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European Union &. Environment. Introduction. Optimistic Outlook -> Emissions of toxic substances declined -> Dangerous pesticides and chemicals – banned or restricted -> Rates of recycling are up -> Environment in EU - protection Only a few problems solved
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European Union& Environment
Introduction Optimistic Outlook -> Emissions of toxic substances declined -> Dangerous pesticides and chemicals – banned or restricted -> Rates of recycling are up -> Environment in EU - protection Only a few problems solved -> Problems of the future – much harder comprehended and brought under control -> Individuals – do not understand the consequences of their actions
Protecting the Water UE Goal – cleaning all waters by the end of 2010 7000 million € - regions with less than 75% average income Portugal – from 60% (1995) to 95% (2005) Ireland – from 20% (1990) to 80% (2005)
Protection of the Life -> Industrial Development – threat -> Biodiversity - decrease -> Natura 2000 program – completed in 2005 -> Protection vs Development -> EU supports environmental projects -> 60 million € - elephant and jungle conservation
Protection of Forests -> 127,8 million ha in EU -> Increase of 10% from 1960 to 1990 -> 1995 – 2000 – 650.000 ha created -> 130.000 ha – rehabilitated -> 50 million € - tropical forests Protection of Air -> Problems : depletion of stratospheric O3, controlling acidification and climate change. -> Greenhouse gas effect -> attempted to be reduce every year -> 60% areas from EU – suffer from acidification -> Balance between rail, road, air and shipping. Protection of other areas
Environment – supported by PHARE and TACIS programmes Countries of SU – environment a priority for TACIS Ten Countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria) -> ratified Europe Agreements Strategy – emphasis of environment in the accession - cooperation - advice -> investment Looking East
Then and Now • While the effect of human activity on the global climate is hotly debated, physical signs of environmental change are all around us. • Some scientists say an increase in the rate of melting of the world's glaciers is evidence of global warming. • Argentina's Upsala Glacier was once the biggest in South America, but it is now disappearing at a rate of 200 meters per year. • Other scientists say its reduction is due to complicated shifts in glacial dynamics and local geology.
Then and Now • Rising tides • Some scientists predict that a warmer climate will trigger more violent storms, which will cause increased rates of coastal erosion. • This is a section of shoreline at Cape Hatteras in North Carolina in the USA, pictured in 1999 and 2004. The southern United States and Caribbean region were battered by a series of powerful hurricanes last year. • Rising sea levels are also expected to speed up coastal erosion.
Then and Now • Vanishing islands • Other parts of the world could face even more drastic change. • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a consortium of several thousand independent scientists, predicts that sea levels could rise by between 9 and 88cm in the next century. • This would threaten low-lying islands such as Tuvalu in the Pacific. These images, taken on the same day this year, show the effects of a higher than usual tide.
Then and Now • No snow • As the climate warms up, mountainous regions may experience lower levels of snowfall. • This image shows Mount Hood in Oregon at the same time in late summer in 1985 and 2002
Then and Now • More pests • Tree-eating wood beetles are likely to benefit from a warmer climate and reproduce in ever-increasing numbers. • These images show damage to White Spruce trees in Alaska caused by the pests.
The Climate Change -Climate change -> big threat -In the last century – temperature increased by 0.6ºC. -In this century – temperature will increase by a further 1.4 to 5.6. -Increased level of the sea -Cause – The ‘greenhouse’ gases -Kyoto Protocol
The Ozone Hole 1985 – A thinning of the ozone layer is discovered: “the O3 Hole” Cause – CFCs used as aerosol propellants and refrigerants Ozone destruction – Greater at the poles 1996 – Scandinavia, Greenland and Siberia -> 45% depletion 1997 – Antarctic hole – 24 Km
The Ozone Layer O3 – small concentration into atmosphere 90% - in Stratosphere – layer between 10 km and 50 km The layer – filters sun ultraviolet Threat – aerosols, volcanic eruptions etc.