the beginning of his term, in order to tackle joint bilateral issues, but also cooperation at European level," said Germany's ambassador Angela Ganninger as cited in the release.

The German official will also meet on Friday afternoon with Romanian non-governmental organizations, including with representatives of the Conservation Carpathia Foundation - with whom he will discuss biodiversity, the reintroduction of extinct species and local ecological diversity. Among others, the focus will be on the particular importance of Romania's beech forests for biodiversity and climate protection, as well as on ways to reconcile nature conservation and economic development, and how to achieve this goal with the participation of the Romanian civil society.