LANDSCAPES UNDER THE EUROPEAN TRANSFORMATION

LANDSCAPES UNDER THE EUROPEAN TRANSFORMATION ERASMUS Projekt, 2002-2003 LANDSCAPES UNDER THE EUROPEAN TRANSFORMATION Materials of an Intensive Seminar Project Editor: Dr.Péter Csorba Debrecen Hungary 01-09. October 2002 University of Debrecen Department of Landscape Protection and Environmental Geography 2003

Attila Kerényi Environmental management and landscape protection in Hungary Attila Kerényi * Introduction In the 1950s, at the early stage of the socialist period, Hungary had to face forced industrialisation. Especially the heavy industry was intensively developed. At that time, no one cared about the natural environment, the landscape or the environmental harms affecting man. Thus, until the 1970s, the industrial areas suffered from serious environmental devastation. Following the world conference on environmental protection in Stockholm (1972) a small change was already detectable: the environmental problems started to be dealt with in Hungary as well and in 1976, the Parliament passed the first Act on environmental protection. This, in due time (especially among the socialist countries) foreshadowed progress. Unfortunately, a considerable part of the provisions of the law were not kept and thus the state of the environment only improved at a moderate pace and on some areas it became even worse. The real change both socio-economically and environmentally speaking was brought by the transformation processes in 1989. The present paper focuses on these changes supported by data. Hungarian Economy and quality of the environment The central planning system of the past decades began to loosen up in the late 1980s then in the early 1990s, Hungary broke with both the military and economic blocks of the former socialist countries. Resulting from the radical reversal in the economy, Hungary today is an open economy. Today 85 per cent of the GDP is produced by the private sector. In the late 80s and 90s, economic transformation was concomitant with recession. From 1990 to 1993 the GDP fell by 17 per cent and then the economy began to recover. In 1999 the Hungarian economy s output achieved the 1989 level (Fig. 1). * Professor, Debrecen University, Department of Landscape Protection and Environmental Geography 17

Hungarian Economy and quality of the environment Figure 1. Gross Domestic Product, 1980-1999 Source: Statistical Yearbook of Hungary 1998, Hungarian Central Statistical Office, 1999 In the early 1990s shrinking economic output have contributed to significant decrease of air and water pollution and sharp fall in the use of agricultural chemicals (Fig. 2). The recent economic growth does not seem to result in similar growth of traditional pollution. In accordance with international economic trends, the share of tertiary sector has increased and today produces over 60 per cent of GDP (Fig. 3). Figure 2. Consumption of pesticides (Data of economic organisations), 1980-1995 Source: OECD Environmental Data Compendia 1993-1997; Ministry for Environment, 1998 18

Attila Kerényi Figure 3. Volume indices of Gross Domestic Product, 1980-1998 Source: Statistical Yearbook of Hungary 1998, Hungarian Central Statistical Office, 1999 The privatisation of the economy in close relation with the high share of foreign direct investment, in many cases have contributed to the introduction of cleaner processes and products and the introduction of up-to-date environmental management systems. Air pollutant emissions (SO 2 ) decrease significantly, mainly as a result of the fall in industrial production (Fig. 3. and Fig. 4). Figure 4. Sulphur dioxide emissions by sources, 1980-1998 Source: Ministry for Environment, 2000 19

Hungarian Economy and quality of the environment The air pollution of power plants is still dominant and their share in sulphur dioxide emissions is growing. This is explained by the sharp fall of the share of nonindustrial and mobile sources (Fig. 4). In the past, transport accounted for the greatest share of lead emissions. Between 1991 and 1992 sharp decline could be experienced due to the modernisation of the vehicle fleet, the spread of lead-free petrol and the drastic reduction of the lead content of petrol (Fig. 5). Since 1999, no leaded petrol is marketed in Hungary. Figure 5. Emissions of lead by sources, 1980-1998 Source: Ministry for Environment, 2000 The quality of surface water is determined by the quantity and character of the pollutant getting into the watercourses directly and indirectly in the Hungarian water catchment area, in addition to the quality of water coming from other countries. Researches studying freshwater pointed out that excessive alga growth (eutrophication) may be the result of nitrate and phosphate washed in. Washing powders can, to a greater and smaller extent, contribute to getting phosphorus into water. Hungarian agriculture in the early 1980s used big amount of fertilisers (Fig. 6). 1988 and 1991 shrank to one-seventh in three years due to price rises accompanying economic restructuring. Following its lowest level in 1992, fertiliser use began to grow again. Trophity of lakes is significant because of plant nutrients getting into water. In the case of Lake Balaton soil washed from agricultural areas and from inner areas of settlements by precipitation belongs to significant sources of nitrogen and phosphorus load. The changes of this pressure are closely related to precipitation, that is the explanation for the increasing pressure experienced in the past years (Fig. 7). 20

Attila Kerényi Figure 6. Apparent consumption of fertilisers (Direct sales of organisations dealing with the trade of agricultural capital goods to agriculture and forestry), 1980-1998 Source: OECD Environmental Data Compendium 1997, Statistical Yearbook of Hungary 1997, Hungarian Central Statistical Office, 1998 Figure 7. Total phosphorus load in Lake Balaton, 1980-1998 Source: Ministry for Environment, 1999 21

Hungarian Economy and quality of the environment Land use and landscape protection 25 per cent of Hungary s territory used to be covered by flood area. In the past 150 years, the primary goal of melioration and watercourse regulation was to drain high water with no damage and to prevent the degeneration of riverbeds. Different human pressures significantly decreased the size of wetland habitats. Several habitats valuable for nature conservation developed and survived as a result of century-long human farming: the meadows, forests, grasslands and grazing lands. In some regions the choice of land use, the way of cultivation may be decisive for certain biocoenoses. From 1960 to 1990 almost 500.000 hectares were withdrawn from cultivation and 70 per cent of it was afforested. Since 1990, the area of cultivated land has decreased further by almost 15 per cent. Yet some two third of Hungary s territory is still agricultural land; most of it is arable land and permanent cropland and 12 per cent is permanent grassland (Fig. 8). The forest area takes almost twenty per cent and uncultivated land area increased from 11 to 14 per cent. 85 per cent of the Hungarian forests consist of broad-leaved species: different oak species predominate. Hungary has a wide variety of Eurasian flora and fauna. There are over 3.000 plant and 43.000 animal species (Table 1). The proportion of threatened species is about 20 per cent for birds and vascular plants. The most threatened vascular plants are characteristic of wetlands, natural forests and grasslands. Figure 8. Land area by land use categories (The break in the list of data in 1992 in caused by the change of statistical classification of horticulture registered in inner territory. Since 1 January 1992 it is to be registered as area withdrawn from cultivation.) Source: Statistical Yearbook of Hungary 1998, Hungarian Central Statistical Office, 1999 22

Attila Kerényi Table 1. Endangered species of flora and fauna (Source: Ministry for Environment, 1999) Total number of known species of which: indigenous Number of endangered species of which: indigenous Number of vulnerable species of which: indigenous Number of declining species of which: indigenous Vertebrates 556 Mammals 83 9 49 Birds 361 212 27 27 31 31 4 4 Reptiles 15 2 14 15 Amphibians 16 16 16 Fish 81 2 3 2 13 0 14 0 Invertebrates 41 460 Insects 41 258 n.a. min. 375 2 Molluscs 202 1 6 7 Vascular plants 2 510 2 433 41 41 127 127 386 386 Mosses 589 589 32 32 39 39 45 45 Lichens ca. 700 ca. 700 Macrofungi ca. 2 000 ca. 2 000 Algae ca. 3 800 ca. 3 800 While in 1998, 8.9 per cent of the country s territory was protected, in 2002 this figure rose to 9,9 per cent but in the future 11-12 per cent of the country s area should get under protection. Almost 20 per cent of the total areas of the ten national parks are under increased protection. To increase forest cover to 25 per cent, is a goal to be achieved in order to protect natural values, simultaneously with agricultural restructuring. The Government decided to keep more than half of its forest areas in public ownership to preserve biodiversity. Protected natural areas of international significance include 25 Ramsar sites, five UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserves and eight World Heritage and Natural Heritage areas (cave system of Aggtelek-Slovenský kars; Hollók village; historic buildings of Buda Castle with the view of the Danube; Pannonhalma Abbey and its natural surrounding; Tokaj-Hegyalja landscape; Pécs city; Fert lake and Hanság swamp; Budapest: Andrássy street and Square of Heroes). The Nature and Landscape Conservation Act accepted in 1996 covers all natural values and areas. The 1994 Act on Agricultural Land states that consideration must be given to the protection of Hungary s natural and semi-natural areas. Our country ratified the environmental law of European Community so managing the Hungarian landscapes will develope also in future. Összefoglalás A rendszerváltás Magyarországon is mint a legtöbb volt szocialista országban gazdasági recesszióval járt együtt. A korábbinál sokkal kevesebb vegyszert használtak a mezgazdaságban, és drasztikusan csökkent a nehézipar termelése, ezáltal környezetszennyezése is. Ennek hatására lényegesen mérsékldött a 23

Hungarian Economy and quality of the environment leveg és a víz szennyezése. Mindezeket a környezeti szempontból elnyös változásokat környezeti ajándék-hatásnak nevezi a szakirodalom. A közlekedésben kisebb visszaesés következett be. Ezen a téren nagyobb jelentség a benzin ólomtartalmának csökkentése, majd az ólmozott benzin forgalmazásának beszüntetése (1999). Ez a környezet ólomszennyezését egyhatodára mérsékelte. Környezeti szempontból is fontos a gazdaság szerkezetváltása. Különösen jelents a szolgáltató szektor részarányának növekedése. (A tercier szektor a GDP több, mint 60 százalékát termeli.) A földhasználatban bekövetkezett változások a természet- és tájvédelemre nagy hatással voltak. 1960 és 1990 között félmillió hektárt vontak ki a mezgazdasági mvelés alól, s ennek 70 százalékát erdsítették. Az erdk telepítése közel 20 százalékra emelte arányukat, ezen kívül a mvelés alól kivett területek aránya is jelentsen ntt (1990-ben 11%, 1999-ben 14%). Az élvilág szempontjából ezek kedvez változások voltak, mert az élhelyek területileg és változatosságukat tekintve is gyarapodtak. A fajgazdag faunánkból (több mint 43 000 faj) igen sok faj fenyegetett. A madarak esetében 20% ez az arány, de ehhez hasonló az edényes növények veszélyeztetettsége is. Ez utóbbiak a nedves élhelyeken, természetközeli erdkben és füves területeken élnek. 2002-ben az ország területének több, mint 9,9 százaléka tartozott természetvédelmi oltalom alá. Távlatokban ez az arány 11-12 százalékra emelkedhet. A természet- és tájvédelemmel kapcsolatos törvényeink és egyéb jogszabályaink megfelelnek az uniós szabályozásnak. A jogharmonizáció gyakorlatilag befejezdött. Emellett számos nemzetközi egyezményt is ratifikált az Országgylés, amelyek a fajok és a természet védelmét szolgálják. References FODOR I. 2001. Környezetvédelem és regionalitás Magyarországon (Environmental protection and regionality in Hungary) Dialóg Campus Kiadó, Budapest-Pécs, 488p. KERÉNYI A. 2003. Európa természet- és környezetvédelme (Environmental protection and nature protection of Europe) Nemzeti Tankönyvkiadó, Budapest, 522p. SZABÓ E. POMÁZI I. eds. 2000. Environmental Indicators of Hungary 2000 Ministry for Environment, Budapest, 162p. 24