Bluelink gathers climate policy asks from civil society organizations

Threats of termination of gas supplies pushed the discussions not only about energy independence, but also on energy transition and decarbonisation of Bulgarian economy. BlueLink is contributing to this discussion by implementing a project "Fostering policy changes in Bulgaria’s climate legislation" with an aim to facilitate advocacy efforts by the Bulgarian Coalition for the Climate to bring Bulgarian legislation in line with the European Climate Law. While the analysis of needed changes and advocacy within institutions is led by WWF-Bulgaria, BlueLink ensures the participatory approach for civil society stakeholders in advocating successful climate policy advocacy in Bulgaria.

In April BlueLink's and WWF project teams had a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister for climate policies and Minister of environment and water  Borislav Sandov discussing the need to introduce changes into Bulgarian climate policy and make it in line with the European Climate Law. Most probably these changes will be in a format of amendments to the Climate change mitigation act (CCMA) adopted in 2014 and seemed quite limited and outdated now.
Bluelink gathers policy asks from civil society organizations in Bulgaria in order to make sure that their voice is heard and their proposals are discussed while amending the climate law.

The long list of climate policy asks proposed by the Bulgarian NGOs includes:

• clear national climate targets for 2030 and 2050;
• clear framework for climate planning and more precise requirements for the principles, objectives, content and discussion process of strategic documents;
• transparent and predictable planning framework set in Art. 8 -10 of the CCMA for consultations and multilevel dialogue in the field of climate and energy;
• clearer controlling role of the National Assembly;
• change the principles of operation of National Expert Council on Climate Change  by ensuring transparency and equality of all stakeholders and to ensure that the council will be an independent and expert advisory body;
• adding specific provisions for public participation and dialogue with civil society, local authorities, the business community, investors, other stakeholders and the general public to be able to actively participate and discuss the achievement of the EU goal and national goals for climate neutrality;
• incorporating the environmental education into the law;
• ban on fossil fuels and fossil industries ads;
• closer target year for coal phase-out.

Bluelink will continue gathering climate policy asks from civil society actors. Together with WWF Bulgaria we will formulate them into legislative proposals and advocate it in the Ministry of environment and water and other relevant institutions.