Yiota Antoniou
«Over their long history, human beings established a survival framework that was in harmony with nature. Every function was an inseparable part of an ecological whole. Over the centuries and with the advent of a globalized society, the need to meet a growing number of consumer needs has led to an unbalanced use of natural resources. As a result, ecosystems have deteriorated, biodiversity has been reduced, the landscape spoiled, species have disappeared and both the quality of life and the environment have been undermined. Amid all kinds of natural disasters, people have begun to realize that nature is wreaking its revenge on humans, who have become its rivals. «Yet the situation is changing. Citizens of the world, more informed than ever before, and seeing the enormous ecological destruction that threatens their existence, are becoming skeptical about policies that are an obstacle to sustainable development. «The principle of prevention and an incorporation of environmental factors into all sectors of policy are gaining ground and are now the basis for debate both at national and international level. This has been the work of both environmentally aware citizens and the non-governmental environmental organizations with their unshakeable faith in the dynamic balance between human activities and nature. That is the only thing that can guarantee a better tomorrow for future generations. There is still hope…»
