WORLD CARFREE NEWS >>>=20
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Edition no. 3 - December 2003 - English version
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Contents:
IN BRIEF
WORLD NEWS
- ALL EYES ON RUSSIA AT THE U.N. CLIMATE CONFERENCE
- THERE'S NO DOUBT GLOBAL WARMING IS REAL, SAY U.S.=20
EXPERTS
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
- THE KYOTO CLIMATE CHANGE TREATY: MILESTONE OR=20
MILLSTONE, LONDON DEC. 9
WORLD CARFREE NETWORK ANNOUNCEMENTS
- TOWARDS CARFREE CITIES IV - JULY 12-17, BERLIN
- TO ALL CYCLISTS: ECOTOPIA BIKETOUR 2004
- REGISTER IN OUR WORLDWIDE CONTACT DIRECTORY=20
TODAY!
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IN BRIEF >>=20
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- Air pollution caused by traffic may be a cause of lung cancer,=20
according to a study published in Thorax, a specialist British journal.=20
Norwegian Institute of Public Health doctors poring over the health=20
background and environmental data of 16,200 men in the Oslo area=20
said they found a statistical link between cancer of the lung and=20
higher concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (CO2).
- "George Bush will go down in history as America's worst=20
environmental president. In a ferocious three-year attack, the Bush=20
administration has initiated more than 200 major rollbacks of=20
America's environmental laws, weakening the protection of our=20
country's air, water, public lands and wildlife.=20
The Bush attack was not entirely unexpected. George Bush had the=20
grimmest environmental record of any governor during his tenure in=20
Texas. Texas became No 1 in air and water pollution and in the=20
release of toxic chemicals. In his six years in Austin, Bush=20
championed a short-term pollution-based prosperity, which enriched=20
his political contributors and corporate cronies by lowering the quality=20
of life for everyone else. Now President Bush is set to do the same to=20
America. After three years, his policies are already bearing fruit." =20
- Robert F Kennedy Jr, in independent.co.uk
- Bertrand Piccard, pilot of the first balloon to fly nonstop around the=20
world, announced that he has a new goal: to complete the same=20
exploit in a solar-powered plane, adding that the accomplishment=20
would bring him close to the myth of perpetual flight, using no fuel=20
and emitting no pollution.
"We hope to change the mentality of those who too often ignore the=20
difficult questions of our future energy needs," Piccard said, adding=20
that the project aims to increase public interest in sustainable=20
development and renewable resources.
- It's called the Segway Human Transporter, but the Pentagon is=20
drafting the two-wheeled scooter as part of a plan to develop=20
battlefield robots. Researchers say potential applications for the=20
robots include performing search missions on the battlefield,=20
transporting injured soldiers to safety, or following humans around=20
while hauling their gear. So far, university researchers armed with=20
Pentagon funding have programmed Segway robots that can open=20
doors, avoid obstacles, and chase soccer balls.=20
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WORLD NEWS >>=20
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ALL EYES ON RUSSIA AT THE U.N. CLIMATE CONFERENCE
MILAN (AP, Dec. 5) - The head of the U.N. climate change=20
conference insisted Thursday that Russia hadn't said its final word on=20
the Kyoto Protocol, holding out hope that Moscow will ratify the pact=20
to curb global warming.
"There are no decisions about ratification apart from the fact that=20
we are moving toward ratification," said Mukhamed Tsikhanov,=20
deputy economy minister responsible for Kyoto. Tuesday, Andrei=20
Illarionov, a top Kremlin economic adviser, said Russia would not=20
approve the pact in its current form.=20
Russia has become critical to the survival of the Kyoto Protocol=20
since the Bush administration withdrew the United States, the world's=20
most polluting country, from the accord in 2001 by saying that the=20
cuts would unfairly harm the U.S. economy.=20
Kyoto Protocol needs to be approved by countries accounting for=20
55 percent of emissions by developed countries to enter into force.=20
Ratifications have so far reached 44 percent and cannot reach the=20
target for approval without Russia's 17 percent or the U.S.'s 36=20
percent.
The Kyoto Treaty, negotiated in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan, sets a 2012=20
target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 8 percent below 1990=20
levels. Greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide from burning=20
fossil fuels, trap the Sun's heat and are held responsible for global=20
warming.
THERE'S NO DOUBT GLOBAL WARMING IS REAL, SAY U.S.=20
EXPERTS
WASHINGTON (Reuters, Dec. 4) - There can be no doubt that global=20
warming is real and is being caused by people, two top U.S.=20
government climate experts said. Industrial emissions are a leading=20
cause contradicting critics, already in the minority, who argue that=20
climate change could be caused by mostly natural forces.
"There is no doubt that the composition of the atmosphere is=20
changing because of human activities, and today greenhouse gases=20
are the largest human influence on global climate," wrote Thomas=20
Karl, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric=20
Administration's National Climatic Data Center, and Kevin Trenberth,=20
head of the Climate Analysis Section at the National Center for=20
Atmospheric Research.K
Karl and Trenberth estimate that between 1990 and 2100 there is a=20
90 percent probability that average global temperatures will rise by=20
between 3.1 and 8.9 degrees Fahrenheit because of human=20
influences on climate. Such dramatic warming will further melt=20
already crumbling glaciers, inundating coastal areas. Many other=20
groups have already shown that ice in Greenland, the Arctic, and=20
Antarctica is melting quickly.
