Environmentalist warns vs ill-effects of logging, mining

"Despite warnings that logging and mining are hazardous to life on earth, the two activities continue without let-up and are becoming widespread because they provide economic benefits to growing economies. Up to this day no one can prove that mining is economically, socially and environmentally viable."

This is the opinion of Prof. Alejandro Nadal of the University of Mexico who is a member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Commision on Economic, Environmental and Social Policy.

Nadal said the suffering of people worldwide brought about by the abuse on the environment can not be helped by nu-merous laws – for the protection of nature from destruction – which are helpless in sustaining the fragileness of life on earth.

One need not look far, according to An-tonio M. Claparols, president of the Ecolo-gical Society of the Philippines (ESP). He cited mineral-rich countries like South Africa, Peru and the Philippines, whose people remain poor despite the vaunted richness of their natural resources. With the shortage of oil woldwide caused by the continuing war in Iraq, environmental destruction in search for more oil will become widespread, he pointed out.

Water, clean air and rich biodiversity will be hard to come by, he said, adding that even the genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are becoming natural species as claimed by multinational firms.

According to Claparols, the Cartagena Biosafety Protocol’s moratorium on GMOs’ must be followed until they are proven safe beyond reasonable doubt or our environment including agriculture will suffer.

Claparols issued this warning: "The threshold of life has never been more fragile. We call on the government and leaders of the world to have the political will to protect and conserve our environment and natural resources or face the consequence of ecological disater. The signs are clear and we must heed the call of nature."