Permanent Monitoring Panel -
Pollution

Members of the Panel:

Chairman:
Richard Ragaini (USA)

Members:
Lorne Everett (USA); Sergio Martelluci (Italy); Gennady Palshin (Ukraine); Vittorio Ragaini (Italy); Majid Hassanizadeh (Netherlands)

Associate Members:
Herman Bouwer (USA); Robert Clark (USA); Arnaldo Longhetto (Italy); David Rice (USA); Paolo Ricci (USA); Soroosh Sorooshian (USA); William Sprigg (USA); Albert Tavkhelidze (Georgia)

(Associate Panel Members are a community of scientists who provide support and expertise for the working of the Permanent Monitoring Panel.)

Summary of the Emergency

The continuing environmental pollution of earth and the degradation of its natural resources constitutes one of the most significant planetary emergencies today. This emergency is so overwhelming and so encompassing, it requires the greatest possible international East-West and North-South co-operation to implement effective ongoing remedies.

It is useful to itemise the environmental issues addressed by the Pollution Permanent Monitoring Panel (PMP) since several PMPs are dealing with other environmental issues. The Pollution PMP is addressing the following environmental emergencies:

Degradation of surface and ground water quality
Degradation of marine and freshwater ecosystems
Degradation of urban air quality in large (mega) cities
Impact of air pollution on ecosystems

Global pollution, including ozone depletion and the greenhouse effect, is being addressed by other PMPs

Priorities in dealing with the Emergency

The PMP on Pollution will monitor the following priority issues:

Degradation and clean-up of existing surface and ground-water supplies from industrial and municipal waste-water pollution, agricultural run-off, deforestation and military operations.
Reduction of existing air pollution and resultant health and ecosystem impacts from long-range transport of pollutants and trans-boundary pollution.
Development of technologies for prevention and/or minimization of future air and water pollution.
Training scientists and engineers from developing countries to identify, monitor and clean up pollution.

Furthermore, the PMP will provide an informal channel for experts to exchange views and make recommendations regarding environmental pollution.

Workshop and Meeting Reports

Irrigation Using Municipal Wastewater - Working Group Proceedings
August 1998: World Federation of Scientists, Lausanne, Switzerland
(80 pp)

Monitoring Black Sea Environmental Conditions - Working Group Proceedings
February/March 1999: World Federation of Scientists, Lausanne, Switzerland
(304 pp)

Special Recommendations

See the Statement from the Workshop on Monitoring Black Sea Environmental Conditions - Erice February/March 1999