PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 4:25 PM by Luigi

WWF Accuses France of Turning a Blind Eye to Bushfires

OCEANIA FLASH/PNS

New Caledonia’s WWF (World Wildlife Fund) office has condemned the French Government for turning a blind eye to the country’s bushfires.

WWF-New Caledonia coordinator Hubert Géraux says it would be ironic for France not to do anything because it will host a world biodiversity summit in Paris this week, “when in New Caledonia the house is on fire”.

Mr Géraux says France had announced a “zero percent loss” target on biodiversity by the year 2010 but has forgotten that “a unique world natural heritage, in New Caledonia, is going up in flames”.

Thousands of hectares of forest had gone up in flames between October and December 2004 after raging bushfires engulfed areas around New Caledonia’s Northern, Eastern and Southern parts of the Grande Terre and suburbs around the capital Nouméa.

Early December 2004, ten of New Caledonia’s major environmental associations and NGOs claimed despite earlier warnings and calls for fire-fighters reinforcements, New Caledonia was burning.

New Caledonia’s top ten associations and NGOs, including the local branch of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said New Caledonia’s natural heritage would be totally destroyed if nothing were done.

The fires have also destroyed a sanctuary for forest-dwelling animal species, including the fruit bat (commonly known as the flying fox) and wild pigeons, the NGOs warned.

“Rivers and streams are also severely affected,” they said. “We call on French authorities to trigger a natural disaster response plan known in France as plan ORSEC (relief organisation plan). This involves the French army being sent to help local fire brigades.”

The organisations also say most of the fires were of criminal origin, not only due to negligence, but also to arsonists.

In November 2004, New Caledonia’s firemen asked French authorities to send reinforcements.
They are suggesting that in order to release the necessary reinforcement, French authorities should first declare New Caledonia a disaster area, which would automatically trigger the procedure but the Nouméa fire brigade union says this is the worst situation they have faced for the past ten year.



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DIVA-GIS	Wednesday, February 09, 2005 Posted 4:25 PM by Luigi WWF Accuses France of Turning a Blind Eye to Bushfires OCEANIA FLASH/PNS New Caledonia’s WWF (World Wildlife Fund) office has condemned the French Government for turning a blind eye to the country’s bushfires. WWF-New Caledonia coordinator Hubert Géraux says it would be ironic for France not to do anything because it will host a world biodiversity summit in Paris this week, “when in New Caledonia the house is on fire”. Mr Géraux says France had announced a “zero percent loss” target on biodiversity by the year 2010 but has forgotten that “a unique world natural heritage, in New Caledonia, is going up in flames”. Thousands of hectares of forest had gone up in flames between October and December 2004 after raging bushfires engulfed areas around New Caledonia’s Northern, Eastern and Southern parts of the Grande Terre and suburbs around the capital Nouméa. Early December 2004, ten of New Caledonia’s major environmental associations and NGOs claimed despite earlier warnings and calls for fire-fighters reinforcements, New Caledonia was burning. New Caledonia’s top ten associations and NGOs, including the local branch of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said New Caledonia’s natural heritage would be totally destroyed if nothing were done. The fires have also destroyed a sanctuary for forest-dwelling animal species, including the fruit bat (commonly known as the flying fox) and wild pigeons, the NGOs warned. “Rivers and streams are also severely affected,” they said. “We call on French authorities to trigger a natural disaster response plan known in France as plan ORSEC (relief organisation plan). This involves the French army being sent to help local fire brigades.” The organisations also say most of the fires were of criminal origin, not only due to negligence, but also to arsonists. In November 2004, New Caledonia’s firemen asked French authorities to send reinforcements. They are suggesting that in order to release the necessary reinforcement, French authorities should first declare New Caledonia a disaster area, which would automatically trigger the procedure but the Nouméa fire brigade union says this is the worst situation they have faced for the past ten year. * Comments: Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. 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