Panorama
 
 
 
 
 

NEW VIEWS ON WATER, ENERGY AND FOOD

Environmental Panorama
International
November of 2011


Posted on 16 November 2011
Water, energy or food.
Which would you pick to do without?

None of them, of course. All three are essential to our well-being. They are the foundation of our societies and the lifeblood of our economies. They are also closely linked, and as we focus on one, too often we overlook the implications for the others.

This week in Bonn, Germany, representatives from governments, businesses and organizations like WWF will meet to discuss the “nexus”: the link between water, energy and food.

Under the auspices of the German government, the “Bonn2011 Conference: The Water Energy and Food Security Nexus – Solutions for the Green Economy” is intended to develop policy solutions to improve the management of natural resources to meet the needs of a growing global population.

“Agencies and organizations have been working on water, energy and food security for decades. But, for the most part, we have treated them like distinct issues, and that has held up progress,” said WWF International Director General Jim Leape.

If we are going to get back within the ecological limits of our planet and fulfill the rights and aspirations of billions of people who lack access to clean water, sufficient energy and nutritious food, we have to take a different approach. This conference is about capitalizing on the connection between water, energy and food, and developing policies that yield benefits across all three.

Specifically, WWF asks governments and businesses to: Govern and manage water according to natural rather than political boundaries, and within the framework of integrated, participatory river basin management.
Invest in integrated programming between freshwater conservation and water, sanitation and hygiene.
Protect and restore freshwater ecosystems so they can sustain biodiversity and the functions that are vital for human health, livelihoods, well-being and security
Mitigate cities’ water footprint, increase urban resilience to climate change and variability, and reduce water risks in urban settings
Increase efficiency in the food system by reducing waste in the production and distribution of food
Promote alternative consumption patterns, including more balanced diets that are less rich in meat, fish and dairy in high-income countries
Reduce the footprint of agriculture by making sustainable food production central to development and encouraging the treatment and re-use of wastewater for agricultural purposes
Adopt, enforce and comply with laws, regulations, policies and standards on sustainable hydropower
Introduce fiscal policy and incentives to drive private investment in renewable, reliable and sustainable energy supplies in developing countries.

+ More

Romania takes steps to protect 250,000 ha of virgin forests

Posted on 15 November 2011
Bucharest, Romania - Three weeks after the launch of WWF’s campaign to save Romania’s virgin forests, a ministerial commitment has been secured to put Romania’s most important and valuable forests under protection. On a visit to Sinca forest near Brasov today, the Minister of Environment and Forests Mr. Laszlo Borbely could see how the lack of legislation meant that trees in virgin forest were cut down legally. Earlier the minister had committed to visiting virgin forest areas with WWF to analyze the situation on the ground.

“By the end of the year we hope to finalize the legislative act which will put all our virgin forests under protection”, said Laszlo Borbely. “Virgin forests are pure treasure, especially for those who recognize their important role”.

The minister later clarified that Romania will have around 100 million Euro from EU funds to compensate private forest owners.

Within the coming weeks a Memorandum of understanding between WWF and the Ministry of Environment and Forests will be signed which will stipulate what actions will be taken to ensure legal protection of Romania’s most important forests.

According to the minister, a new evaluation of virgin forests in Romania will be carried out by the middle of 2012, replacing the now outdated 2003 study.

Over 65,000 signatures

“In the space of only three weeks, together with our partners, our campaign managed to raise over 65,000 signatures and a huge public interest in the state of our virgin forests”, said Magor Csibi, Country Manager of the WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme in Romania. “Virgin forests have become a hot topic in Romania. Today we see the light at the end of the tunnel for the first time. A Memorandum of understanding with the authorities would guarantee that the problem will be solved. Today we received a first commitment, and we hope that we will be able to finalize the agreement soon”.

250,000 hectares of virgin forests in Romania are awaiting protection according to the “Save the virgin forests!” campaign launched by WWF on 24 October. The campaign is seeking protection for over 80% of Romania’s virgin forests, which are currently left unprotected.

Virgin or old growth forests are untouched by humans, the last places where nature survives in its pure state. They are wonderful complex systems where seedlings, young, mature and old trees are interspersed by very large, old live, imposing trees. Dead trees and decaying logs are just as important as the living trees, building up together an environment that is home for many different flora and fauna. Romania’s virgin forests are home to up to 13,000 species.

More vulnerable than ever

Virgin forests have survived because of their inaccessibility and the low economic value of the wood coming from the old trees. However, today virgin forests are more vulnerable than ever because of socio-economic pressures in Romania. These include the ever increasing demand for wood and the challenges of managing small patches of forests in a business way.

Over the past few decades, virgin forests have disappeared in the developed countries. Romania’s virgin forests represent up to 65% of the virgin forests still remaining in Europe, outside of Russia. They are an important part of Europe’s natural patrimony and were lost mostly due to bad management. Their scientific, educational, and ecological value is undisputed.

 
 

Source: WWF – World Wildlife Foundation International
Press consultantship
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