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Potrivit RNP, in toamna acestui an se vor planta circa 20 de hectare cu specii de foioase, iar restul suprafetei, in primavara anului 2005, cu puieti de rasinoase, specii pentru care se recomanda ca plantarea sa se faca in acest sezon.

RNP a luat masura de regenerare a fondului forestier in aceasta zona, in urma viiturilor provocate de ploile abundente cazute in aceasta vara in raza judetului Bacau, care au afectat numeroase locuinte. Una dintre cauzele producerii acestor fenomene a fost defrisarea abuziva a padurilor private de pe Valea Trotusului.

Tighter rules on insulating houses to save energy will also be introduced, a step that could help to cut 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, said Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin at a climate presentation on Monday.

Villepin said France would also back moves to curb greenhouse gas emissions beyond 2008-2012, the first period covered by the international Kyoto Protocol on climate change.

"We will continue our efforts to convince all industrialized countries and the large emerging countries to join us," Villepin said.

His comments came as officials from 150 countries prepare to meet in Montreal, Canada on November 28 for a UN climate change summit to help shape the Kyoto Protocol post 2012.

The United States and Australia have declined to ratify the pact, and developing nations, such as China and India, are exempt from emissions caps that all four countries say threaten economic growth.

France aims to boost the use of renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, to 21 percent of electricity output by 2010 from 15 percent now as part of its bid to curb emissions.

"Beyond this protocol, we wish to enter new engagements on CO2 emissions," Villepin said. The government said it planned to boost solar power producers by paying them substantially more for the electricity they produce.

Tariffs for supplies to homeowners would rise 50 percent next year, with prices for supply to businesses rising 100 percent, the government said.

At the same time tax credits for buying solar-fired heaters would be raised by 10 percentage points to 50 percent in 2006.

As private cars account for 60 percent of carbon dioxide emissions, a new law will make it obligatory to label new cars according to emissions by June 2006, the government said.

Precum informeaza agentia INFOTAG, el a mentionat ca deseurile de la sistemul de canalizare orasenesc se scurg direct in Nistru, din care sint alimentati cu apa chisinauenii.

"Zilnic, in riu nimeresc 2040 de tone de deseuri care nu trec prin instalatiile de epurare. Aceasta problema trebuie sa fie solutionata de conducerea tarii, care nu intreprinde nimic pentru a-i proteja pe chisinaueni impotriva eventualelor boli si riscului de a ramine fara apa", considera Urechean. El a recunoscut ca si instalatiile de epurare din capitala au nevoie de reconstructie. Echipamentul este uzat in proportie de 90%, unitatile sint exploatate la jumatate de capacitate.

Constantin Becciev, directorul intreprinderii "Apa-canal", a relevat ca in anul 2004 pentru reparatia instalatiilor de epurare s-au investit 12 mln. de lei, insa aceasta este insuficient.

"Noi am incheiat, practic, reparatia aerotancului, care a iesit din functiune. "Apa-canal" cauta eventuale cai de solutionare a problemei. Acum citiva ani, la Iasi, situatia in ceea ce priveste instalatiile de epurare era cu mult mai proasta decit este astazi la Chisinau. insa orasul a reusit sa gaseasca investitii de 60 mln. de euro si sa reconstruiasca sistemul", a spus Becciev.

INFOTAG precizeaza: Instalatiile de epurare din Chisinau au fost construite in anii 1968-1984. Mirosul specific raspindit in oras se datoreaza tehnologiei invechite de tratare a deseurilor, care sint aruncate pe un teren de 32 ha si se usuca acolo pentru a fi tratate ulterior.

In primele sase luni ale acestui an au mai fost realizate lucrari de regenerare pe alte 14.515 hectare (din care pe 8.108 hectare au fost impaduriri). Pentru a sustine acest program de impaduriri, in pepinierele Romsilva au fost produsi peste 88 de milioane de puieti forestieri (28,7 milioane puieti de rasinoase si 59,6 milioane puieti de foioase). Din acest total, in campania de impaduriri de toamna vor fi plantati 25 de milioane de puieti.
Potrivit directorului general al Romsilva, Ion Dumitru, cea mai mare parte din terenurile care vor fi impadurite in aceasta toamna sunt suprafete degradate, care nu mai pot fi utilizate in agricultura sau care au potential agricol redus. Astfel, impaduririle care vor fi realizate pe 1.600 de hectare reprezinta lucrari de ameliorare a unor terenuri degradate preluate in fondul forestier proprietate publica a statului. Cea mai mare parte a lucrarilor de impadurire vizeaza directiile silvice din sudul Romaniei (Braila, Calarasi, Craiova, Constanta, Galati, Giurgiu, Slatina, Slobozia si Tulcea). De asemenea, Romsilva va finaliza pana la sfarsitul acestui an impadurirea a 5.000 de hectare din cele 6.500 care fac obiectul contractului de vanzare-cumparare a emisiilor de dioxid de carbon incheiat cu Banca Internationala pentru Reconstructie si Dezvoltare. Cele mai multe lucrari pe suprafetele care fac obiectul contractului se vor desfasura in aceasta toamna pe raza directiilor silvice Craiova, Slatina, Braila si Tulcea, pe aproximativ 981 hectare. Romsilva a anuntat ca este posibila depasirea suprafetei programate pentru sfarsitul anului de 5.000 de hectare cu aproximativ 108 hectare.
In aceste zile Romsilva a mai demarat un important program de impadurire a unor suprafete de teren proprietate privata, prin furnizarea (in toamna si primavara viitoare) a peste 22 milioane de puieti. Din acest volum, 12,1 milioane puieti vor fi pusi la dispozitia solicitantilor chiar in aceasta toamna, urmand sa fie plantate 2.470 hectare. RNP a demarat simbolic acest program prin inceperea impaduririi cu cer si salcam a unei suprafete de 19 hectare de teren proprietate privata din comuna Slobozia, judetul Giurgiu. In cazul in care nu ar fi beneficiat de sprijinul RNP, proprietarul terenului ar fi trebuit sa cheltuiasca aproximativ 200 milioane lei pentru a-l impaduri.

The draft bill on Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH) is scheduled for a vote in the European Parliament on Thursday after years of haggling and debate.

REACH is designed to protect people from the adverse effects of chemicals found in a wide range of products such as paint, detergents, cars and computers.

In the drive to get approval in the EU legislature, key political groups agreed last week on changes to reduce the number of substances in the low-tonnage category that would require tests.

"The Commission decided in favour of this compromise," Industry Commissioner Guenter Verheugen told lawmakers.

"We think that this compromise strikes a very good balance between the competitiveness, health and environment goals."

Environmentalists said the compromise went too far in accommodating industry’s demands and weakened the bill.

Support from the EU’s executive Commission, the original author of the bill with powers to accept or reject amendments, is crucial for REACH to move on in the EU legislative process.

The low-tonnage category applies to chemicals that are produced or imported in amounts of between 1 and 10 tonnes a year, estimated to be between 17,500 and 20,000 substances.

The package is expected to get broad support in a vote scheduled for Thursday despite dissent from the Greens party, which tabled a counter proposal.

Chemical makers would have to register the properties of substances with a central EU database. Those of highest concern, such as carcinogens, would require authorisation to be used.

CLOSER TO BECOMING LAW

The council of EU member states is debating its own version of REACH. Germany, which has Europe’s largest chemical industry, succeeded in delaying a decision among member states scheduled for later this month, but Britain still plans to obtain a deal before its presidency concludes at the end of 2005.

"We recognise we are very close to a deal and we still intend to achieve political agreement before the end of the UK presidency," Willy Bach, a minister in Britain’s Department of Environment, told lawmakers.

Verheugen said he hoped the outcome in parliament would spur member states to complete their position this year, too.

"I hope that this package will encourage the Council to adopt REACH still this year," he said, adding he thought there was a good chance it would be wrapped up by the end of 2005.

There are still outstanding issues, however. No agreement has been reached among lawmakers on the issue of mandatory substitution for hazardous chemicals, and the amount of animal testing required by REACH remains a divisive subject.

Environmental group Greenpeace said the compromise had diluted the bill.

"We are quite disappointed that the Commission is willing to water down and accept a watered down version of its proposal that will not give sufficient safety data on most chemicals covered by REACH," said Greenpeace policy officer Nadia Haiama.

She said she welcomed, however, signals that the Commission would support amendments that would require substituti?n of hazardous chemicals if alternatives exist.

Verheugen told lawmakers he did not feel REACH had been weakened or watered down.

"O eventuala poluare cu cianuri provocata de punerea in practica a proiectului de exploatare a aurului de la Rosia Montana – asemanatoare cu cea de acum cativa ani de pe Tisa – ar afecta, in afara de Romania, si Ungaria" se afirma in comunicatul remis MTI de catre ombudsmanul ungar.

Referindu-se la initiativele si actiunile de pana acum ale autoritatilor ungare, Barnabas Lenkovics gaseste necesar ca, bazandu-se pe normele de drept international, guvernul ungar – respectiv Ministerul Mediului – sa se adreseze decis guvernelor Romaniei, Canadei si Statelor Unite precum si forurilor Uniunii Europene si ONU "pentru a apara interesele de mediu ale Ungariei si ale zonei".

In acelasi timp, Lenkovics a precizat ca a cerut informatii privind evolutia cazului Rosia Montana de la ombudsmanul roman Ioan Moraru si si-a oferit colaborarea privind "inlaturarea pericolului comun care ameninta cele doua tari".

Vineri, mai multe zeci de persoane au participat la Szeged la o actiune de protest organizata de FIDESz – Partidul Civic Ungar – principala forta politica de opozitie – impotriva proiectului exploatarii aurifere de la Rosia Montana. Demonstrantii au cerut guvernului ungar sa actioneze mai hotarat impotriva realizarii proiectului.

