Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-10-28-Speech-4-033"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20041028.3.4-033"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, firstly I would like to say thank you for allowing us the opportunity to remind everyone once again just how important this subject is, and of the many effects that high-intensity sonars have on our environment, and especially on marine fauna. We have already brought up the issue of whales twice, and we will do so again in the future, until we make clear progress in this matter. I wish to thank Commissioner Schreyer for her reply, which inspires hope. It is important that the Commission should do all it can within the limits of its powers.
Two years ago, I personally collected the names for the first oral question, and it has to be said that research material on the subject has substantially increased in volume in the intervening period. Precise information on the effects of high-intensity sonars has been obtained from many reliable sources, including data published by 18 European researchers in the issue of Nature magazine dated 9 October 2003, which shows that high-intensity sonars pose a significant threat to marine mammals in particular, but also to fish and other marine fauna. There has been a considerable increase in the body of evidence showing a link between the death in large numbers of marine mammals and high-intensity sonars.
A year ago, in October, researchers and our parliamentary delegation went to NATO headquarters to submit two petitions asking the member countries of NATO to restrict the use of LFAS systems until their environmental impact and link to recent whale deaths had been fully investigated. At that time, the petition had been signed by more than 85 000 people and 68 environmental organisations in Europe, the United States and Canada.
While we agree that it is a totally legitimate exercise to try and develop this defence system, and to monitor submarines that use new technology, it is especially important to take the vulnerability of our environment into consideration. From the point of view of sustainable development, we should aim to develop alternative technologies which protect nature while at the same time achieving the objectives set for them. In military technology, as well as other fields, it is worth reminding ourselves of the ecological price we have to pay for the technology we choose to employ. With high-intensity sonars, the price is too high."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples