14 Feb 2007 - Gland, Switzerland – Although one of the
first European countries to protect the brown bear, Slovenia
is considering increasing hunting quotas for brown bears,
an act that may decimate the country's entire population.
The Slovenian government has announced that it will allow
a hunting quota of 106 bears in 2007. Add in the number
of bears killed each year on roads and railway lines, and
the mortality rate jumps to as high as 130 individuals.
“This massive hunt will have dramatic consequences for
the species throughout Europe as the bear population in
Slovenia is shared with many other countries in the region,"
said Gerald Dick of WWF's Global Species Programme.
“The population is especially important as it is a source
for reintroducing bears into Austria, Italy and France,
whose populations are minimal and fragmented,” Dick added.
Before Slovenia joined the European Union, around 50 bears
were killed each year by hunters. In 2002, the government
drastically increased the quota to 100 individuals. In that
year, 116 bears were killed.
The Slovenia government claims there are 500–700 bears
in the country. Based on reliable local information, WWF
believes the lower estimate is more realistic.
As the quota does not include the large number of road
casualties (in 2005, 40 bears were killed on roads), the
overall mortality rate of Slovenian bears could be close
to 30 per cent of the population. WWF is asking for a clarification
of the population size and justification for an official
hunting quota of over 20 per cent per year, which is unscientific
and unsustainable.
“As Slovenia will take over the EU presidency in early
2008, it should use this opportunity to prove it can be
a leader in conservation by applying the EU guidelines on
managing large carnivores,” said Dick.
“These guidelines are clearly asking for a population-based
type of management, urging countries to cooperate internationally
and to perform transparent population estimates. Killing
more bears is not the answer.”
A final decision whether the hunt will go ahead is expected
shortly by the Slovenian Environment Ministry.
Gerald Dick, WWF Global Species Programme
Joanna Benn, Communications Manager
WWF Global Species Programme
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WWF Director General addresses Finnish lawmakers on energy
14 Feb 2007 - Helsinki, Finland – Over 150 decision-makers
and representatives from the energy sector assembled in
Finland’s Parliament to discuss how the country can meet
its energy needs while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“Finding a sustainable energy solution for Finland has
international significance for meeting global energy solutions,”
stressed WWF International Director General James Leape,
who was one of the speakers addressing the parliament’s
Finance Committee.
According to a WWF-Finland model, growing energy demand
in Finland can be met by 2020 through energy efficiency
and renewable energy sources. The model pointed out that
such sources are 2.7 times the production capacity of a
nuclear power plant currently under construction.
“An investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy
sources is an alternative scenario to more nuclear power,
and it would give Finland a foothold in the global market
for sustainable energy technology.”
He added that nuclear power cannot be a solution for global
energy and climate change problems, and that nuclear power
is not needed when the current potential of energy efficiency
and renewable energies are effectively put into use and
sustainable energy technologies further developed.
“Small but innovative countries like Finland have a lot
to contribute to solving the challenges of climate change,”
Leape added. “It is also important that Finland supports
the efforts of the EU to be a leader in energy and climate
policy.”
Other participants attending the parliamentary seminar
included Professor Peter Lund from Helsinki University of
Technology, who presented WWF-Finland’s energy scenario,
and Jukka Noponen, Director of the environment programme
at the Sitra Research Institute, who talked about opportunities
for Finland to compete in the global energy technology market.
Business cases were presented by the Nokia and Vacon corporations.
END NOTES:
• The expert group guiding WWF-Finland’s energy model,
Virtaa tulevaisuuteen, included experts from Helsinki University
of Technology, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland,
Federation of Finnish Energy Industries and the Government
Institute of Economic Research VATT.
Päivi Rosqvist, Head of Communications
WWF-Finland
