Jordan Times
Thursday, May 28, 1998
Preparatory workshop for environment media campaign opens today
By Ahmad Khatib
AMMAN — The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN)
today will hold a preparatory workshop for a media campaign focusing on the threats to the
Kingdom's environment to be launched next Sunday under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen
Noor.
The workshop will include discussions on the media's role in meeting the objectives of the
upcoming campaign, entitled “A Cry for Nature,” which will continue until the
end of the year.
Through this ongoing campaign, the society aims to mobilise people, business, industry and
governments to lay the foundation for conservation in the 21st century, according to an
RSCN press release.
“A Cry for Nature” will urge governments to take advanced steps toward
strengthening environmental laws, promoting sustainable alternatives to practices damaging
to land and supporting environmental education and public awareness.
It will also advise the business sector to recognise the economic value of acknowledging
its responsibilities to the conservation of natural resources and to adopt green policies
that encourage environmentally friendly practices, such as reducing water consumption.
Individuals are urged to be informed about the threats facing Jordan's environment,
encourage their Parliament representatives to promote the message of conservation, and be
active at the local level to help solve environmental problems.
According to an RSCN report, many factors are contributing to the major threats facing
Jordan's environment. Depletion of water resources has resulted in an enormous decline in
the number and variety of water birds visiting Jordan, while pollution and misuse are
straining already scarce industrial and domestic water supplies.
The report also cited improper land use related to urbanisation and pollution as major
challenges facing the country's environment.
In addition, no provision was made in the environment law enacted in 1995 for species and
habitat protection. The Dana Wild Reserve, for example, is threatened by residential
encroachment, uncontrolled hunting, grazing and mining among other factors.