Suchergebnisse

BackgroundAsbestos continues to be used in large quantities around the world and to be an important commodity in global trade.ObjectiveTo assess and quantify current global patterns of asbestos production, export and use; to examine global patterns of asbestos-related disease; and to examine barriers to an asbestos ban.MethodReview of the biomedical literature describing patterns of asbestos exposure and disease; review of documents from national governments, UN agencies, and NGOs on asbestos production and use.FindingsDespite widespread knowledge of the hazards of asbestos and bans on any use of asbestos in more than 50 countries, an estimated 2 million tons of asbestos continue to be used around the world each year. Although this amount is significantly less than peak annual consumption of nearly 5 million tons two decades ago, significant amounts of asbestos are still used in India, China, Russia, and some developing countries. This use of asbestos is responsible for disease today and will cause still more asbestos-related disease in the years ahead. Real and artificially manufactured controversies regarding asbestos such as arguments about the relative hazards of different asbestos fiber types and fiber sizes have impeded bans on asbestos.ConclusionsAll forms of asbestos pose grave dangers to human health. All are proven human carcinogens. There is no continued justification for the use of asbestos. Its production and use should be banned worldwide.

Les trois sessions intitulées "Forêt, sociétés et territoires", organisées lors de la 2e Semaine forestière méditerranéenne (Avignon, avril 2011), ont permis, par l'exposé de différentes expériences, de mettre en avant une approche territoriale et intersectorielle de la gestion forestière et des initiatives d'amélioration de la gouvernance forestière. Pierre Dérioz présente ici les conclusions et principales recommandations de ces travaux.

Three sessions entitled "Forests, societies and territories" during the 2nd Mediterranean Forest Week (Avignon, april 2011), allowed an interesting cross-sharing of various experiences and pointed out the importance of a territorial and intersectorial forest management and successful initiatives improving forest governance. Pierre Dérioz gives here the main conclusions and recommendations of these works.