THE EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENT CHANGES

ON HUMA LIVING WITH IN THE CONCERN OF EU POLICY:

THE CASE OF CYPRUS MINES

Ercan Tatlıdİl

University of Ege, Dept.of Sociology And Environment Research Centre, Turkey

ABSTRACT

After industrial revolution, in a world where financial markets continue to “go global”, developing countries need to work towards becoming good homes for long-term foreign investment.

Just as countries economy can be swamped by global economic forces that it has little power to control or deflect, its environment can be threatened by activities such as mining taking place beyond its borders and its control. In some low income countries the threats may be severe enough to jeopardize further sustainable development. Soil, ground water changes, coast and sea pollution, for example could effect agriculture forest and fishing forced to villagers leave from their homeland. Such a like Cyprus as it is known surface and underground mining have caused environmental problems due to acidic discharges (commonly referred to as “acid mine drainage”). Here exposed sulfide minerals react with oxygen and water to produce an acidic solution that dissolves metals and contains sulfate. Further reactions may occur resulting in a wide range of water quality characteristics. Additionally, sediment discharge due to inevitable erosion of the denuded soil hinders future land uses and degrades water quality.

An American mining company called Cyprus Mine Cooperation (CMS), which operated copper mining industry in Cyprus between the years 1914-1974. According to some expert reports, mine and its waste was left in Lefke region caused very serious environmental problems such as soil, air and water pollution which is usually defined as the resource of “global environmental problem”. The area has been still faced by environmental pollution with the mine waste left behind alone after the firm leaving the country in 1974. In this sense, it is understood that CMC had never been concerned their waste pollutions effects on environment on their mine closure procedures after 1974.

Governments acting alone, and even regional organizations cannot respond affectively to this kind of environmental problems. The response must be global. Industrial countries have been thought to be responsible for the most of the these kinds existing global environmental problems. In this case, not only Cyprus has been face to face with Cyprus mine problem such as like a local problem, but also all the east Mediterranean countries standing near by Cyprus island could be in the same station in this case.

In brief, special attention going to be given in accordance with global environment approach and also European Union’s understanding of environment procedures and acts. And also in this case going to be discussed European Union-Amsterdam Treaty and Copenhagen summit approach among the member countries and the countries going to be member like Cyprus and the countries nearby the European Union.

Human RIghts and EnvIronment In the EU PolIcIes

As one can easily see that European Union develops, in which a growing number of decision has been taken on the everyday lives of its citizens. All these decisions should be taking account in democratic society. The peoples of Europe creating an over closer union among them, are resolved to share a peaceful future based on common values. According charter of fundamental Rights of the EU

Article 1 says: Human dignity is invioble. It must be respected and protected. Article 2 says: Everyone has the right to life. Also Article 41 consists of right to good anministration. From this respect EU decisions on living of citizens taking account to environmental cases. As Article 37 mentions environmental protection, and also in article 35: states that a high level of human health protection shall be ensured in the definition and implementation of all union policies and activities.

-A high level of environmental protection and the improvement of the quality of the environment must be integrated into the policies of the union an ensured in accordance with the principle of sustainable development (European parliament, charter…Dec.2000, p.6-11).

In accordance with the social summit of 1995 in Copenhagen commitments were (EESC.; Apr. 2000, p.1-2).

Commitment 1: We commit ourselves to creating an economic, political, social, cultural and legal environment that will enable people to achieve social development.

Commitment 3: We commit ourselves to promoting the goal of full employment as a basic priority of our economic and social policies, and to enabling man and woman to attain secure and sustainable livelihoods through freely chosen productive employment and work.

Commitment 9: We commit ourselves to increasing significantly and/or utilizing more efficiently the sources allocated to social development in order to achieve the goals of the summit through national action and regional and international cooperation.

20 and 21 September 2000 Economic and Social Committee adopted the fallowing opinion in the topic of over all political objectives (EESC., Sept.2000, p.1-2).

-Economic Objectives; maintaining low-cost raw materials for private and public users, securing long-term resources availability guaranteeing energy supply on a lastin basis, ensuring that everyone has a share in overall rising income and prosperity

-Ecological Objectives; conserving natural resources and protecting the climate, preserving and developing the natural environment safeguarding natural resources in the long term through the use of renewable resources, maintaining biodiversitiy.

