| *NIB**** Copyright 1986 XINHUA SISCOM IP
SCIENTISTS REPORT SOME NORWEGIAN FJORDS HEAVILY POLLUTED
STOCKHOLM, JUNE 23 (Xinhua)--Norwegian scientists have urged the start
of cleanup work as 18 of the country's fjords are heavily polluted by
deadly industrial discharges.
A recent report from the Norwegian Institute for Water Research shows
the poison content is particularly great in 13 of the fjords, long
narrow arms of the sea between high cliffs. The Soerfjord in southern
Norway has previously been singled out as the most polluted by metals
in the world.
The fjords contain many of the world's most dangerous poisons such as
mercury, cadmium, copper, zinc and lead, as well as tar substances and
DDT related compounds, the report said. Some of these are carcinogens
while others are hazardous to fish and humans who eat the fish.
In Iddefjord and Kristiansandsfjord, dioxin has been found. This
prompted Norwegian authorities to measure dioxin discharged from the
wood processing industry to establish the extent of pollution, the
report said.
Dioxin is a collective name for 230 chemical substances which are
highly toxic, have a number of longterm effects and can also weaken the
body's immunity system against disease.
Received: 23-JUN-1987 09:43
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| From: Gary Trujillo <[email protected]>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.nordic
Date: 15 Feb 93 22:26 PST
Subject: Norway: Defeat Poor Forestry Plans
Sender: Notesfile to Usenet Gateway <[email protected]>
/* Written 10:42 pm Feb 10, 1993 by econet in igc:en.alerts */
/* ---------- "Norway: Defeat Poor Forestry Plans" ---------- */
Norwegian Society for Nature Conservation: Call for support to
increase the Norwegian conservation plan for coniferous forest
--------------------------------------------------------------
Norway needs your help in order to increase the conservation plan for
coniferous forest. The Norwegian government has decided to protect
only 0.6% of the productive coniferous forest. Thus, the homeland of
the Brundtland Commission has one of the smallest conservation plans in
the boreal forest area.
The minister of Environment has stated that the plan shall cover all
forest types. However, it is now clear that this is impossible within
the present frames. Different forest types are lacking in different
parts of the country, and we are also on the brink of loosing many of
our last, larger wilderness areas. In central Norway, several
important localities of internationally valuable coastal spruce forests
have not been included. We therefore need a new evaluation of the size
of the conservation plan. After having met the minister of the
environment recently, it is clear that only international pressure can
lead to a new evaluation. This evaluation must be done rapidly, before
potential areas are taken out of the plan.
An evaluation should also be made about the total needs for forest
protection in Norway.
In the counry of Ostfold, we want cooperation with Sweden in rescuing
the largest remnant of "natural" coniferous forest in southern
Scandinavia. By preserving the area Lundsneset (20 square kilometers)
on the Norwegian side of the border, and combining it with the Swedish
protected area of Trasticklan, a total area of 50 square kilometers
will be saved. Because the Swedish part will become a national park,
this should also be the case for Lundsneset. In this way, 20 square
kilometers will be made available for other coniferous forest areas to
be protected as nature reserves. We ask for specific support for this
Swedish-Norwegian cooperation plan, and for giving Lundsneset status of
national park.
The Norwegian parliament has received a document from the government
about how to practice the Rio convention about biodiversity. A
national strategy for preserving biodiversity will be worked out,
according to the document. Because preservation of natural forests is
important to preserve species, international support to the
conservation plan for coniferos forest is important also in this
context.
We plan a press conference around February 17, which is the time limit
concerning the national "hearing" for the conservation plan in Eastern
Norway. We would very much appreciate your support before this date.
The homeland of the Brundtland Commission has in our opinion a special
international responsibility in being a pioneer country in this field.
We refer to Chapter 6 in the Commission, which concludes:
"There is still time to save species and their ecosystems. It is an
indispensable prerequisite for a sustainable development. Our failure
to do so will not be forgiven by future generations."
Your support can be given directly to:
Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland
Government Building
Akersgt. 42
N-0180 Oslo
Norway
Fax: +47-22-349500
Please send a copy to The Norwegian Society for Nature Conservation,
Fax: +47-22-715640
(ref.: [email protected] Wed Feb 10 08:03:57 1993, f.)
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