30
September 2004, 18:30 to 20:30
ETH Zurich, Auditorium Maximum (HG F30)
Transboundary
water pollution – Who is accountable? Science – Insurance – Politicians –
NGOs – Industry
Water
pollution knows no borders. Toxic chemicals continue to enter
water bodies as a result of accidents, such as the dam failure
at the Romanian Baia Mare Goldmine in 2000, and the fire in a
chemical factory at Schweizerhalle in Switzerland in 1986. Both
led to massive fish kills and other damage to the aquatic ecosystems.
What are the implications of this for society? What are the consequences
for the parties responsible?
In
addition to the environmental impacts, the discussion will focus
on the economic and political dimensions of such cross-border events.
Questions concerning prevention, liability and insurance will be
raised within the context of current developments in the EU and
in Switzerland.
