 |
Al-Ahram Weekly 8 - 14 June 2000 Issue No. 485 
|
||
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
| ||
|
Al-Ahram Weekly 8 - 14 June 2000 Issue No. 485
|
||
| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
| ||
Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Hardly a luxury
I am happy about the increasing awareness of environmental problems. There was a time when we thought that environmental preservation was a luxury, or at best a peripheral issue. We now know that it is a necessity. The creation of a dedicated ministry of environment was a step ensuring that people enjoy a good life.
Quality of life means that society must do more than guarantee its members' livelihood at the basic subsistence level. What type of life, then, does our society provide? Is it free of pollution that causes dangerous diseases? What kind of life is this if spent suffering from diseases or terminal illnesses caused by exposure to car exhaust fumes, cement particles in the air or chemicals absorbed through the fruits and vegetables we eat?
If I had one request, it would be to grant greater authority to the Ministry of Environment, enabling it to confront and deal with the root causes of the harm we have been exposed to for years. I believe the ministry's task should be divided into three parts. The first is spreading awareness among the public concerning the importance of preserving the environment. The second is establishing effective legislation that protects the environment in order to provide people with a good, pollution-free life. The third involves the presence of an executive power to enforce the law.
Every day that passes without dealing with the causes of pollution increases the numbers of the sick today and tomorrow, which in turn hampers development. Is this a peripheral issue?
Based on an interview by Mohamed Salmawy.
