The Environment Chronicle

The Advisory Scientific Council (SRU) is constituted by a government decree under the first environmental programme, to provide scientific advice for the government. Its brief is to present and evaluate the environmental and relevant political trends and situation in Germany, as well as to point out policy failures and potential remedies. It publishes a biannual report, and may also publish further reports and expert opinions on specific issues, if this is considered necessary by the council or requested by the environment minister.

Greenpeace protests against US government atomic tests in the ship "Phyllis". The test continues, but provokes public anger, with demonstrations, strikes and threatened boycotts in Canada and the USA. 4 months later, the US Atomic Energy Commission announces the abandonment of the test series.

The German government's first environmental programme includes support for green technological advances, research and training, and an international approach to environmental problems. An Advisory Scientific Council (the SRU) is also set up.

To protect the public from danger, substantial disadvantage and significant harm from aircraft noise in the vicinity of airports, noise abatement zones are defined.

FoEI is an umbrella organisation for 57 national NGOs. The German NGO is BUND. The group's goals are the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. It concentrates on tropical rain forests, the oceans and climate change.

In November 1971, at the request of the European Confederation of Agriculture, FAO'S member governments supported the annual observance of 21 March as World Forestry Day. Since then many nations have adopted this practice.

Bird of the Year 1971 is the Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus).

Bird of the Year is organised by Naturschutzbund Deutschland; Herbert-Raius-Str. 26; D-53225 Bonn; Tel.: +49 228 975610; Fax: +49 228 9756190

The convention concentrates on the bird and other species whose habitat is wetland. It also supports conservation and sustainable development or use of the areas. It is legally binding in civil law.

Greenpeace has c. 2.9 million members worldwide. Its goals are conserving biodiversity and preventing pollution and climate change. It organises campaigns on climate, overfishing, trawler fishing, commercial whaling and marine pollution, as well as protection and sustainable use of tropical rain forests.

The "Wafra" loses 40,000 t oil off the coast of South Africa.

Discovery that nitrogen oxides can deplete the stratospheric ozone layer, thereby exposing the Earth's surface to excessive ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

The reserves were identified as such in the UNESCO programme "Man and Biospheres" (MAB). The key goal is to create a global network of reserves for the conservation and sustainable use of the natural world in large representative sections of natural and cultivated landscapes. Another aim is to explore the relationship between humans and the environment, monitor the environment and raise public awareness.

The first Red List of Threatened Breeding Birds of Germany was published in 1971.

The act aims to safeguard public health by limiting the number of lead and other metal substitute compounds in fuels for Otto engines. Where public health is not at issue, supply interruptions, competitive distortions and fuel performance loss should be avoided.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or sometimes USEPA) is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress. The EPA was proposed by President Richard Nixon and began operation on December 2, 1970.

Responding to widespread environmental degradation, Gaylord Nelson, a United States Senator from Wisconsin and an environmental activist, called for a national day to celebrate the earth, to be held on April 22, 1970. The first Earth Day had 20 million participants and celebrants across the United States. Earth Day is now observed each year on April 22 by more than 500 million people and national governments in 170 countries.

The tanker Othello releases between 60.000 and 100.000 tons of fuel after a collision in bay of Tralhavet , Sweden.

In 1970 the Council of Europe launched European Conservation Year.

The European Declaration on Nature Conservation is passed at the conference.

The first international environmental authority, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Washington, is run by an administrator with cabinet rank, although without the status of a minister.

Bleach is accidentally added to a rail truck carrying hydrochloric acid, creating a large cloud of chlorine gas. There are 67 casualties, some with serious respiratory problems.