Albania

Albania is a small and relatively underdeveloped country in southeast Europe. Since the collapse of its communist government in 1991, Albania has transformed itself from an isolated country to one with a government that seeks to take an active part in European affairs. The country has a population of 3.1 million (2010 est.) and covers 11,100 sq. mi. (28,748 sq. km), with a population density of 327.8 per sq. mi. (126.56 per sq. km). Some 21 percent of the land is arable, with a quarter of that under permanent cultivation and the remainder used as meadow or pasture. In addition, approximately 38 percent of the country is forested; most of the trees are oak, elm, pine, or birch.

There are a number of environmental problems facing Albania, primarily linked to pollution. The country remains largely self-sufficient in its food supply, and its petroleum industry produces some 100,000 barrels of oil per day. Because much of the country is underdeveloped, Albania has a relatively low carbon dioxide (CO2) emission level per capita, with 2.2 metric tons emitted per person in 1990 and 1.2 metric tons the following year, and falling off markedly to 0.7–0.8 metric ton per capita in the 21st century—one of the most dramatic declines of any country in the world. Albania is now 138th in the world in terms of CO2 emissions per capita, the second lowest in Europe; only Georgia and Moldova have lower emission levels per capita. Similarly, the sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and carbon monoxide emissions from Albania are all very low.

The main reason for the low carbon emissions in Albania has been from a relatively low per-capita private car ownership, heavy use of public transportation (as well as horse-drawn transportation in rural areas), and continued reliance on hydroelectric power. Only 3 percent of Albania's total electricity production comes from fossil fuels, with the remainder from hydropower generated from the dams along the Drin River, especially from the junction of the Vau i Dejes, White Drin, and Black Drin rivers at Kukës. The building of the hydroelectric power network at Kukës resulted in the submerging of some villages in the region in the early 1970s; a new town called Kukësi i Ri (New Kukës) was later built. The dam located at Fierzë led to the formation of the country's largest artificial lake at 45 sq. mi. (116 sq. km), further adding to hydropower generation. The Albanian Energy Corporation (K.E.S.H.) operates additional dams, such as the Bovilla Dam, which also helps in hydroelectric production. The government is also involved in the construction of another hydropower plant at Devolli in the south of the country. Hydropower plants also provide a great deal of electric power for Greece, helping reduce Greek carbon emissions.

The Albanian government of Sali Berisha, which came to power in April 1992, took part in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) signed in Rio de Janeiro in May 1992, in line with its desire to involve Albania more extensively with the West.

However, it was not until the presidency of Alfred Moisiu that Albania accepted the Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC, which took place on April 1, 2005, and came into force on June 30, 2005.

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