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Atahualpa
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Hawthrone
Mar 1999
time: 06:37
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I don't know if this has been brought to light here already, but I found the story of Albena Simeonova who opposes the Belene nuclear power in Bulgaria quite interesting.
Her live is being threatened openly and has since employed two bodyguards.
Information about her:
quote:
Albena Simeonova
"The environment is what I live for."
Bulgaria
Environmental Policy
In Eastern Europe, fledgling democracies are dealing with economies that are in shambles and a desperate need for energy and clean water. Environmental activists in these countries often find themselves being portrayed as obstructionists. Despite illness and opposition, Albena Simeonova has bravely addressed the lack of public involvement in environmental issues in Bulgaria.
Trained as a biology teacher, Simeonova worked as a senior ecologist for the city of Botevgrad on environmental issues before the democratic changes in Bulgaria. Simeonova later became the executive director of the Foundation for Ecological Education and Training (FEET), founded by the Bulgarian Green Party in 1991. Campaigning against the construction of nuclear power plants, in 1994 Simeonova organized the first public debate between the proponents and opponents of nuclear power. One of Simeonova's most successful and novel initiatives to date has been the creation of "Ecological Inspectorates" at the local level. Citizens call to report local environmental problems and get a swift, independent response from professionals. Sometimes Simeonova alone responds. Following her lead, municipalities have now organized their own "Eco-Inspectorates," or have provided funding to NGOs to start them. The original four inspectorate programs have grown to 25 and more are being planned.
Seeing the need for nationwide coordination amongst environmental NGOs, in 1993 Simeonova persuaded environmental groups in Bulgaria to come together in an association called the Green Parliament. She also has involved citizens of Bulgaria and Romania to address the problems of trans-boundary pollution. As vice president of the Bulgarian Green Party, in 1995 Simeonova organized a dialogue involving members of the Green Parties of Western and Eastern Europe. In 1996 Simeonova co-founded the Bulgarian Green Federation. Though not a lawyer herself, she has written municipal environmental regulations. In 1997 Simeonova helped establish the Green Justice Association, which works together with local authorities and NGOs to create new environmental legislation.
Source: http://www.goldmanprize.org/recipie...?recipientID=48 |
About the death threat she received:
quote:
LEADING BULGARIAN ANTI-NUCLEAR ACTIVIST RECEIVES DEATH THREAT
Prague / Sofia (8 March 2005) – One of the leading people in the opposition against the planned Bulgarian nuclear power station Belene, Mrs. Albena Simeonova, 40 (1), has received a threat on her life. Greenpeace, supported by other international organisations like Bankwatch, Friends of the Earth Europe, WISE/NIRS and others, have contacted the Bulgarian government to urge them to do everything possible to secure the safety of Mrs. Simeonova.
After having received several anonymous threats over telephone over the last months, two men came approached Albena Simeonova personally and threatened to kill her if she would not leave her home region of Nikopol , and give up her opposition against the Belene nuclear power plant. The men claimed to speak on behalf of the TIM trade group. This group is rumoured to be granted the contract for security work and supply delivery at Belene. Police investigations into the matter have in the mean time started. Mrs. Simeonova is one of the largest organic farmers in Bulgaria and her fields are all in the 30 km zone around the projected Belene plant. She is a well known critic of the Belene project, and for these efforts and her other outstanding environmental work she received in 1996 the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize.
“I know who the people involved are, and am afraid I need to take the threat very seriously,” said Mrs. Simeonova. She added: “But this does not mean I will stop my resistance against Belene nor my work on organic farming in the region around it. Belene is a threat and completely unnecessary for Bulgaria and for the region I live in.” In the early 1990s, Albena Simeonova was already one of the leaders of a strong movement in Bulgaria that stopped plans for building a nuclear power station near Belene in 1992. The plans for building were revived in 2003, and Mrs. Simeonova was one of the first people to ask attention for the problems that the project would create. She alerted national and international organisations on the upcoming plans and since has been one of the motors behind resistance against Belene (2). “Already in the early 1990s it was clear that you could not build a nuclear power station in a seismic active area like here. But on top of that, there are so many alternatives!” says Simeonova, “My country is one of the least energy efficient countries in Europe , and it has so much to offer in renewable energy. But our energy policy is governed by short sighted political and financial interests. Because the arguments fail, obviously mafia practices must help push through the project.”
Source: http://terraiii.ngo.ro/acten.htm |
Go Albena go!
Btw, I am reading a nice blog of a information campaign from greenpeace (they go with a ship from Austria to the black sea) for renewable energy. It's german: http://www.greenpeace.at/logbuch.html
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Bereta_Eder
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As long as the kozlodui is in check.
BTW great economic and not only relationship Greece- Bulgaria. although there's job bleed/factory bleed to Bulgaria becausse labor/tax is cheaper. But I think it's going to be our first neighboor to get rich and developed which will be a great relief. Great relation.
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Bereta_Eder
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it's 15% (edit for correction) and it can run away. croatia turkey other cheap places etc.
although there's the hugest wave of tourism since ever this summer due to the fact that greece is seen as a safe harbor. although the prices are expensive even though the services provided may be lacking. of course the i left my farm and now run a hotel and expect to work 3 months and then play my willie all year long people are always complaining.
Last edited by Bereta_Eder on 09-08-2005 at 22:29
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Sir Og
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Lurking in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
Jun 2001
time: 07:37
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Never heard of her. Nor about the death threats.
And Bulgaria is definately not in "desperate need for energy and clean water". Our majour industries are not working now as they used to 15 years ago and the country actually exports energy to Turkey and Romania.
There is only debate where to buy the reactor from. Russia or Canada.
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Sir Og
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Lurking in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
Jun 2001
time: 07:37
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And Kozlodui is probably one of the safest nuclear powerplants in Europe. It meets all safety requriments after the upgrades. There were countless expections from all sort of agiencies and there never was a negative report on the safety of the powerplant.
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Bereta_Eder
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Good to hear!
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Sir Og
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Lurking in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
Jun 2001
time: 07:37
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I did some search on Albena and the death threat story and it seems that it is not picked up by any of the majour media here (our media is as free as they come). I can not say that she is making this up but there is no debate whether to have Belene or not around here and I see no reason whatsoever about such threats. It doesn't make sense to threaten someone who nobody has even heard about. She was not a leader of the green party and the party itself was only big at the start of the political changes here.
The only debate in Bulgaria about the Belene powerplant is if we need the extra capacity right now (at the moment Bulgaria exports energy) and where to get the reactors from (Russia or Canada).
The construction began in the 80s but after the economy collapsed it was halted. So now we have nuclear powerplant that is 1/3 built and it only makes sense to complete the work and not just waste what is already done.
The people from Belene would probably like to see the power plant open ASAP because of the jobs.
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Sikander
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Boulder, Colorado, United Snakes of America
Jan 2000
time: 22:37
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quote:
Originally posted by Atahualpa
Hydropower? Solar power?
I think before we get reasonable fusion power plants we might end up making solar panels in space and beam the power down to collector stations on earth. Sounds futuristic, but i think this is possible. |
Hydropower does a lot of damage to riparian ecosystems and in any case is quite limited to certain locales and in the amount of energy it can produce, as well as the timeliness of the energy it can produce. Solar power doesn't compete well for cost, and suffers hugely from timeliness problems (night, weather, time of year). More efficient means of storing energy would reduce the timeliness problems of course, but even with 100% efficiency solar is simply too expensive for the production of mass amounts of energy with today's technology. As for the orbital solar energy scheme, it requires a lot more tech improvements than regular solar does and would be extremely expensive. I seriously doubt that it will ever be done no matter how advanced our technology, as there would IMO be better alternatives.
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Atahualpa
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Hawthrone
Mar 1999
time: 06:37
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Well, I don't really think big in Solar plants. It's a different technology that requires different handling, big plants are not what I think is adequate here.
Or maybe if you have a big plant and some mirrors in space that can project and focus the light down on earth, maybe, but that's another project...
I think for example there are lots of households and every household has a roof and most households need most energy from 10-12am (at least here) when the cooking starts. At this time the sun is usually shining and having equipped most households with solar panels could help cut the spikes.
That way you need less importing and the need for reservoir plants is going down as well.
quote:
That's all the proof I need that you're not entirely being realistic here.
Beaming power down will NEVER work. It would cost far, far more energy to keep the beaming-satellites going than you'd gain ... and any minor fluctuations would be ... not friendly. Besides, think of the eco-damage you'd probably cause ... |
And humans can _never_ fly...
quote:
I did some search on Albena and the death threat story and it seems that it is not picked up by any of the majour media here (our media is as free as they come). I can not say that she is making this up but there is no debate whether to have Belene or not around here and I see no reason whatsoever about such threats. It doesn't make sense to threaten someone who nobody has even heard about. She was not a leader of the green party and the party itself was only big at the start of the political changes here. |
Yes, I said member of the green party, because that's what I've read in one article about her once.
Too bad you never heard of her, I mean probably it has become more silent around her, but she also received the goldman prize in 1996. She must have at least been mentioned then. (edited)
Goldman Prize:
quote:
The Goldman Environmental Prize is a prize given annually to grassroots environmental activists from six geographic areas: Africa, Asia, Europe, Islands and Island Nations, North America, and South and Central America. The prize includes a no-strings-attached award of $125,000. It is the most lucrative such award.
The Goldman Environmental Prize was created in 1990 by civic leaders and philanthropists Richard N. Goldman and his late wife, Rhoda H. Goldman. Richard Goldman founded Goldman Insurance Services in San Francisco. Rhoda Goldman was a descendant of Levi Strauss, founder of the worldwide clothing company.
The Goldman Environmental Prize winners are selected by an international jury from confidential nominations submitted by a worldwide network of environmental organizations and individuals. Prize winners participate in a 10-day tour of San Francisco and Washington, D.C., for an awards ceremony and presentation, news conferences, media briefings and meetings with political, public policy, financial and environmental leaders. |
quote:
The only debate in Bulgaria about the Belene powerplant is if we need the extra capacity right now (at the moment Bulgaria exports energy) and where to get the reactors from (Russia or Canada).
The construction began in the 80s but after the economy collapsed it was halted. So now we have nuclear powerplant that is 1/3 built and it only makes sense to complete the work and not just waste what is already done.
The people from Belene would probably like to see the power plant open ASAP because of the jobs. |
Well we here in Austria have a fully functional nuclear plant that was NEVER activated. Politicians built it in the 70s and then people raised concern and there was a vote ('78) about having it activated. It was abandoned by a minor margin of 50.47%
Last edited by Atahualpa on 10-08-2005 at 14:57
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08-08-2005 20:56
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