Tomado del Daily Telegraph de hoy. Es aterradora la velocidad con la que
estamos acabando con el mundo natural. Colombia no aparece entre los
primeros 12 paises mas destructores, aun.
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Norwegians wreak most havoc on the ecology
By Charles Clover, Environment Editor
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Living Planet Report 1998 - WWF
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Living Planet plundered of its natural resources in 25 years, says WWF [1
Oct '98] - WWF
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NORWEGIANS, who pride themselves on their green attitudes, are the most
environmentally destructive people on Earth, a report by the World Wide
Fund for Nature said yesterday.
The study found that Norwegians place four times as much pressure on the
environment as the average global citizen. The reason is Norway's
consumption of marine fish. The country catches 250kg (550lb) of fish per
head, more than 10 times the world average. Much of it is not eaten
directly but fed to salmon in fish farms.
The worst offenders after Norway, when it comes to consuming the world's
natural resources, are Taiwan, Chile, Singapore and Denmark. The United
States, Australia, Kuwait and Canada, also appear in the top 12. Britain is
41st while the country with the lowest impact is Bangladesh.
The findings are based on a "living planet index" - which WWF hopes will
become the equivalent of the Dow Jones Index for the global environment.
Researchers analysed human consumption of forests, freshwater and marine
species, emissions of carbon dioxide, the consumption of grain and use of
cement in 152 countries between 1970 and 1995.
The results did not prevent the report winning an endorsement from Gro
Harlem Brundtland, former prime minister of Norway and author of the
pioneering 1987 UN report which established the internationally-used
concept of sustainable development. She said: "Instead of living on the
interest provided by the Earth's natural assets, we are using up the
capital resources of future generations."
Among the report's main findings are that freshwater ecosystems have
declined by 50 per cent between 1970 and 1995 as a result of pollution and
land deterioration. The use of freshwater, however, has doubled since 1960
and it is now estimated that we use more than half of the accessible supply.
The world's natural forest cover declined by about 10 per cent, and from
1990 to 1995 by 0.5 per cent a year. Marine ecosystems deteriorated by 30
per cent from 1970-1995, and at a rate of about four per cent a year from
1990 to 1995. Fish consumption more than doubled and most of the world's
fish resources are either fully exploited or in decline.
Carbon dioxide emissions have more than doubled since 1960 and are far in
excess of the planet's natural ability to reabsorb them. Wood and paper
consumption has increased by two-thirds worldwide.
Jonathan Loh, one of the authors of the report by the WWF, said: "These
figures are a stark indication of the deteriorating health of natural
ecosystems. Most concerning of all is the decline of freshwater lakes,
rivers and wetlands. These are among the most productive and diverse
environments in the world, but until now they have received far less
attention than either forests or oceans."
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* ENRIQUE CHACON ARIAS
* Education Policy Studies, U of A
http://www.ualberta.ca/~echacon/Wepa.htm
* [EMAIL PROTECTED]
* Edmonton, AB CANADA
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