In cadrul strategiei de aparare impotriva calamitatilor, Guvernul Romaniei a obtinut sprijinul Bancii Mondiale pentru finantarea proiectului mentionat in scopul reducerii impactului pe plan social, financiar, economic si asupra mediului pe care l-ar putea avea producerea unor eventuale calamitati naturale si poluarea accidentala a apelor, generata de activitati miniere.

Costul total al proiectului este de 203, 657 milioane dolari SUA si va fi finantat dupa cum urmeaza: imprumut BIRD-150 mil. USD, asistenta financiara nerambursabila FGM – 7 mil. USD si Guvernul Romaniei ? finantare de la bugetul de stat 46,657 mil. USD.

France is the world’s largest winemaker, producing 5.8 billion litres (1.276 billion Imp gallons) in 2004, according to Onivins, the country’s state-run wine body.

Grape-based alcohol would have to be distilled before being dehydrated and turned into pure alcohol ready to be added to conventional fuel.

"We are now starting to look into it, but it is mainly the economics of such a green fuel that we are studying," Eric Bontemps, head of research at the cooperative wine institute ICV, told Reuters.

The alcohol yield from grapes was seven times lower than for sugar beet, Bontemps noted.

France produces 200,000 tonnes of ethanol a year, the third largest European output after Spain and Poland, largely from sugar beet or cereals.

"With an annual output surplus of 400 million litres, we could produce 40 million litres of alcohol to be potentially used in biofuels," Bontemps said.

"But with some research I think we should be able to increase the amount of alcohol which vines can produce, through distilling techniques for example," he added. "It could be worthwhile for struggling wine makers to do that as an additional income," Bontemps said.

Roland Courteau, Senator for the southwest region of Aude and a champion of the wine industry, last week urged France’s Agriculture Minister Dominique Bussereau to help the wine industry diversify.

"Regarding the use of wine surplus in biofuels, I consider this is a good idea," Bussereau said, adding that wine marc and dregs were already used to produce ethanol. Courteau said the minister agreed to set up a working group from December to study yields and types of vines. Other countries were making similar research, he added.

STRUGGLING WINE MAKERS

"French wine growers have been in a deep crisis over the last five years when consumption in France stabilised and exports started to drop," a spokeswoman at Onivins said.

Consumption in France averages 3.5 billion litres, exports 1.5 billion litres and around 0.4 billion litres are distilled to produce brandy, she said, adding that France did not have outlets for more than 5.5 billion litres.

"And because the 2004 harvest was at 5.8 billion litres we now have a stock of 4 billion litres which is a level we had never reached in the last 10 years.

"This year we had to distill 150 million litres including Bordeaux and Cotes du Rhone wines to lighten the market," she added.

Bontemps said the sector had to react. "There is no reason why sales should increase so we have to find other solutions."

Courteau said the crisis was such that vintners were contemplating ripping out vines, but he did not ?ant to see vineyards turned into wasteland.

"Also we can’t exclude the possibility that young wine producers may commit acts out of total despair because of the money they have borrowed for their businesses," he added.

Echipa de experti care a elaborat raportul precizeaza ca, desi a obtinut din partea ucrainei o mare parte a informatiilor solicitate, exista neclarit?ti care au impiedicat-o sa inteleaga motivele Ucrainei in promovarea unor decizii. De asemenea, echipa de experti isi exprima regretul fata de faptul ca Ucraina a inceput dialogul cu reprezentantii comunitatii internationale doar cand prima etapa a proiectului Bastroe s-a apropiat de final.
Mai mult, Ucraina a desfasurat deja lucrari care in proiectul initial erau programate pentru cea de-a doua faza, adica pentru anul viitor.
A fost adancita deja zona de la intrarea in canalul Bastroe pan? la opt metri si jumatate.

Protectia Deltei Dunarii

+n ce prive¦te partea a doua a proiectului, expertii recomanda ca aceasta sa se desfasoare doar dupa ce vor exista dovezi clare ca nu afecteaza zona Deltei Dunarii.
Aceasta etapa include extinderea malurilor si drenaje pe bratul Chilia al Dunarii. Expertii spun ca acestea nu ar trebui sa inceapa imediat, ci dupa o perioada de un an in care sa fie monitorizate efectele ecologice ale lucrarilor desfasurate pana acum. Potrivit raportului, Ucraina ar fi admis ca exista efecte de mediu ale amenajarilor de la Bastroe. De altfel, este prezentata o estimare a autoritatilor ucrainiene cu privire la compensatiile financiare pentru "daune ireparabile ale mediului natural."
Partea ucraineana mentioneaza poluarea apei si a aerului sau distrugerea unor locuri de reproducere si hibernare. In ce priveste aspectul economic al amenajarii canalului, raportul recunoaste dreptul Ucrainei de a dezvolta regiunea, dar precizeaza ca amenajarea canalului nu este suficienta pentru a duce la crestere economica.
Expertii sugereaza ca valoarea ecosistemului dunarean ar trebui privita ca un intreg si, in consecinta, Bastroe ar trebui sa faca parte dintr-o strategie mai larga.