• INTERNATIONAL
  Global Environment Fund Needs Replenishment
  
  
• CANADA/COLOMBIA
  Canada Calls on FARC to Release Betancourt
  
  
• BELGIUM
  U.S. Pursues Aviation Complaint Against Belgium
  
  
• DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
  Protects Largest Caribbean Lake
  
  
• ECUADOR
  Reward Offered for Capture of Escaped Poacher
  
  
• AUSTRALIA
  Great Barrier Reef Poachers Convicted /a>
  
  
• ISRAEL
  Spends Millions to Curb Mad Cow Disease

Global Environment Fund Needs Replenishment

Toepfer spoke Monday in Stockholm at the 30th anniversary celebrations of the conference that led to the creation of UNEP. A well funded GEF must be made a priority, he told delegates.

"This fund has proved its worth time and time again and the money, given to it by developed nations, has in the main been very well spent," Toepfer said.

"Unless action is taken now we face, in 30 years time, the prospect of half the world's people living in water stressed areas, over 70 percent of the Earth's surface impacted by roads, cities and other infrastructure developments and concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere at 450 parts per million, on track for a doubling from pre-industrial levels by 2050," Toepfer warned. The GEF has committed more than US$4 billion and mobilized some US$9 billion for more than 1,000 projects in 162 countries in the past 10 years.

"I would urge developed nations in the run up to WSSD to make serious financial commitments to the fund so that all countries, so that all delegates, leave Johannesburg satisfied that it has been a summit of implementation and not another summit of promises, another meeting of declarations," he said.

The Global Environment Facility was established for a pilot phase in 1991 in the run up to the Rio Earth Summit of 1992. It has three implementing agencies. These are UNEP, the United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank. During its pilot phase the facility was given US$1.2 billion. It has had two replenishments of US$2.02 billion and US$2.75 billion and was restructured in 1994.

The third replenishment is due this year. "The overwhelming majority of nations believe only a substantial replenishment is an acceptable outcome," Toepfer said Monday.

The GEF's key focus areas have been biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, the ozone layer and more recently issues like the phasing out persistent organic pollutants. It is also the financial mechanism for the implementation of international treaties such as the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

Canada Calls on FARC to Release Betancourt

Canadian Foreign Minister Bill Graham and Secretary of State for Latin America and Africa Denis Paradis made the appeal June 14 following meetings with Astrid Betancourt, Ingrid's sister.

Senator Ingrid Betancourt at the Global Greens Convention, April 2001. (Photo © Snappy Tim)

"The continued widespread practice of kidnapping has done serious damage to hopes for a negotiated peace in Colombia," said Graham in a statement. "I am especially concerned about the kidnapping of high profile political figures as a means for rebel forces to disrupt legitimate government activities. Along with many others, Ingrid Betancourt should be released immediately."

Before her kidnapping, Betancourt spent her life surrounded by 10 bodyguards, traveled in a bulletproof car and separated herself from her family after threats were made on her life. Her campaigns against air pollution and corruption have antagonized powerful political interests.

"Canadians are concerned about the well being of Senator Betancourt and the other victims of kidnapping in Colombia," said Paradis. "Kidnapping is a clear violation of international humanitarian law and the government of Canada has repeatedly called on all participants in this conflict to respect the rights of the civilian population."

At an international Green Party convention in April 2001, the Green Shield program was launched with Green parliamentarians and activists from democratic countries volunteering to assist in the defense of Green activists under threat.

At that conference Betancourt said in a powerful presentation that drew a standing ovation, "Today we have an opportunity, there is still time for stopping the system of self-destruction that they want to impose on us. But this depends on our will - on our commitment and not on what they will grant us from their power."

In early April, two Mexican Green Party officials from the Federation of Green Parties of the Americas spent two days in Bogotá working without success for the release of Betancourt and Rojas.

On April 29, the Mexican Senate unanimously approved a resolution calling on FARC to provide guarantees for Betancourt's emotional and physical well being, and called on FARC, as a humanitarian gesture, to release her.

Global Greens Free Ingrid website at: http://web.greens.org/ingrid/free_ingrid.htm

Free Ingrid website: http://www.4ingrid.com/main/accueil.htm

U.S. Pursues Aviation Complaint Against Belgium

But the U.S. will continue its case at the International Civil Aviation Organization against Belgium because a Belgian decree adopted after the repeal of the original regulation "perpetuates discriminatory aspects" of that regulation.

Effective April 2002, the European Union repealed the hushkit regulation and replaced it with a new directive to manage noise at airports in Europe.

Following repeal of the hushkit regulation, Belgium adopted a decree restricting the operation of certain aircraft at Belgian airports between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The U.S. says the Belgian decree is based on a design standard rather than a performance standard, which "discriminates" against older U.S. planes fitted with hushkits.