-Social Objectives; preserving and developing recreational areas, creating jobs, protecting social and cultural resorces, ensuring equity for a “fair”distribution of income.

The European union participetd actively in the deliberations on the right to the development in various bodies of the United Nations concerned with human rights and development.

According to the UN general assembly; human beign is the central subject of development and should be the active participant and beneficiary of right to development. The right to development is based on the understanding that development is a process targeted at the realisation of civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights meeting equitably the developmental and environmental needs of present and future generations. (EU annual report on human rights 1988-99, p.47)

All over EU Treaty communication from the commission on the global assesment of the European Community program of policy and action in relation to the environment and sustainable development concerns European citizens living conditions and related to human kind social, economic, cultural situations. From all these points, European Community and European Parliament always taking account the citizens believes and understanding of living.

Understanding of living nowadays becomes global. For that most of the European citizens thinking of the environmental problems not only consisted of European community political borders, but the neighboring and/or the other countries in this world, may create global environmental problems for themselves. This idea after “Chernobil nuclear disaster” awaked world citizens. The committee was affected from the public opinion of the EU that commission became more influenced with their citizen’s attitudes. Therefore EU Committee of the Regions, June 2000 Brussels, stated that:

-The committee believe, that the European Commission should pay more attention to the threats arising from outside the EU, such as nucleer waste, the dumping of chemical and other weapons and waste water which is polluting rivers and oceans, particularly the Baltic and Mediterranean.

In a number of earlier opinions the committee called for stimulating a more active role for regonal and local authorities in formulating and implementing environmental policy in the regions and municipalities of the applicant states. The Committee would reiterate this urgent recommendation in the context of the present Global Assessment and with a view to the preparation of the sixth Action Programme. The European Commission should strongly promote cooperation and the exchange of experience and expertise through twinning arrangements between regions and municipalities in the EU and the applicant states.

Cyprus as an applicant should widely stimulate the exchange of information, good practices and experiences in the environmental field with the EU and its institutions.

Environmental Approach in the European Union

The world has already seen one genuine environmental success story in the Montreal Protocol of 1987, which brought all countries together to address a common environmental threat. The Montreal Protocol attempts to solve the problem of chlorofluorocarbon emissions, which reduce ozone concentrations in the upper atmosphere. As it has been seen in the 1980s scientists realized that allowing these emissions to continue unchecked would dangerously increase ultraviolet radiation in the higher latitudes, rising rates of skin cancer and cataracts and damaging the environment (The World Bank, 1999-2000 p, 8)

The world faces a number of other pressing environmental problems that threaten the global commons. Perhaps the best known is the climate change, which is associated with increasing emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Others include biodiversing loss, which is occurring at an alarming rate; desertification; the depletion of fish stocks; the spread of persistent organic pollutants.

In global levels environmental policy become one of the greatest social challenges facing the public authorities and all sectors of the economy today. It is also a subject of whom the public is acutely aware, since it is directly affects its welfare and health. May be after a Montreal Protocol and Rio Treaty, which brought all the countries together to address a common environmental threat.

In the early days of building Europe, environmental issues were not a top priority for the public authorities and economic circles.

It was not until the 1970’s, the emergence of environmental concerns triggered moves in this area at Community level. At the July 1972 Paris Summit the Heads of State and Government recognized that in the quality of life, particular attention should be paid to the environment.

Consequently, the signal was given and the first action programme setting out the framework for community environment policy was adopted, covering the period from 1973 to 1976.This was followed by other multiannual programmes of the same type which led to the adoption of a series of directives on protection of natural resources (air and water) noise abatement, nature conservation and waste management.

However, from the single European Act in 1987, the community measures had a legal basis explicitly defining the objectives and guiding principles for action by the European community relating to the environmental protection requirements to become a component of the community’s other policies.

The entry into force of the EU Treaty in November 1993 brought further progress on several fronts. First it added the concept of ‘’ sustainable growth respecting the environment ‘’ to the European Community’s task and wrote the precautionary principle into the article on which environment policy is founded

The Treaty of Amsterdam should resolve these problems and respond to the need to make Community environment policy clearer and more efficient.

