A large river restoration project serves as a model for what can be achieved through a new and controversial law. Read more at straitstimes.com.
MAASTRICHT, Limburg – As the river Meuse winds its way from France towards the Netherlands, it cuts through an eastern Belgian province of Limburg where hunks of metallic machinery noisily dredge up 900 tonnes of gravel per hour. The gravel from the ancient river bed then travels on a kilometre-long rubber belt to be piled into vast mounds which are transported for making cement and other materials in one of the wealthiest corners of Europe.
“Sometimes I feel a bit like Yeats in 1919, when he said the centre cannot hold,” bloc’s climate chief Frans Timmermans said in an interview, referring to a W.B. Yeats poem about political factions Europe after World War One. “If the centre-right moves in the direction of climate scepticism, then we are going to be in trouble.”
Belgium – home to the EU’s institutions – is a microcosm of these political divides. It has powerful farming interests, which across Europe have for decades been able to effectively lobby political leaders, and at times, undermine them. Flanders, the Dutch-speaking Northern half of the country, is almost half agricultural land, just like the rest of EU.
“This nature restoration law will cause an even bigger crisis in Flanders,” Mr Ceyssens said. “The EU didn’t calculate what the consequences will be, and they haven’t provided money. I don’t see any compensation at this moment.” When tough new regulations in Belgium in the early 1990s nearly heralded the end of the gravel industry, the privately-owned plant reached novel agreements with local authorities to restore the Meuse to how it would have looked before the industrial revolution.The policymakers were likely spurred into action after witnessing the massive damage caused by two major floods in 1993 and 1995, according to Ms Schaerlaekens who overseas the project in the area.
“I’m convinced that this level of restoration is the only way,” he said. “Until the 1990s, we weren’t friends with the people trying to restore nature. Now we are friends with even the most hard-line greens.”
日本 最新ニュース, 日本 見出し
Similar News:他のニュース ソースから収集した、これに似たニュース記事を読むこともできます。
Malaysia Edition: Young voters could spring upset | Victoria’s Secret model splits viewsRead more at straitstimes.com.
続きを読む »
SFA recalls German brand of crispbread with high levels of toxinShort-term effects from consuming high levels of this toxin include an increased heart rate. Read more at straitstimes.com.
続きを読む »
China, Solomon Islands ink police cooperation dealIt was one of nine deals signed during talks in Beijing. Read more at straitstimes.com.
続きを読む »
Chinese women economists who met Yellen called traitors onlineThe criticism mostly targeted two women who posted about their experience on social media. Read more at straitstimes.com.
続きを読む »
2 dead, 3 Singaporeans injured in accident on Malaysia highway involving tour bus to KLA Malaysian and an Indonesian died in the accident. Read more at straitstimes.com.
続きを読む »
askST Jobs: How to adjust to life as an employee after self-employmentThe employee has to adapt to meeting business expectations and working in a structured environment. Read more at straitstimes.com.
続きを読む »