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The Charte of Palermo
The representatives of 20 important
cultural and environmental organization, artists and academics,
in the presence of Honourable former President of the French Republic,
Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, on invitation of the Honourable
President of Sicily Region, are expressing their great concern about
the ongoing devastation of the European [rural] landscape caused
by excessive planning and building of wind power plants.
The European landscape in its beauty
belongs to the treasure of European culture, and has been entrusted
for centuries from one generation to the other. It is the responsibility
of our generation to leave it not devastated by industrial instruments.
The beauty of European landscape
is not only a cultural heritage, but also a space of remembrance
and identification.
To destroy the rural landscape would also mean to deprive the rural
regions of their economic base tourism.
We draw the attention to these facts,
knowing that the lobby of wind power plant investors is very strong
and aggressive, and great sums of money are involved.
We are aware that ways have to be
found to contribute to the production of no carbonic energies. But
we are convinced that wind power plants are not the right solution.
Considering all this, we ask, with
great concern, the European Commission, National Governments, Parliaments,
Regional and Local Authorities, to take immediately the necessary
steps to safeguard the European landscapes.
The Meeting addresses
to the European Union, recommending to establish a Moratorium on
the installation of wind power plants, so to take the time to reach
the following objectives:
1- Strict rules must be approved
for the defence of biodiversity, strictly banning the installation
of wind power plants inside the boundaries of the protected areas
like SIC, ZPS, National and Regional Parks, with sufficient setback;
2- The member states must identify areas of sensible landscape with
particular cultural or identity values, inside which is forbidden
the presence of any industrial wind power plant. This rule must
also establish that no wind power plant bust be visible from every
site of this sensible areas.
3- To accomplish a deep study on the external
and internal costs of the industrial wind power plants, and clarifying
the relation between costs and benefits. In particular, the system
of the financial and fiscal advantages must be publicly discussed
and examined by the National Accounting authorities;
4- Wind power plants should not be considered
like privileged industrial enterprises. They must be approved or
rejected with the same limits of any other industrial development;
5- The member states commit themselves to make sure that the decisions
concerning the new installation of wind power plants must be taken
with the maximum transparency and, according to the rules of local
democracy, after a public and democratic debate implying the open
consultation of the population of the area concerned.
Finally, we address to the public
Authorities of all the nations of the world, urging them to be deeply
concerned about their constitutionally responsibilities related
to the impact of the eolian industries on the environment, landscape
and biodiversity.
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