The Treaty of Amsterdam seeks to provide stranger guarantees than given by inserting concept of sustainable development plus a new article in the Treaty establishing the European community.

The new article 6 puts at the start of the Treaty the clause calling for environmental protection requirement to be integrated into the definition and implementation of other policies. This was already contained in Article 174. The new article also cites such integration as one means of promoting sustainable development.

This new article must be seen in conjunction with the declaration on environmental impact assessment, annexed to the Final Act of the Intergovernmental Conference, which drafted the Treaty of Amsterdam. In other words Amsterdam Treaty pointed out that sustainable development and taking the environment into account in all policies, should be realized (European Commission, The Amsterdam Treaty, p.42).

The Main Environmental Problems in Cyprus

In accordance with the Commission of the European Communities, “2000 Regular Report from the Commission on Cyprus Progress Towards Accession” (This report is excluded North Cyprus-KKTC) “Cyprus continues to fulfill the Copenhagen political criteria. The pre dominant political problem is the continued division of the island, but over the last year important efforts have been made in the search for a political settlement in line with the Accession Partnership”.

Cyprus is a functioning market economy and should be able to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union. However as regards alignment with the environment acquise, several laws and orders have been adopted, but the emphasis lay on preparatory work. Although more attention has been paid to the allocation of sufficient budgetary and administrative resources to the environmental sector to ensure the implementation of the acquis, given the size of the alignment task in this area, this sector still remains a high priority. (includes only south Cyprus)

Cyprus as a Mediterranean country has “Mediterranean climate”, is characterized by hot, dry summers, and mild and wetter winters, with run off from infrequent but often massive rain fall causing soil erosion. However Mediterranean regions of Europe have witnessed rapid changes over the past thirty years, in particular in the last decade, affecting all aspects of society. For a number of countries, accession to the European Union has led to major socio-economic change. These upheavals have disrupted the special relationship between man and environment in these areas with highly specific climate. At the same time, landscape it self has undergone rapid change. As a result, Southern Europe is facing a process desertification, which is evident in the cultivated land, pasture grounds and forests, and in the substantial loss of biological diversity. Paulo Mairota, John Thornes and Nichola Greeson pointed out that vast rural areas are temporarily and permanently abandoned, urban sprawl is rampant, agriculture is intensifying and water shortage, accentuated by the droughts of the 1980s and 1990s has become the main problem in the terms of resources and environment (5)

In this sense Cyprus is a Mediterranean country not excluded from this typical Mediterranean climate conditions. For that reason badly influenced agricultural production and biological diversity in accordance with Regular Report of European Commission on Cyprus:

-Over the years the contribution of agriculture has garually fallen to 4.2% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and 9.3% of employment. Due to the fall in agricultural production, which was particularly badly affected by the recent drought, the primary sector declined by almost 7% in 2000. Also in the same report declared that no concrete development in rural development and forestry could be reported in this area since last regular report. Even if this report concerning with the south Cyprus, the same stuation can be seen in North Cyprus as well.

As regards Rural Development and Forestry, Cyprus has already some experiences in these areas also comprising agri-environmental measures. However the necessary contol bodies for the environmental scheme will have to put in place. Furthermore, a code of good agricultural practice needs to be established. (CEC, 2000 Regular…p.49-52)

From The Environmental Issues Cyprus Mines Problem

An American mining company called Cyprus Mine Corporation (CMS), which operated copper mining industry in Cyprus between the years 1914-1974. According to some expert reports (Ümit Erdem, 1999), mine and its waste was left in Lefke region caused very serious environmental problems such as soil, air and water pollution which is usually defined as the resource of “global environmental problem” The areas has been still faced by environmental pollution with the mine waste left behind alone after the firm leaving the country in 1974. In this sense, it is understood that CMC had never been concerned their waste pollutions effects on environment on their mine closure procedures after 1974.

Pollution through erosion and sediment control should be in a significant part of every mining waste management strategy. It means every effort should be made to control the sediment at, or near to, and its source (as opposed to relying on one or more large sediment settling basins opposite and in the major drainage ways). It is more desirable to segragate sediment laden waters from the rest of the surface flow. However it is understood from expert reports that Cyprus mine Corporation had not been taken available waste management techniques in this area. In accordance with EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) reports to Congress: The report provides in depth information on mining process, the wastes produced an associated health and environmental effects, ways to minimize waste production and the means of treat and dispose of the wastes as well as mine closure procedures and costs.

Several management alternatives such as prevantation and chemical, physical and biological treatment are available to minimize the impact of mine drainage on the environment. In this sense it is understood that CMC had been never taken account in their mine operation these basic rules or they had not concerned their waste pollutions on environment in account on their mine closure procedures after 1974. In this case an example can be given; beginning of the 1970s the Court of Lefke punished CMC due to cause of polluting the agricultural cultivated areas. Also according to expertise reports water, soil, air, costs and sea pollution comes from ex CMC mines areas. In this region all these expertise reports say, environmental pollution during the period of 1914 and 1974 responsible firm is the only one private sector CMC. It means environmental pollution with its legal administration and ethic dimensions caused by an American mining company operated copper mining industry in Cyprus in Lefke region between the years 1914-1974.

As it is understood nowadays ex-mining wastes still working polluting water, soil, air, costs and sea, and also it’s wastes produced and associated with health and cultivated effects.

According to the some expert reports mines and its wastes was left in Lefke region caused a very serious problem such as soil, air and water pollution which is usually defined as the resources of ‘’ global environment problem ‘’ .The areas faced by environmental pollution and the mining waste is left and their storage are in the frontiers in KKTC since 1974.

Therefore in this region approximately 7000 people are living and working in cultivated areas under the effects of environmental pollution directly or indirectly in the mean time circus fruit, vegetables corps and sea foods growth in this region are distributed to the other regions in KKTC for consumption by the way this means that environmental pollution is also exported to the other regions in Cyprus.

Mining operations in this region has been gone for a long time in this period authorized politicians were changed who were responsible for copper mining industry, mining business, using poisoned materials during the operations, storage of waste and legal-administrative regulations concerning the mine export.

Cyprus was a British Colony during the standating period of mining operations. Between the years 1960-1974 CMC continued its operation according to regulations of Cyprus Republic. In 1974 Intervention of Turkish Armed Forces to the island under the rights of Guarantee Agreement, Turkish political authorities started to control these mining area, mining plants and waste storage. For this reason environmental pollution in this region should be examined with historical and legal framework  

CONCLUSION

An American mining company called Cyprus Mine Cooperation (CMC) which operated copper mining industry in Cyprus between the years 1914-1974 under the rule of different authorities and environmental laws. According to some expertise reports, mine and its waste was left in Lefke region caused very serious environmental problems such as soil, air, water coasts and sea pollution which is usually defined as the resource of “ global environmental problem”. It is also understood that CMC had never been concerned their waste pollution effects on environment on their closure procedures after 1974.

As it is understood nowadays ex-mining wastes still working polluting environment. Governments acting alone, and even regional organizations cannot respond effectively to this kind of environmental problems. The response must be global.

In other case, according to the opinion on the White Paper on environmental liability, (COR, Opinion...., 14-15 June 2000, p.1 and 4) proposed European regime should be comprehensive and help to improve implementation of key environmental principles such as the “polluter pays”. The costs of preventing and restoring environmental damage will be paid by the parties responsible for the damage, rather than being financed by the tax payer. It means that CMC is responsible for this case.

In other sense, the establishment of a European environmental liability regime will accompany the introduction in the common Agricultural Policy of compulsory   Agri-Environment schemes, which will play a complementary role in protecting the habitats of the European Union: It believes that the establishment of an effective European environmental liability regime will help to facilitate candidate countries efforts to adopted the EU environmental acquis and help to ensure the protection of biodiversity, landscape, diversity and the environment of Europe as a whole.

In accordance with the environmental policy of EU, Cyprus Governments (North and South acting together) and non-government organizations and other civil agencies have a chance to apply to EU institutions within the  several funds cleaning up and restoring the environment which was caused environmental damage by the Cyprus Mines.

REFERENCES

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