The Environment Chronicle

In 1994, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 17 the "World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought" to promote public awareness and the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa. Ever since, country Parties to the Convention, organizations of the United Nations System, international and non-governmental organizations and other interested stakeholders have celebrated this particular day with a series of outreach activities worldwide.

The International Whaling Commission erects a whale sanctuary covering the entire offshore waters of the Antarctic.

The UNFCC is first ratified by c. 50 states, by Mai 1997 by 166. The convention's goal is to stabilise the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at a level which prevent dangerous destruction of our climate system.

On 13 March 1994 the oil tanker Nassia and the cargo vessel Shipbroker collided in the Bosporus strait. At the time of the accident the Nassia was carrying 98,600 tons of crude oil. Both vessel immediately caught fire. The accident caused extensive marine and air pollution in the Straits, Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara.

The Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats is an international treaty that binds the Parties on the conservation of bats in their territories. The agreement was concluded in September 1991 and entered into force on 16 January 1994, after the required number of five states (Germany, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and UK) had ratified it. The Bat Agreement aims to protect all 45 species of bats identified in Europe, through legislation, education, conservation measures and international co-operation with Agreement members and with those who have not yet joined.

Bird of the Year 1994 is the White Stork (Ciconia ciconia).

Fungus of the Year 1994 is the Orange Oak Bolete (Leccinum quercinum).

The WHO presents a comprehensive report "Concern for Europe's Tomorrow" at the Helsinki Conference. A European plan of action "Environment and Health for Europe" is adopted on the basis of the report. National action plans are to implement it, coordinated by the new "European Environment and Health Committee"

The third conference expands its scope to include development as well as population. The dilemma here is the conflict between the benefits of industrialisation (which improves the lot of women, and thereby reduces birth rates) and the expected negative environmental impact.

Fungus of the Year is organised by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Mykologie; Bert-Brecht-Str. 18; D-85378 Eching; Tel.: +49 89 3193461; Fax: +49 89 3192257

Orchid of the Year: Fen orchid (Liparis loeselii)

Biotope of the Year: Roadside verges

Tree of the Year 1994 ist the Yew (Taxus baccata).

Flower of the Year 1994 is the Western Marsh orchid (Dactylorhiza majalis).

Fish of the Year: Common nase

The agency was established by an EU directive in 1990. It has 18 member states (including the 15 EU states). It collects, processes and provides information and statistics on the environment and nature conservation for the public and policy makers, and develops new instruments for implementing policy. In Germany, the agency's offices are at the Federal Environmental Agency.

Animal of the Year: Red deer (Cervus elaphus)

The ITTA's core aims are sustainable use and marketing of tropical timber, cooperation in management and technology transfer, and reclaiming degraded tropical forests. It is legally binding in civil law.

§1 The purpose of this Act is to ensure free access to the information on the environment possessed by authorities and the distribution of this information, as well as to lay down the fundamental prerequisites according to which information of this nature is to be made available.

The Voluntary Environmental Year provides an opportunity for personal development with an emphasis on environmental awareness. Full-time voluntary work is available at suitable institutions and other bodies concerned with conservation and the environment. The act was last amended on 24.3.1997

On 8 December 1993 the French-flag container ship Sherbro lost a number of containers overboard in the English Channel. As a result, hundreds of thousands of plastic sachets containing the pesticide Apron plus entered the sea and were subsequently washed up on the coasts of France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.

Greenpeace documents show that Russia has repeatedly broken the Moratorium on dumping atomic waste at sea, in force since 1983.

On August 10, 1993, a freighter and two tug-assisted barges collided near the entrance of Tampa Bay, Florida. The collision resulted in a fire on one of the barges and caused a major oil spill. Over 32,000 gallons of jet fuel, diesel, and gasoline and about 330,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil spilled from the barges. Despite emergency cleanup efforts, the oil fouled 13 miles of beaches and caused injury to birds, sea turtles, mangrove habitat, seagrasses, salt marshes, shellfish beds, water column resources and bottom sediments.

Within the portfolio of the Environmental Minister, an independent Federal Nature Protection Agency shall be set up.

Within the portfolio of the Environmental Minister, an independent Federal Nature Protection Agency shall be set up.

In 1993 BfS and UBA established SR monitoring with 4 stations. In the following years the network has been extended on a national level in cooperation with DWD and further institutions.

The EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) is a management tool for companies and other organisations to evaluate, report and improve their environmental performance. The scheme has been available for participation by companies since 1995 (Council Regulation (EEC) No 1836/93 of 29 June 1993) and was originally restricted to companies in industrial sectors.

Despite a ban, Norway still intends to harpoon whales. Greenpeace calls for a boycott of Norwegian products. Companies cancel contracts worth $45 million - many times the revenue from whaling.

The international observance of World Water Day is an initiative that grew out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro. The United Nations General Assembly designated 22 March of each year as the World Day for Water by adopting a resolution. This world day for water was to be observed starting in 1993, in conformity with the recommendations of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development contained in chapter 18 (Fresh Water Resources) of Agenda 21. States were invited to devote the Day to implement the UN recommendations and set up concrete activities as deemed appropriate in the national context. Also a number of NGOs have used World Day for Water as a time to focus public attention on the critical water issues.

Greenpeace returns toxic waste from Rumania to Germany. To save face, the German government then recalls 425 t of German-produced pesticide waste.

The Danish supertanker "Maersk Navigator" is rammed off the coast of Sumatra and loses an unknown amount of oil.

The Braer suffers mechanical problems and is driven towards the Shetland Islands, where it breaks up, spilling c. 85,000 t crude oil into the sea.

Biotope of the Year: Copses (predominantly on arable land)

The FEA's plans provide for the first time for placing sustainability at the heart of domestic financial policy, using fiscal instruments.

The European Union starts its fifth Environmental Action Programme. Its goals include supporting eco-labels, reducing fuel consumption (and pollutant emissions), transport, developing rural areas and supporting responsible tourism.

Flower of the Year 1993 is the Snake's Head (Fritillaria meleagris).

Tree of the Year 1993 is the Service tree (Sorbus domestica).

The surrounding area is seriously contaminated by an o-nitroanisole mixture. Irritation of the eyes, nose and skin, as well as digestive system, suffered by at least 192, doctors report increased incidence of allergies and infections in the affected area.

Since 1993 NABU has been awarding the ‘Dinosaur of the Year’ award, a copy of a dinosaur cast from tin and weighing 2.6 kilograms, to people in the public eye whose outstanding individual achievements have been shown to be particularly outdated.

The commission was set up under a decision at the 1992 UN Conference on the Environment and Development. It has 53 members, including Germany, and its goals are to implement Agenda 21 and support the Convention on Biodiversity. Agenda 21 agrees and defines long-term strategic goals for sustainable development.