11 December 2012: The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) conducted the second Environmental Performance Review (EPR) in Albania, finding that issues including air pollution, municipal solid waste management and access to clean water and improved sanitation remain important issues for Albania to address.

UNECE EPRs cover ten elements including: environmental policymaking, planning and implementation; financing of environmental policies; waste and water management; biodiversity conservation; and integration of environmental issues into energy and health policies.

On waste management, the EPR notes that waste management is not in place for most rural areas, identifying many uncontrolled dumpsites, including 65 large ones.

On freshwater, the EPR highlights that only 60% of Albanians have access to centralized drinking water supplies, water infrastructure is poorly maintained and water losses in cities are up to 60%. The report also stresses only 40% of urban dwellers have access to sewerage systems and the country has only a single wastewater treatment facility.

The EPR issues 47 recommendations for improving environmental governance including on: policymaking framework for environmental protection and sustainable development; compliance and enforcement mechanisms; information, public participation and education; implementation of international agreements and commitments; economic instruments and expenditures for environmental protection; sustainable management of water resources; waste management; forestry, biodiversity and protected areas (PAs); and human health and environment.

Among recommendations, the EPR calls for prioritizing energy efficiency within energy policy, assessing changes to river ecosystems, including to habitats, by hydropower plants, building capacity for sustainable forest management (SFM) and developing regional and local waste management plans. [UNECE Press Release] [Publication: Second Albania Environmental Performance Review] [Publication: Albania Second Review Synopsis] [Publication: Albania Second Review Highlights]