BRUSSELS – Benoît Lutgen, the environment minister for the Wallonian region, would like to introduce a wide-ranging public awareness campaign about pollution including ‘green’ courses in schools, it was reported Tuesday.

The news comes amid growing concerns over environmental problems in Belgium’s French-speaking region such as greenhouse gases, underground water and increasing energy consumption.

Some scientists are pressing for a twice yearly publication of environmental indicators to replace the annual one. Supporters argue that the more frequent publication of such data would offer a better picture of changing conditions.

Lutgen has said that he dreams of a closer collaboration with his colleagues in the French community government to do more to sensitise the public about environmental problems.

One of his ideas is to follow the French example and offer environmental courses to children from nursery school through university level, though it’s not clear from press reports whether he would like to make such courses mandatory.

[Copyright Expatica 2004]

Subject: Belgian news