Belgium, with airports in heavily populated areas, maintains that the hushkitted U.S. planes are still too noisy.

The European Commission is actively reviewing the Belgian decree under applicable EU laws and procedures.

Dominican Republic Protects Largest Caribbean Lake

As its first Wetland of International Importance, the Dominican Republic has designated Enriquillo Lake, a 20,000 hectare hypersaline lake formed by an ancient sea channel. At 35 kilometers, it is the longest lake in the Caribbean.

Located in the southwestern Dominican Republic near the Haitian border, Enriquillo Lake is 110 feet below sea level, the lowest point in the Caribbean and is three times saltier than the sea.

The surrounding swamps, wet meadows, and irrigated cropland, with one large and two small islands are also designated for protection.

Enriquillo Lake supports a biologically diverse ecosystem featuring three of the largest reptiles found on the island, all of them threatened. It is a popular tourist destination for spotting crocodiles and giant iguanas.

It provides habitat for at least 65 species of domestic and migratory birds, including flamingoes, of which five are considered threatened.

Cave decorations with pictographs and petroglyphs from pre-hispanic Taínos people can be seen, of which the best example of Taíno art can be found on an ancient coral reef called Las Caritas, an archaeological site often visited by tourists.

Diversion of inflowing water for agricultural purposes is perceived as a potential threat to the ecological character of the site. A visitors’ center on the Isla Cabritos, the original core of the present national park, has developed numerous educational activities.

Ecuador Offers Reward for Capture of Escaped Poacher

On May 31, the poaching vessel escaped around 4:00 am, according to the Captain of Puerto Ayora.

In March 2001, the boat, María Canela ll was arrested for illegally fishing in the Galapagos Marine Reserve by the Sea Shepherd's patrol boat, the Sirenian and Galapagos National Park rangers.

Rangers on board the Sirenian found the Maria Canela II around Wolf Island, using long lines and illegal fishing gear. The vessel had 1,047 shark fins in its hold.

In Article 42 of the Special Law for Conservation and Sustainable Development of Galapagos Province, states that industrial fishing within the 40 square mile Galapagos Marine Reserve is illegal.

Pablo Guerrero, head of the Marine Resources Area of the Galápagos National Park Service, informed officials that the poaching vessel was chained up and that the engine room had been shut down.

After the disappearance of the María Canela ll, Galapagos National Park officials began extensive efforts to search for and track the boat by air and by sea, to date, without success. The boat owner, José Abel Guevara García of Costa Rica, has also disappeared.

Great Barrier Reef Poachers Convicted

John Tanzer, acting chair of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), says that doing the wrong thing in the park is becoming increasingly difficult and costly to offenders.

The three men were each fined A$3,000 for fishing in a Green Zone, or no take area, at Storm Cay off Mackay. They were brought to justice in a combined effort between the GBRMPA, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, and Coast Watch.

"These people have shown a complete disregard for the protection of the reef and its fish stocks," Tanzer said.

There has been a 200 percent increase in the number of illegal incidents referred to the Commonwealth Department of Public Prosecutions for assessment to date this year.

Major changes in the way the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is policed have resulted in an increase in the number of detections and convictions in the past 12 months.

"Since July last year, in the commercial area alone, 58 commercial line vessels have been detected operating illegally in protected areas of the park. This represents a 250 per cent increase on last year's detections. Fishers operating illegally are now more likely to be caught," Tanzer said.

The maximum penalties for illegal fishing in green zones has increased ten-fold to A$220,000 for individuals.

"These results are largely due to our increased surveillance both on the water and in the air through a coordinated effort between Commonwealth and State agencies, the application of new technology to detect incidents and the use of enhanced intelligence gathering capability," Tanzer said.

Israel Spends Millions to Curb Mad Cow Disease

The "Jerusalem Post" newspaper reports the emergency program was approved by the cabinet Monday. Chief Veterinarian Dr. Oded Nir told journalists at the Prime Minister's Office that the program will be assessed after six months to determine whether it should be continued.

The program begins immediately. It includes lab tests on the brain tissue of all cows slaughtered over the age of 30 months to ensure that they are not infected with BSE, and only then to release the meat for marketing. Some of the funds will be spent to upgrade refrigeration in slaughterhouses and hold meat in refrigerators for 24 hours before marketing so that the results of lab tests can be obtained. BSE testing can only be conducted on carcasses as no live animal test exists.

Organs such as the brain, spleen, eyes, small intestines, and spinal cord of all cattle over one year old will be destroyed, as these are the tissues most likely to be infected by BSE. More inspectors will be added.

The export of live cattle and meat to the Palestinian Authority will be stopped because the Israeli government says it does not have the facilities to check these commodities for BSE. It is possible that the Palestinian people might be exposed to mad cow disease and that contaminated meat might be smuggled back into Israel, Dr. Nir said.