Karl and Trenberth noted that carbon dioxide levels in the=20
atmosphere have risen by 31 percent since preindustrial times.=20
Carbon dioxide is the No. 1 greenhouse gas, causing warming=20
temperatures by trapping the Sun's energy in the atmosphere.
"Given what has happened to date and is projected in the future,=20
significant further climate change is guaranteed," they wrote.
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GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS >>=20
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THE KYOTO CLIMATE CHANGE TREATY: MILESTONE OR=20
MILLSTONE, LONDON DEC. 9
As governments, corporations, lobbyists and NGO's meet in Milan for=20
the COP9 climate talks, cut your carbon emissions and protest in=20
London. Join with the many protesters who have also gathered in=20
Milan to say 'no' to the UN's Kyoto charade, and 'yes' to 60-90% cuts=20
in CO2 emissions and social justice.
Meet at the UN info centre, Millbank Tower, 21 - 24 Millbank, London=20
SW1 on Wednesday 9 December 2003, midday - 2pm.
Come along on the day or get in touch if you can help out with prop,=20
banner or leaflet-making, or if you'd like to be part of the street=20
theatre. Your help would really be appreciated!=20
For more information contact London Rising Tide=20
london@???
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WORLD CARFREE NETWORK ANNOUNCEMENTS >>=20
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TOWARDS CARFREE CITIES IV - JULY 12-17, BERLIN
Towards Car-Free Cities IV will bring together people from across=20
Europe and beyond who are promoting practical alternatives to car=20
dependence - walking, cycling and public transport, and ultimately the=20
transformation of cities, towns and villages into human-scaled,=20
pedestrian environments rich in public space and community life. The=20
focus will be on strategy, collaboration and exchange, assisting the=20
practical work of conference participants - whether it be organising=20
car-free days or building the carfree cities of the future.
The conference is being organised by World Carfree Network in=20
partnership with BUND (Friends of the Earth Germany), Green City,=20
Autofrei Wohnen, Autofrei Leben!, ITDP Europe and UMKEHR.
Mark your calendars now: July 12-17, 2004. But be warned: The=20
conference may be moved back a week, to July 19-24, so that Berlin=20
Technical University facilities will be available. Registration fees will=20
be known in January, but you can already pre-register. Pre-
registration and further information is available at=20
www.worldcarfree.net/conference. Please contact=20
info@??? if you're interested in making a presentation or=20
assisting the organizing effort in any way.
=20
TO ALL CYCLISTS!
Ecotopia Biketour 2004 is currently being organized at the World=20
Carfree Network office for European Youth For Action!
We will cycle with a group of approximately 50 cyclists, maybe you=20
included, first from Vienna to Prague. In Berlin we will visit the=20
Towards Carfree Cities IV conference (12-17th of July), then ride=20
through Hamburg and Amsterdam to our ending point Gorkum in the=20
centre of the Netherlands. There we will find Ecotopia, our eco-dream=20
village. (
www.eyfa.org/gatherings). The whole journey will last 1-31=20
July but you can join and leave the Biketour whenever you like.
Along the route we will be working and living together as an Eco=20
Mobile Community. We will be buying food from local farmers=20
(hopefully organic) and local stores, which we will prepare ourselves=20
in our mobile kitchen. All meals will be vegetarian, possibly vegan=20
fare. We will be thinking about: Reducing - Reusing and Recycling=20
our waste!
Accommodation during the tour will be organized in gyms,=20
clubhouses, NGOs and camping. Actions and events will be=20
organized by our NGO hosts including workshops, discussion groups,=20
demonstrations, Critical Mass, skill-sharing and more. Our main aims=20
are promoting cycling as an alternative and sustainable means of=20
transport and strengthening the ties between NGOs across Europe.
Volunteers: Needed
Info:
www.thebiketour.net Join the listserve, get updates
Contact: KuijperRoeland@???
REGISTER IN OUR WORLDWIDE CONTACT DIRECTORY=20
TODAY!
For a year, we have been operating our contact directory of=20
organisations around the world working on transport and related=20
issues. It is a fully searchable database accessible from=20
www.carbusters.org/directory and
www.worldcarfree.net/directory.=20
There are now over 300 groups listed, but it is not yet nearly=20
comprehensive enough. (For example, there is only one group listed=20
in Oregon, and in Romania.) So please register your group now! It=20
only takes a few minutes to fill out the on-line registration form. The=20
system is spam-proof, so you don't have to worry about getting=20
unwanted e-mail.
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"La bicicletta =E8 il veicolo pi=F9 rapido nella via della delinquenza;=
perch=E8
la passione del pedale trascina al furto, alla truffa, alla grassazione!"
-Cesare Lombroso-
