More Humpty Dumpty from the Commission.

Words mean just what they want them to mean.

I have just recievd a press release from an outfit calling themselves CEEweb for Biodiversity. This, one of over 3000 Para Governmental Organisations that prefers to be called an NGO is keen on Wilderness, which it helpfully defines as,

The term ‘wilderness’ refers to large, undisturbed natural areas. These places are governed by natural processes without human intervention, and offer sanctuaries for wild plants and animals. But that’s only one of the special things about wilderness. The other one is purely emotional: people who are lucky enough to visit such areas, often sense a unique experience of spiritual quality which might change their basic attitude to nature, to mankind, and sometimes even to themselves..

All well and good. Not a lot of that around I would have thought, and wide open to the tradgedy of the commons, but OK.

But what do they really mean? Well of course they mean that areas defined as wilderness should be managed, just not by the nations in which they happen to be, but by the EU itself under the Natura 2000 program.

This could be achieved through the development of clear guidance for Member States on non-intervention management of Natura 2000 sites by the European Commission.

Given successful promotion and implementation of these guidelines, wilderness areas have the strong potential to become a well integrated and important component of European protected areas network and to be integral for climate change adaptation.

Oh yes and did you see that little climate change reference? All part of a bigger project you see.