🚀 go-pugleaf

Kohl slammed over environmental record
ENDS Daily - 16/09/98
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The environmental record of Germany's centre-right
CDU/CSU government has been sharply criticised by the
country's environmental movement less than two weeks
before national elections.  Bund (Friends of the Earth
Germany), said that the government had a "shocking
record" on environmental protection over the last four
years and had "failed in all areas".  Bund's
criticisms echo those of other NGOs, which are taking
an increasingly anti-government stance as the election
approaches (ENDS Daily 2 September).  The group is
angry at what it describes as a "reliance" on
voluntary agreements with industry rather than
regulation, and a "lack of integration" of environment
protection into other policy areas.  It says the
government has done nothing to halt increasing road
traffic, which it claims poses a "serious threat" to
national carbon dioxide reduction targets.  In
international matters, the group criticises "pressure"
put by the government on Switzerland to allow more
goods traffic through its Alpine passes.  It also
deplores Germany's refusal, alone among EU states, to
sign an international convention allowing more public
access to environmental information and participation
in decision-making (ENDS Daily 25 June).  "People in
other countries think Germany is very good for
environmental protection, but in the last ten years
[it] has become much weaker," a Bund spokesperson told
ENDS Daily.

Contacts:  BUND (http://www.bund.net), tel: +49 228
400 970.


With best regards,
Inga-Lena

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Climate Network Europe
44 Rue du Taciturne
B-1000 Brussels
Tel: 32 2 231.0180
Fax: 32 2 230.5713
Email: canron@gn.apc.org
http://www.climatenetwork.org
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