Horizons

EU to regulate toxinsLegislation to force manufacturing companies in Europe to use less-harmful chemicals is close to becoming a reality.

On Wednesday, the European Parliament is expected to agree final versions of legislation on the registration, evaluation and authorization of chemicals (Reach). This long-running piece of European legislation is the first attempt to regulate over 100,000 chemicals in use in Europe. Currently, there is little or no safety information on the vast majority of chemicals in common usage. In October, the Environmental Committee of the European Parliament decided by a large majority to take a tough line on chemicals. Now, it is expected that the legislation will be passed (more than 1,000 amendments have been added in earlier parliamentary sessions) without further delay. If so, this will mean that - for the first time - manufacturers, importers and other users of chemicals will soon have to make every effort possible to prevent, limit or remedy any adverse effects on the environment or human health from their products, and provide adequate information about any risks.

Monitoring biodiversity dataThe National Biodiversity Data Centre at Waterford Institute of Technology opened this week. Liam Lysaght, formerly of the Heritage Council, is the director of the long-awaited national centre for storing biological data on animals and plants in Ireland. "We hope it will make information more accessible to the general public and policy-makers so that species will be better protected which will be of benefit to nature conservation in the long term. We also hope it will stimulate a new generation of people who are interested in collecting biological data," Lysaght told Horizons. The centre which has a core staff of four, including Lysaght, will be officially opened on January 18, 2007.

Science and spirit eventThe spiritual and scientific dimensions of global warming will be explored tomorrow in a unique event at the Radisson SAS Hotel, Galway, from 2pm to 5pm. The free event will begin with a talk on global warming by Dr John Stanley, a former principal scientist at the UK Health Promotion Agency. Following his presentation, Khenpo Karpo, a meditation master from Bhutan, will talk about Bhutan, the last Buddhist kingdom in the Himalayas. He will also address the spiritual dimension of climate change, taking the view that it can be traced back to self-destructive habit patterns in the human mind, projected outward onto the environment. Khenpo Karpo will also perform a short ritual and teach a meditation practice to direct supportive energy to our home planet.

Friends of the forestForest Friends Ireland/Cáirde na Coille will hold its annual multi-cultural winter solstice celebration at the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation tomorrow week. The event also commemorates Chico Mendes and will include tree-planting, a fire ceremony and pageant, storytelling, poetry and music. Contact John Hanguton at 01-8325415.