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dam-l ERNs rivernews 17.12.99: European NGO-hearing on WCD
from/via : ERN (European Rivers Network) Roberto Epple & ERN's News Service
to : rivernews_europe + RiverNet Webpage, loiremail, elbmail, salmonmail and rivernews_cyr Listserv (in russian)
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Invitation for a European NGO-hearing on WCD related issues
and strategy meeting on future campaigns against destructive large dams
in Bratislava, Slovakia January 16-19 - 2000
for more information, programme and inscription check ERNs Website
http://www.rivernet.org
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As European NGOs working on dams in Europe and European involvement in dam-building abroad, particularly in the South, we would like to invite you to take part in a meeting planned for January 16th-19th in Bratislava.
The main meeting will held on January 17th and 18th and will be hosted by Friends of the Earth Slovakia. It is intended both to strengthen European networks working on dams and to bring the concerns of the NGO community to the attention of the World Commission on Dams, which is due to report in 2000. The date of the meeting has been agreed with the WCD in order to enable WCD commissioners and secretariat staff to attend.
THE BACKGROUND TO THE HEARING
In the original work programme of the WCD, a European consultation - dealing with issues unique to the European experience with large dams - was planned. Due to funding constraints, the WCD was forced to cancel this event. Since then European NGOs have lobbied for a re-consideration of this decision but to no avail.
At the first "European wide strategy meeting on dams, water and people" hosted by Klub Gaja in Bielsko-Biela, Poland April 21-25th, it was decided that European NGOs working on large dams should proceed with arranging an independent hearing and a steering committee was formed.
This meeting is totally independent of the WCD in terms of selection of speakers, themes, invitees etc. Funding has been raised entirely by NGOs.
However, several commissioners of the WCD has been invited to take part in the hearing as observers in order to ensure that input from the European NGOs can be passed on directly to the commission.
THE PURPOSE OF THE HEARING AND FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
We believe that it is very important that a strong "European voice" is heard in the WCD process. In particular, we believe it essential that the commission is disabused of the widely-held view that dams are uncontroversial in Europe and informed of the deleterious impact of Europe's dam building industry abroad. We also feel that Europe has much to offer in terms of innovative approaches to flood control and water management, many of which are the direct result of popular opposition to dam building.
for more information, programme and inscription check ERNs Website
http://www.rivernet.org
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End
Roberto A. Epple
Executive Director, ERN-European Rivers Network
e-mail : roberto.epple@ern.org or ern@rivernet.org
website: http://www.rivernet.org or http://ern.org
Main & Westeuropean Office:
8 Rue Crozatier, 43000 Le Puy, France
Voice +33 (0) 471 02 08 14 Fax +33 (0) 471 02 60 99
North european contact office (Germany)
Project Lebendige Elbe / Living Elbe
Voice +49 (0) 3496 21 00 09 Fax +33 (0) 3496 21 00 08
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