First
Satellite Imagery Shows that Oil Spill Reaches
Syrian Coastline
Access is Needed for Immediate Clean-up
2 August 2006, Nairobi/Athens
— The oil spill that has already polluted over
80 kilometres of the Lebanese coastline has reached
the Syrian coastline and is spreading further
north. Satellite imagery from the European Commission
(EC) now shows that the oil slick has entered
Syrian waters and has already contaminated approximately
10 kilometres of coastline north of the borders
between Syria and Lebanon.
“It is nearly three weeks since
the bombing of the power plant and the initial
satellite imagery unfortunately confirms that
the oil spill is of a significant magnitude and
spreading. A coordinated response must urgently
be allowed to proceed, so that we can limit the
immediate environmental damage as well as the
longer terms implications for the economy and
the Lebanese people”, said United Nations Under-Secretary-General
Achim Steiner, the Executive Director of UNEP,
speaking from Nairobi.
“Now it has become even more
vital to take immediate action. In addition to
the humanitarian circumstances, an environmental
catastrophe is threatening the Mediterranean region”,
said Mr Paul Mifsud, the Coordinator of the United
Nations Environment Programme - Mediterranean
Action Plan (UNEP-MAP). “Hostilities must cease
to guarantee immediate safe access to the affected
area”.
In a letter addressed to UNEP-MAP
in Athens today, the Syrian Minister of Local
Administration and Environment Mr Helal Al-Atrash
asked UNEP-MAP “to send professional companies
to control the spilled oil on the shoreline and
territorial waters […] and to send experts for
the assessment of environmental degradation costs”.
The Regional Marine Pollution
Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean
Sea (REMPEC), one of UNEP-MAP’s Regional Activities
Centres, has requested the Government of Cyprus
to run a spill forecast model, called MEDSLIK.
Developed specifically for the eastern Mediterranean,
it can provide indication whether or not a part
of the oil could reach other Mediterranean coastal
States, north of Lebanon.
The analysis is conducted by
the Oceanographic Centre of Cyprus, and initial
results show that 80% of the oil remains on and
off the Lebanese shoreline, while only less than
20% evaporated.
Following a request of support
to the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention,
REMPEC has already received replies from nine
entities offering assistance: Algeria, Cyprus,
the European Commission, France, Greece, Italy,
Malta, Spain and Syria.
Meanwhile, REMPEC officially
placed its Mediterranean Assistance Unit (MAU)
on stand-by and is preparing for the mission of
a senior expert to the affected area, as soon
as security clearance is received.
Notes to Editors:
Images by the EC Civil Protection
Unit can be downloaded from the following website:
http://www.zki.dlr.de/applications/2006/lebanon/lebanon_2006_en.html
As far as movement of any possible oil slick at
sea is concerned, satellite images have been obtained
from several sources. However, the initial results
and the satellite images currently available should
only be considered as an indication at this stage.
The Regional Marine Pollution
Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean
Sea (REMPEC) is one of the MAP Regional Activities
Centres and is based in Malta. It is jointly administered
by the UN International Maritime Organization
and UNEP-MAP. For further information please contact
Luisa Colasimone, UNEP/MAP, +30 6 949 122 746
REMPEC helps Mediterranean coastal
states build up their national prevention and
response capabilities to be prepared for major
marine pollution incidents, in accordance with
Article 10 of the 1976 Emergency Protocol, and
Article 12 of 2002 Prevention and Emergency Protocol
of the Barcelona Convention..
The Convention for the Protection
of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region
of the Mediterranean – also known as the Barcelona
Convention - is the legal framework for the implementation
of the Mediterranean Action Plan with a Secretariat
based in Athens.
The Barcelona Convention was
adopted by the Mediterranean Countries and the
European Community in 1976 in order to coordinate
their activities and take all appropriate measures
to prevent, abate combat and eliminate pollution
of the Mediterranean sea and enhance the marine
and coastal environment so as to contribute towards
sustainable development.
Nick Nuttall / Elisabeth Waechter
