next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects
Hiya Sust-mar'ars, Here's a dose of reality to add to our evening newscasts. >>Posted by the SCC National Office: >> News Release >> >>412-1 rue Nicholas St., Ottawa, Ontario K1N 7B7 Tel: (613) 241-4611 >>Fax: (613) 241-2292 e-mail: sierra@web.net >> >>For Immediate release >>Was Hurricane Mitch a Natural Disaster? >> >>(Ottawa, November 6, 1998) The Salvadoran Centre For Appropriate Technology >>(CESTA) has declared Hurricane Mitch an unnatural disaster. Dr. Ricardo >>Navarro, the president of the Salvadoran Centre for Appropriate Technology, >>said today that he believes hurricane Mitch is a result of human fossil >>fuel emissions and deforestation. >> >>The winner of the International Goldman Award for the Environment said, >>"Why should we be surprised. We have changed the global climate. We >>predicted an increase in global climatic disasters, and now we are >>confronted with the human and environmental consequences. Unfortunately, we >>are paying a very high price for our actions...death and destruction." >> >>There have always been natural disasters. Hurricanes, floods, drought and >>heat waves. However, in 1990 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate >>Change, an international body of eminent scientists, warned that human >>fossil fuel emissions and deforestation would lead to global climate >>change. As a consequence of a rise in global temperature, they predicted >>an increase in severe climatic events. >> >>Hurricane Mitch could be a symptom of these changing times. The nine >>hottest years on record have been in the last 15 years. The hottest year on >>record could be 1998, the hottest global month on record was recorded this >>past July and the hottest temperature on the planet was recorded this year >>in India at an astounding 52 degrees Celsius. But global climate change is >>not about just heat, scientists predicted many years ago that the result >>would be increased intensity and frequency of droughts, forest fire hazards >>and storm activity. Hurricane Mitch marks the fourth hurricane in the >>region this year and follows on the heels of Hurricane Hugo only a few >>weeks ago. >> >>"The climate catastrophes we are seeing around the globe are occurring >>because the First world is driving cars, the world's forests are >>disappearing and we are not addressing the root causes of this problem in >>either the North or the South", Dr. Navarro. >> >>The Salvadoran Centre for Appropriate Technology seeks to find solutions to >>our current environmental and social problems through appropriate >>technology. >> >>Dr. Ricardo Navarro is an internationally recognized environmental activist >>and a recipient of the prestigious Goldman Environmental Award and a winner >>of the Global 500 Award. He is the president of the Salvadoran Centre For >>Appropriate Technology (CESTA) and the international representative for El >>Salvador of Friends of the Earth. >> >> He is currently in Ottawa as a guest speaker of the Canadian International >>Development Agency. CESTA is one of the largest environmental >>organizations in Latin America with programs in appropriate technology, >>environmental law, ecological awareness and social rehabilitation. CESTA >>was recognized in Canada through the Canadian Council for International >>Cooperation Peace building award for their ground breaking work with >>environmental and social reconciliation. Dr. Ricardo speaks fluent >>English, Spanish, French and some German. >> >>Dr. Navarro released a statement this morning in Latin America and in >>Argentina regarding Hurricane Mitch. He is currently working with the >>assistance of the Sierra Club of Canada to draw the links between the >>current disaster of Hurricane Mitch and global climate change. His recent >>statements coincide with the international discussions on climate change >>(COPS 4) underway in Buenos Aires. >> >>He attended a federal consultation yesterday on Canada's humanitarian >>response to the disaster in Central America. Dr. Navarro is available for >>interviews at the offices of the Sierra Club of Canada this afternoon and >>is available this evening. He is leaving to go back to his country >>tomorrow in response to the disaster. >> >>- 30 - >> >>For more information: John Bennett, Sierra Club of Canada, (613) 241-4611 Wilderness needs no defense. Only more defenders." -- Edward Abbey
next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects