Threats To Environment

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32219, 11 February 1970, Page 13

Threats To Environment

(N Z PA.-Reuter—Copy right) STRASBOURG. Feb. 10. The need for urgent and drastic action to combat the dangers of pollution and other threats to man’s environment was underlined by three European princes in speeches to the first European conservation conference yesterday.

Prince Philip, of Britain, Prince Albert of Liege and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, were among the speakers at the opening session of the conference, which was attended by more than 300 delegates from more than 20 nations.

They are all members of a board of patrons of the 1970 ■ European Conservation Year. The four-day conference has been organised by the Council of Europe as the major 1 event of the year. J The meeting will deal with J four main aspects of the onslaught of modern society on , the environment sprawling { urban growth, industry, agri- ! culture and forestry, and lei- ; sure pursuits. Delegates hope to make [ governments aware of the , gravity of the situation and ’ to arouse public support. Prince Philip called for drastic political action and not words to protect man’s natural environment from his . own destructive exploitation. ,1 In a tough speech which ,{had delegate: applauding j;warmly, the Prince painted a ),grim picture of a future • jblighted by’ pollution unless government action ,;was taken immediately. ; “All the impassioned

speeches will be so much effluence under the bridge unless they are followed by drastic political action,” he warned. “We cannot postpone decisions any longer.” The French Agriculture Minister, Mr Jacques Duhamel, proposed a two-

pronged programme to beat pollution and other disfiguring aspects of present day ‘society.

He suggested first, the formation of a European fund

which could intervene in severe cases such as the pollution of international waterways on the Continent.

I, His second proposal was -Ifor European co-operation to young people about ; pollution problems. > This could be done by creating a European ecology dip- » loma for university students - and organising competitions - for school children, he said.

Prince Albert told the conference that the problem of environment might be talked about so often that the public would become bored. Prince Bernhard said in his

speech: “There are times, ladies and gentlemen, when toes have to be stamped upon in order to get action."