4.6. Ecological Problems: Current Situation and Solutions.

The ongoing unfavorable ecological situation in Armenia is ascribed to the development activities of the former era, and to the current economic crisis.

In terms of SHD, amongst Armenia's ecological problems the rehabilitation and conservation of nature resources (land, water, biological) as well as the prevention of environmental pollution should be emphasized.

Land resources. Armenia's agricultural lands amount to 1391 thousand ha (including 483 thousand ha of arable land), or 45% of land resources, and there are practically no reserves for extension. Specific land provision in Armenia is very low: 0.58 ha and 0.13 ha of arable land per capita. At the same time, soil erosion and landslides have reached catastrophic proportions: more than 80 % of agricultural lands in different extent are undergoing erosion, and land deterioration continues. As a result of irrigation regime violations, more than 20% of Ararat Valley lands have been over-moisturized and about 10% have been salinated. Alpine pasturelands, deteriorating due to overgrazing, has been undergoing a process of desertification.

Up to 1990 the surface area of agricultural land as a result of land allocation for civil and industrial construction has dwindled by 25%. After the agrarian reform, 25% of arable lands have not been used since the farmers do not have the means to cultivate it due to hard socio-economic situation. A decline in the surface are of the same amount is observed with pastures. The continuous deterioration of land productivity is directly dependent on the dramatic decrease in the use of fertilizers and lack of land improvement.

Water resources. Given the scarcity of water resources in Armenia, water use strikes the eye with its largesse and significant losses. Approximately half of the water used for irrigation is lost because of deteriorated irrigation networks. Losses of drinking water in the water-supply networks amount to 65%.

The condition of Lake Sevan is especially worrying; the Lake plays a special role in Armenia's eco-system. Though the use of Lake Sevan water for irrigation and power generation was critical for Armenia's economic development, however this seriously upset the ecological balance. As a result of water releases the level of the Lake subsided by 19.3 meters, the surface area has shrunk by 175 km², and the water volume decreased by 25.4 km³. The operation of the Arpa-Sevan tunnel in 1981 has prevented further deterioration. However, due to 1991-95 energy crises, significant water releases have begun again. The construction of a hydro-technical construction on the Vorotan river, which would enable a flow of 165mln sq.² per annum into Lake Sevan came to a halt. The pollution of Lake Sevan with communal wastewater, manure and chemicals dumped into the Lake with surface flow poses a serious danger. The ecosystem of the Lake has been upset (the Lake is "blooming"); the natural spawning beds of fish have been destroyed. Out of four species of the endemic trout "ishkhan," two have disappeared, and the remaining two are in the Red Book of endangered species. Due to increases in expanses of shallows, the hydrophilic plants have disappeared. In recent years fishing has increased dramatically and exceeded the permissible levels 2.5 fold.

The failure to take serious measures for the protection of Lake Sevan can lead to a national ecological disaster.

Forest Resources. Currently, the surface area of forests in Armenia amounts to 460 thousand ha, out of which 334 thousand ha are covered with forests, or 11.2%; this means 0.1% of forest per capita. Armenian forests mainly serve the protective purpose of climate regulation, anti-erosion and water conservation. Due to the 1992 energy crisis chaotic mass tree cutting began. According to expert estimates, between 1992-94, about 1 million m³ of wood was cut annually and 4 thousand ha of forest were totally wiped out, about 20 thousand ha were damaged. Due to lack of funding no steps have been taken to stop forest poachers. At present the annual damaged forest area amounts to 15 thousand ha, annual loss of wood amounts to 13 thousand m³, or 2.9% of annual growth. The rate of forest rehabilitation is very low, 500-600 ha annually, which is ten times less than pre-reform level.

The surface area of fruit orchards and vineyards dwindled by 30% after the agrarian reform.

The solution's to Armenia's ecological problems are well known and clearly laid out in the "Environmental Protection Action Plan", in the "Lake Sevan Program for Rehabilitation of the Ecological Balance", and in the national bio-diversity strategy, which have been devised with financial support from World Bank. However, the implementation of the proposed measures requires enormous funds and cannot be carried out by Armenia alone.

Lately, a number of practical measures have been carried out in relation to the prohibition of Lake Sevan water released for power generation purposes outside the irrigation season. This, however, is not always observed. Other measures include a temporary ban on fishing and the resumption of work on the Vorotan tunnel for water diversion into the Lake, completion of which is planned for the year 2000. The program for irrigation system rehabilitation and the planned Yerevan water supply network program funded by World Bank loans are of significant importance for water resources conservation. Work on improving the safety of Armenia's nuclear power plant, funded by the Council of Europe, has begun.

Achieving favorable conditions within the ecological component for Armenia's sustainable human development will be possible only after overcoming the social and economic crisis.

¹ Culture, Human Development and Economic Growth, Keith Griffin, Department of Economics, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, September 1996