Save Alps

1989/10/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Ingurumena

The International Organization for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Organization for the Protection of the World and the Environmental Alpine Research Centre have published at the beginning of last September the scientific bases of a possible agreement for the rescue of the Alps. According to the study, the 100 million tourists who come every year to the Alps and 41000 ski slopes are considered as agents of pollution and deforestation.

Deforestation has aggravated the risk of landslides and, for example, Switzerland spends 1.4 billion pesetas per year on landslides. Being alpine skiing the most dangerous, the report proposes to promote cross-country skiing and punish the alpine. It also calls for the creation of protected areas and the restriction of road traffic.

This IUCN proposal will be discussed this month by seven nations at the meeting to be held in Babaria.