Call for Environment protection by Science/Technology gains European and International momentum in Strasbourg

Environment protection, both as a Human Right and "a leverage for Science-Technology" in Europe and World-wide won an accelerated european and global momentum, boosted by a call launched in Strasbourg by French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin :

- "It's a Vital issue for Humankind : We must create an International Environment Organization able to influence countries and companies", stressed Raffarin, calling to "develop know-how" on" Sustainable Development" by "integrating" the dynamics of "big European projects, like Ariane, Airbus, etc. at the horizon 2013, in tune with President Jacques Chirac's recent call to foster "technologic Innovation".

  

Raffarin timely launched this week's International moves on Climate from Strasbourg, on February 22, covered with Snow during E.U. Parliament

+ Strasbourg's call was echoed at nearby Mainz (historically linked by Gutenberg), where German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and U.S. President GWBush agreed on "bilateral and multilateral" "joint actions" for "Climate Science", "development of cleaner Technologies", and "Future Energy systems" (including renewables, fuel cells, hydrogen, etc),

In the spirit of an earlier meeting with Chirac, GWBush agreed also with Schroeder to open "a New Chapter for Atlantic relations", leaving aside remaining "differences" (as on Kyoto protocol, Iraq war, etc.) and "focusing on points of agreement", by "deepening practical cooperation.. particularly in the field of technology", "sharing research and intelligence", while also "making technologies available" to "developing countries (like China, India, a.o.)".

    

GWBush and Schroeder, facing Snow at nearby Mainz on Feb. 23, decided to break the ice by High-Tech cooperation on Climate..

The move was warmly supported by Council of Europe's Secretary General, Terry Davis (from the U.K.), speaking to "SeNas" : - "The CoE is always at the forefront of any Technologic developments which support and protect Democracy and Human Rights". And "I have always regarded a Clean Environment as a Human Right", Davis told us.

The 46 member-countries strong organization (which includes today not only Russia as full member, but also the U.S., Canada, Japan, etc. with a "special status") recently adopted a Resolution to "strengthen Monitoring and Implementation" of the pan-European Convention on protection of WildLife and Natural Habitats (known as "Bern convention"), while also "promoting .. the fundamental entitlement to live in a Healthy Environment".

 

CoE's new S.G., Terry Davis, on a Sunny day with wife Anne, as new "Strasbourg citizen" : healthy "Environment is a Human Right".

After a series of exceptionnal Floods or Storms and the unprecedented killer-Heatwave of 2003 in Europe, followed by the Tsunami 2004 mass-destruction at the Indian Ocean, both E.U. and CoE's MPs, joining calls inside UNO, voted to establish early Warning systems and to boost Science and Technology on preventing or facing Natural Environment brutal upheavals.

- Space High-Tech plays a growing role on this area : - "Global Monitoring for Environment" (GMES) is one of the "two most important programs that E.U. is developing today", "together with GALILEO" (Satellite Navigation systems), due to be ready for 2008, observed Minister for European affairs Mrs. Claudie Haignere of France to "SeNas". "We are certainly participating in International Cooperation, but Europe has specific Capacities" on Earth Observation, she stressed.

        

GMES European and other projects for Spacxe Monitoring of global Environment

Haigneré was visiting Strasbourg's International Space University (ISU) to meet with Japan's unique female Astronaut, Dr Chiaki Mukai, who started a 3-Years term as Professor here : -"We trained together with Claudie Haignere (herself France's only female Astronaut) at NASA's headquarters in the U.S.", said to "SeNas" Dr. Mukai, an ex-Biologist specialised in Space Life Science. Symbolically, Japan launched from Kuodo a Meteorological and monitoring Satellite a week after Kyoto Protocol against Climate Changes entered into force.

"The 3 i's : International, Intercultural and Interdisciplinary", are the credo of ISU's new President, Dr. Michael Simpson, who told "SeNas" that he believes that Citizens and Civil Society's involvement in Space will be growing.

         

 Simple as Simpson's Equation : "New York + Paris = Strasbourg " : ISU's new President was N.Y. Utica College and Paris' American University's President, before logically arriving to Strasbourg, since his Family has old european links to Ireland, Central Europe and even Russia, as Simpson said to "SeNas"..

This topically met the initiative taken by Professor Michel Granet, Strasbourg's prestigious "Louis Pasteur" University's Director of Research, to propose "Environment" as a new "Interdisciplinary" item for the "emerging virtual European University", as he said at a special meeting bringing together young Researchers from allover the entire spectrum of studies : Natural Science, Sociology and Culture, Medicine and Biology, Law and Politics, etc.

Granet's idea to focus on "Interdisciplinary studies about Environment" was welcomed also by "Robert Schuman" Law University's President, Mrs Florence Benoit-Rhomer, as she said to "SeNas". It might start at 2006, on the 30th Anniversary of United Nations' 1976 International Treaty against "Hostile Modifications of the Environment" (ENMOD).

Defense Minister of France, Mrs Michelle Alliot-Marie, has, indeed, recently supported a Legal Conference on questions triggered by 2003 unprecedented Heat-wave, which killed more than 15.000 persons, affected millions, and threatened Energy independence. This was followed, after 2004 Tsunami disaster, by an E.U. move towards creating a "White-Helmet" force to protect People and Infrastructures against brutal upheavals of natural Environment, where Strasbourg' headquarted "Euro-Corps" might play a role, as his Chief Spokesman, Colonel Philippe Toussaint, told "SeNas".

    

EOST, ESOC, ISU, Sertit, etc. : Building blocks for European Earth Science pole around Strasbourg ?

All this converges towards the development of an "Earth Science" pole around Strasbourg, including its famous "Observatory and Earth Science School" (EOST), close to ESA's Space Monitoring Center, at nearby Darmstadt, etc.

Use of Space-Technology for "Rapid Mapping" of "Disasters" in less than 6 Hours, (from Earthquakes to Floods, or Tsunami, etc) is also being developed in Strasbourg by SERTIT : A team of Experts with equipment and know-how in "Remote Sensing", which was promoted by Professor Jean Becker, President of the European Association on Remote Sensing, and strongly supported by EOST's Dr. Hubert Whitechurch.

But, since Environment affects Millions of People in everyday life, "protecting Nature", as well as facilitating "the access of all to Scientific knowledge, is a must, pointed out Bas-Rhin General Council's President Philippe Richert.

Richert spoke when Raffarin launched Strasbourg's "Spacecraft" ("vaisseau" in French) : A futuristic brand new building dedicated to Science for Children and Families in 3 languages (English, French and German), located at Danube's bridge, in an area-renovation project including a European Library, Archives, multi-complex Cinema, Dance Theater, etc. amidst a splendid environment of River Channels' crossroads surrounded by gardens, an Historic Fortification of famous Vauban Architect turned into Natural Park, etc. (Similar to London's Docks and Dome, ... except that it really leads to River Rhine linked to Danube since 2001).

   

Prime Minister Raffarin, with Council General's President Philippe Richert, Strasbourg's Mayor Fabienne Keller and "Spacecraft"s Director Anne Weber, caught amusing themselves like kids with Science..