Posted on 17 July 2013
Bremerhaven: WWF has expressed deep disappointment
that, after years of work negotiations on
the establishment of marine protected areas
(MPAs) around Antarctica failed to achieve
any outcome as a result of opposition from
Russia.
The Antarctic Ocean
Alliance, of which WWF is a member, today
called the Russian delegation’s blocking
of proposals for large ocean sanctuaries
in Antarctic waters, “an extraordinary missed
opportunity for the global marine environment.”
The special meeting
of the 25 members of the Commission for
the Conservation on Marine Living Resources
(CCAMLR) was specifically tasked to consider
two proposals to protect areas of the Ross
Sea and East Antarctica.
'It is indeed regrettable
and worrying that CCMALR has not seized
the opportunity to put in place large-scale
ocean protection,” said John Tanzer, WWF
International Marine Director.
“This was a clear opportunity
for action which has been missed. The oceans
are under increasing pressure and urgent
action to protect critical and vulnerable
areas like the Antarctic is required. There
is no good reason to postpone these actions
and a great deal is at stake here,” he added.
The two proposals that
CCAMLR failed to pass were a joint US-New
Zealand proposal to designate a Ross Sea
MPA of 2.3 million Km2, including a fully
protected area of 1.6 million Km2; and a
proposal from Australia, France and the
European Union that would designate a cluster
of seven marine protected areas in East
Antarctica, covering about 1.63 million
Km2.
“WWF is incredibly disappointed
that CCAMLR missed this opportunity to protect
the home of more than 10,000 species including
seabirds, whales, seals and most of the
world’s penguins,” said Bob Zuur, Manager,
WWF Antarctic and Southern Ocean Initiative.
“Antarctica’s ocean
is one of the most vulnerable on Earth.
We urge CCAMLR to create these critical
protected areas at the next meeting in October.”
The Southern Ocean is
critical for scientific research, both for
studying how intact marine ecosystems function
and for determining the impacts of global
climate change.
“WWF has contributed
significantly to the science that supports
these proposals. We are looking forward
to further engagement in the next meetings
in Hobart, " said Zuur.
"We hope that the
Russian delegation will work in the spirit
of international cooperation to realise
this historic opportunity to comprehensively
protect some of the world’s most pristine
environments,” he added.
+ More
Amazon of Europe Day
celebrated across five countries
Posted on 15 July 2013
Legrad, Croatia - The first Amazon of Europe
Day was celebrated yesterday with various
events on the natural riverbanks of the
Mura, Drava and Danube. The three rivers
span Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia
and Serbia and are set to become Europe’s
largest cross-border protected area under
the UNESCO flag. The event was organized
by WWF in alliance with EuroNatur and many
partner NGOs
“14 July is about the
celebration of this amazing riverine landscape
shared by five countrie”, said WWF Freshwater
Expert Arno Mohl.
Croatians and Hungarians
celebrated together at Legrad, where the
Mura river flows into the Drava.
“Today we are raising
awareness of the importance of the ‘Seven
river wonders of Croatia' – the Danube,
Drava, Mura, Sava, Neretva, Ombla and Zrmanja
rivers”, said Irma Popovic Dujmovic of WWF
in Croatia. “With Croatia’s accession to
the European Union on 1st July, these rivers
become part of the Natura 2000 network.
But Croatia’s natural rivers are severely
harmed by channelling, gravel and sand extraction
and hydro dam projects, although such measures
are contradicting EU law”.
WWF and partners handed
over a petition to the Croatian Deputy Minister
of Environment and Nature Protection Hrvoje
Dokoza, demanding a better protection of
Croatian rivers, now that the country is
part of the EU.
“Along with numerous
activities that we implement to protect
the natural values of the extremely significant
river ecosystem Mura-Drava-Danube, our wish
is to bring the benefits of nature conservation
closer to local people. The development
of tourism in the internationally recognized
biosphere reserve has strong potential and
it can contribute significantly to the economic
development of the area. Therefore the Ministry
of Environment and Nature Protection wishes
to collaborate with the Ministry of Tourism
in the promotion of sustainable tourism
in the area. We are planning some promotional
activities for September”, Hrvoje Dokoza
said.
A boat tour from Bad
Radkersburg in Austria to Hrastje Mota in
Slovenia where the Mura river serves as
a natural border between the two countries,
was also part of the Amazon of Europe Day.
At precisely this point of entry into the
future Transboundary UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
"Mura-Drava-Danube", a controversial
hydropower dam is planned to be built, destroying
Slovenia’s largest floodplain forest.
Taking part in the “Big
Jump” into the waters of Mura and Drava,
hundreds of people expressed their wish
for keeping rivers living, free from navigation
and hydropower dams.
At the same time in
Sombor, Serbia, river enthusiasts also jumped
into the Danube and celebrated their share
of the “Amazon of Europe”. Kids painted
their visions of the biosphere reserve in
colourful drawings that will be presented
at an exhibition at the Bodrog festival
in the village of Backi Monoštor in August.
“In memory of Martin
Schneider-Jacoby who was born on 14 July,
the Amazon of Europe Day will become a symbol
of people’s concern and commitment to save
their rivers across borders”, said Gabriel
Schwaderer, Executive Director of EuroNatur.
Martin Schneider-Jacoby had worked for EuroNatur
ever since the organization was founded
in 1987 and until his sudden death in 2012.
“Martin Schneider-Jacoby
dedicated most of his life to the conservation
of Central and East European and Balkan
rivers but he sadly left us much too early.
Thanks to his vision for large scale transboundary
protection of the Danube, Drava and Mura
rivers already in the early 11000s, he can
truly be called the “father” of this UNESCO
Biosphere Reserve. Together we will carry
on and finalise what Martin began”, concluded
Arno Mohl of WWF and Gabriel Schwaderer
of EuroNatur.
