27 January 1994

Doc. 7009

1403-27/1/94-7-E

MOTION FOR A RECOMMENDATION

on the effect of use of fossil fuel on the earth's atmosphere,

presented by Mr MOTIU and others1

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      Large quantities of fossil fuels, such as oil, coal and methane, are used in industrial and energy production and for domestic heating. Their use involves oxidation and thus consumption of oxygen.

      In addition, forests and plant cover generally — which are our only source of oxygen — continue to diminish, in particular as a result of wholesale deforestation, thus of course making them less able to replenish the oxygen in the atmosphere.

      The immediate result of this is ever higher concentrations of carbon dioxide, which cause heating of the atmosphere.

      In so far as these drastic alterations to the biosphere are in danger of becoming irreversible, a realisation is needed that unless we take urgent action, we are heading for much more serious environmental disaster than even a nuclear war could cause.

      Raising awareness of the reality of the danger and of the future which is in store for the entire human race if no action is taken must be one of our priorities.

      The Assembly accordingly recommends the Committee of Ministers to invite member governments and the relevant European and international organisations to consider the full extent of the danger and to take urgent and drastic action, at both national and international level, to halt the process responsible.

Signed:       Motiu, Brennan, Tiuri, Dromberg, Hardy, Granstedt, Kaliska, Rubner, Malinowski, Tummers, Pop, G. Bjarnason, Lie, Ciemniak, Szymanski, Vella, Ruffy

1 ¹ This text only represents the views of the individual members who have signed it. It does not reflect a position adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly.