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Preserving the Black Sea's Environmental IntegrityA Statement from the WFS Working Group on PollutionFebruary 27 - March 4, 1999 We, the undersigned scientists from ten countries: Bulgaria, Georgia, Italy, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United States, concerned with the ecological future of the Black Sea, gathered from February 27 to March 4 1999, in Erice. In this WFS Workshop on Monitoring Black Sea Environmental Conditions, we summarized our knowledge of the Black Sea. We discussed dramatic increases in the Sea’s pollution, including that from heavy metals, toxic substances and eutrophication. These changes have caused a decrease in the population of marine organisms, and even total extinction in some cases. Furthermore, the environmental degradation threatens public health in the Black Sea countries. After anticipated economic revival in the Black Sea littoral countries and in Eastern Europe, pollution may increase further. Extensive oil transportation across the Black Sea associated with the new oil terminals in Supsa (Georgia), Odessa (Ukraine), Novorossiysk (Russia), Burgas (Bulgaria), and Djurdjuleshti (Moldova) may result in additional oil spills. Careful risk assessment of oil spills must be carried out, and recommendations for prevention and response based on the best available scientific information are needed. Recognizing the urgency of the problem and the obligation of scientists to contribute to environmental improvement of the Black Sea, we draw the attention of the international scientific community to this significant environmental problem. We request support from the World Federation of Scientists to establish a Black Sea Commission within the Water and Pollution Working Group in order to articulate a scientific program for the Black Sea. The initial focus of the WFS Black Sea Commission will be the environmental impacts of oil pollution. We propose to examine these issues and recommend further actions in a workshop to be held in Erice 25-29 March 2000. These activities will be coordinated with ongoing regional initiatives. We believe that joint efforts of the international scientific community will facilitate political solutions and help preserve the Black Sea basin for future generations. Signed: All participants in WFS Workshop on
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