Jordan Times
Wednesday, May 5, 2004
Parliamentarians attend seminar on environmental issues
By Sahar Aloul
AMMAN — Parliamentarians got a firsthand view on Monday of what legislation they
might need to introduce, develop or eliminate in order to safeguard and protect
the environment.
In a two-day seminar, MPs listened and learned from environmental experts about
issues ranging from food quality control and water standards to agricultural
policies and the impact of industry on the environment.
“MPs should be given the change to discuss ways of enhancing their knowledge of
international environmental legislation impacting people's lives,” Jordan
University for Science and Technology (JUST) President Wajih Oweiss said at the
opening ceremony.
The seminar, entitled “The improvement of parliamentarians' involvement in
urgent environmental issues and legislation,” was organised by JUST and
supported by the Swiss Agency for Cooperation and Development. Several speakers
addressed ways of reaching a balance between economic development and
environmental sustainability.
“The environment is an important issue for governments but is usually difficult
to motivate people to actually do something for it,” Swiss Ambassador to Amman
Paul Widemer told participating MPs.
He said his government gives high priority to the environment in Jordan,
reflected in the signing of JD700,000 worth of contracts last April with the
Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature to aid projects on cleaner
production and hazardous substances.
Lower House Speak Abdul Hadi Majali said the legislature was aware of the impact
industrial growth has had on the environment.
“The rapid development of industry, agriculture and services have lowered the
health safety levels of water, food and air and it is now imperative that these
issues are given priority,” Majali told his fellow MPs and participants.
According to experts Jordan's population is expected to reach 7.1 million by
2010 which will have and extensive impact on natural resources in the Kingdom
and could result in the country facing a food shortage.
The speakers said only 2.5 per cent of the country is currently used for
agriculture, while 27 per cent of local red-meat consumption and 60 per cent of
milk consumption is produced locally, further aggravating the food shortage
problem.
The speakers also addressed the issues of plastic waste and genetically modified
produce.
Plastic waste has been found in 20 per cent of the sheep examined by the JUST
veterinary college, according to Nabil Heilat.
He said 40 per cent of the sheep examined in the main Amman and Irbid
slaughterhouses had plastic bags in their intestines.
“Sheep and cow breeders believe that plastic bag consumption is a major problem
for them,” Heilat said in his presentation to the audience. Local regulations
stipulate that those who pollute the environment with plastic waste could incur
severe punishment by the law, “however, the legislation seems to be unpractical
and is not being implemented on the ground,” Heilat concluded.