Brendan,

Just a quick note to let you know that I received your e-mail (dated October 5th 2003) to the Nature-Ireland Group.

My hope is that all others on the Nature-Ireland group-list have received it as well; and, that they will "pass on" the information regarding the Aarhus Convention to as many friends and relatives as possible, as soon as possible.

The overall problem we are struggling with now seems to me to be far too big for one or two people here and there (like you and I) to make any kind of useful impact on it: acting by ourselves - with lots of spectators maybe, but few if any supporters who are prepared to come out into the open, and to be PUBLICLY seen to be standing up for European Community law (as INDIVIDUALS).

However, if enough of the right kind of "legal ammunition" (of the kind connected with the Aarhus Convention) gets into enough pairs of hands, then the shipfull of "plundering looters" (as I see them) really might have to start learning about how to use buckets and pumps (as you have suggested): if they wish to survive the storm which possibly lays ahead of them.

As I believe I mentioned to you yesterday, one of the things that has shifted my thinking a lot in recent days is the way that recent Google searches (on the Internet) suggest that NOTHING much of any significance appears to have been reported to date in the world's press - including newspapers like The Irish Times, and the Irish Independent - regarding the Aarhus Convention.  This apparent (and so far unexplained) "mass-media" silence on what appears to me to be a matter of the  UTMOST  IMPORTANCE  speaks for itself I feel, and to me at least it seems to speak VERY strongly, and VERY loudly.
 
I will try again to get the Aarhus Convention information to the Green Party members here in Ireland (by copying this e-mail to their Yahoo group list).  For reasons best known to themselves, it seems to me that the Green Party here MIGHT be suppressing my e-mails (?).

Regards,

Billy.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

----- Original Message -----
From: "brendan" <kellybrendan@eircom.net>
To: <avoice@iol.ie>; <natureireland@yahoogroups.com>; <tony@eircom.net>
Sent: Sunday, October 05, 2003 9:00 PM
Subject: [nature-irl]
 
Hi Billy.

     Thank you for this info. I will send it on to all on my mailing list and to natureireland also. It is clear that several people on natureireland does not know anything about it but what concerns me is that some people on this list does know about it and still remain members of the private members club that is called the Irish forestry certification initiative.
 
    You are doing tremendous work and you will succeed because right will prevail in the end. The GONGOs (GONGO = government-organized non-governmental organization) can no longer answer any questions and for them the ship is sinking.
 
Regards Brendan
 
----- Original Message -----
From: William Finnerty <wfinnerty@eircom.net>
To: Brendan/Helen Kelly <kellybrendan@eircom.net>
Sent: Sunday, October 05, 2003 5:52 PM
Subject: The Aarhus Convention & related subjects
 
Brendan,

Below please find the information on The Aarhus Convention (and related subjects) in the e-mail format you have requested.
 
Best wishes,
 
Billy.
 
PS:  The more people who get to know about this information, and to learn about it, the better - as far as I'm concerned at least.
 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Aarhus Convention & Related Subjects

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++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
"It links environmental rights and human rights."
 
"It links government accountability and environmental protection."
 
"The subject of the Aarhus Convention goes to the heart of the relationship between people and governments."
 
"THE AARHUS CONVENTION HAS BEEN SIGNED BY OVER 40 EUROPEAN COUNTRIES: INCLUDING ALL 15 EU MEMBER STATES."
 
It "ENTERED INTO FORCE ON OCTOBER 30th 2001."  (Please see "Environment DG Information Brochure" referred to below.)
 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Brief  EUROPEAN UNION  outline information on THE AARHUS CONVENTION:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/aarhus/
 
A copy of the European Commission's ENVIRONMENT  DG  INFORMATION  BROCHURE can be acquired through the Internet page address immediately below.

The Aarhus Convention information appears in Section 9.

http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/environment/index_en.htm

PLEASE NOTE:
The required "PDF" link is at the first "bullet-hole" at the Internet page immediately above. Those who do not have "PDF" software on their PCs at present can download free copies from Adobe for Acrobat at:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

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"Although regional in scope, the significance of the Aarhus Convention is global.  It is by far the most impressive elaboration of principle 10 of the Rio Declaration, which stresses the need for citizen's participation in environmental issues and for access to information on the environment held by public authorities.  As such it is the most ambitious venture in the area of ' environmental democracy'  so far undertaken under the auspices of the United Nations."

Kofi A. Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations

http://www.unece.org/env/pp/

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EU Directive 97/11/EC:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/eia/full-legal-text/9711.htm

Please Note: Point 3, in Annex IV seems particularly important.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Environmental Assessment

"Environmental assessment is a procedure that ensures that the environmental implications of decisions are taken into account BEFORE the decisions are made."

http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/eia/home.htm
 
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Information on petitioning the European Parliament

Direct link to EU web site:
http://www.europarl.eu.int/petition/help_en.htm

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Sample of petition sent to the European Parliament on September 22nd 2003.
 
The petition at the address below concerns the plan to put the new N6 Galway/Dublin Upgrade Road right through the middle of the Celtic "Iron Age" oppidium centred around Turoe & Knocknadala: which is thought to be the first to date to be identified in Ireland, and possibly the largest (by far) of all the 40 or so Celtic oppida yet found outside Ireland - in places like England, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, and Hungry.

http://www.finnachta.com/EuropeanParliamentPetition.htm
 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
The European Valetta Convention
 
The Republic of Ireland ratified the European Valetta Convention  (European Treaty Series 143) on the Protection of Archaeological Heritage in 1997. Article 5, ii), b) seems particularly relevant to development projects such as roads: "the allocation of sufficient time and resources for an appropriate scientific study to be made of the site and for its findings to be published".
 
http://www.heritagecouncil.ie/publications/urbanarch/appe.html

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Agenda 21 (United Nations)

General information:
http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/documents/agenda21/index.htm

"Introducing the Aarhus Convention" (from the United Nations):

"It links environmental rights and human rights."

"It establishes that sustainable development can be achieved only through the involvement of all stakeholders."

"It links government accountability and environmental protection."

"It acknowledges that we owe an obligation to future generations."

"The subject of the Aarhus Convention goes to the heart of the relationship between people and governments."

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=United+Nations+Introducing+Aarhus+Convention+&btnG=Google+Search

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"Telling it like it is"

This publication reviews progress in the Republic of Ireland during the first 10 years following the 1992 Rio Earth Summit Conference.  Through the use of 34 stories it strongly suggests (on page 8) that: "In spite of millions of Euros in spending and international co-operation of a degree and depth never before seen, the agreements of Rio 92 have not translated into on-the-ground changes".
 
Copies of "Telling it like it" are available through:
http://www.finnachta.com/TuroeKnocknadalaPetition/index.html#pdf

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CHARTER OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/justice_home/unit/charte/index_en.html
 
Extract from Preamble:
 
Conscious of its spiritual and moral heritage, the Union is founded on the indivisible, universal values of human dignity, freedom, equality and solidarity; it is based on the principles of democracy and the rule of law.  It places the INDIVIDUAL at the heart of its activities, by establishing the citizenship of the Union and by creating an area of freedom, security and justice."

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The above information has been taken from the following Internet page address:
http://www.finnachta.com/TheAarhusConvention.htm

There is a BACKUP copy at:

http://homepage.eircom.net/~williamfinnerty/TheAarhusConvention/index.html

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