Sustainable Development of Natural Resources through Decentralization Policies Implementation in Albania

One of the most discussed topics currently is the sustainable development of natural resources aiming to reduce the careless exploitation and guarantee the existence of these resources. In the context of sustainable development, decentralization policies in the field of natural resources have been implemented in many countries, mainly in developing one, among which even in Albania. Natural resources play a strategic role in the rural economy as a potential source of long-term development and community participation in natural resource management increase the efficiency, improve equity and justice and reduce poverty. The objectives of this paper are the reflection of the current situation in Albania after the decentralization policies implemented in the natural resource field and the evaluation of those factors that improve the impact of the decentralization policy in terms of sustainable development. These objectives are realized through quantitative methods for data processing. After data analysis we state that important factors that affect the impact of decentralization in this area are the investments made for expansion and maintenance of natural resources and the opportunity to generate income from these sources.