NEWS BRIEFS The environmental laws in their countries "don't go far enough," according to a majority of survey respondents in 28 of 30 countries in a poll coordinated by Environics International Ltd., of Toronto, Canada. More than 35,000 people were polled in an international survey of public opinions regarding the environment—including citizens from China, Japan, India, France, Italy, Mexico, the United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, and Nigeria. Majorities or nearmajorities of the respondents in 26 countries believe strong action is needed immediately to reduce hu.m3.ri impacts on climate; the number of people who shared this view grew compared to the previous year's survev Call (416) 920-9010 for more information Hazards will remain at twothirds of contaminated sites from the nuclear weapons complex no matter how much is spent to remediate them, says a report from Resources for the Future. The lack of proven technologies to address radioactive contamination and contaminated soil and groundwater remains an issue. And the fact that many Department of Energy sites will be used for storage and disposal enthat the hazards will remain for hundreds if not thousands of according to the report Congress should to oversee the long-term fate of the sites managed by the DenartEnergv according "Long-Term Stewardship and the Nuclear Complex: Challenge Ahead " Download a at: httn-//wwwrff org (202) 328-5025 Transportation and agriculture are the causes of many of Europe's environmental problems, according to a major assessment published by the European Environment Agency. The so-called "Dobris+3" report comes three years after the agency's first assessment of the pan-European environment. The report focused on 12 "key environmental prob-
lems" identified in the 1995 report: climate change, ozone depletion, tropospheric ozone, acidification, waste, chemicals, biodiversity, inland waters, marine and coastal environment, soil degradation, urban environment, and technological and natural hazards. See http://www.eea. dk/ for ordering information.
Cutting sulfur concentrations in gasoline would reduce the number of air pollution-related deaths, according to Canadian health and environmental researchers. In a recent study, "The Effect of the Urban Ambient Air Pollution Mix on Daily Mortality Rates in Canadian Cities," the researchers used a multiple pollutant relative risk model to correlate nonaccident-related deaths with ambient air pollution data during an 11-year period. They found a greater than expected public health benefit to decreasing the sulfur content in gasoline to 30 ppm based on its contribution to the mix of pollutants (Burnett R T et al Canadian Journal of Public Health May/ 1998 )
intended to help identify problem areas and target resources to them. The study is available by calling (202) 720-8644, and at http://www.nhq.nrcs.usda.gov/ land/pubs/nlweb.html. The United States exported at least 21 million pounds of pesticides prohibited for domestic use during 1995-1996, with many bound for destinations in the developing world, reports the Foundation for Advancements in Science and Education. Although pesticide exporters are required to notify recipient countries if a pesticide is not registered in the United States, the U.S. government does not maintain sufficient shipping records, nor does EPA adequately monitor pesticide exports A copy of the report is available at http.V/www.fasenet. org/pest95-96 html. A more complete method for accounting for the world's carbon sources and sinks needs to be developed so that Kyoto Protocol agreements are based on a full carbon budget, concludes the International Geosphere Biosphere Program's Terrestrial Carbon Working Group in The Terrestrial Carbon Cycle: Implications for the Kyoto Protocol. Though the protocol only identifies forests as carbon sinks the group points out that forests represent but a small portion of the global carbon budget Also because they are biologically active they can only be expected to be temporary reserves The group recommends developing a carbon accountincr methnrl t h a t takp
