nature

Former President Áder opens Planet Budapest 2023 expo

Former President János Áder opened the Planet Budapest 2023 sustainability expo on Wednesday.

Climate change, water crises, diminishing bio-diversity, the exhaustion of arable land and deforestation were “the big, enduring, common stress situations of mankind”, Áder, the event’s founder and chief patron, said in his opening address, adding that the situation was unprecedented. “We must find different forms of adaptation,” he said.

The expo, the largest international sustainability event in central Europe, runs until 1 October.

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LMP: Hungary ‘is not a climate champion’

“Hungary is not a climate champion,” the opposition LMP party has said in a message to the government, urging more ambitious climate protection targets.

In reaction to a recent speech by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, LMP co-leader Erzsébet Schmuck told a press conference on Wednesday: “This isn’t football where there are winners and champions … our lives are at stake.” The question was, she added, “how much damage there’ll be and how far we can manage the losses”.

Schmuck rejected the prime minister’s statement that Hungary had made progress in reducing carbon dioxide emissions, insisting that while emissions had fallen between 1990 and 2013, they had increased again by 5 percent between 2014 and 2021. In addition, a further increase is expected due to plans of building three gas-fired power plants to serve new battery factories, she added.

Reducing emissions by 40 percent by 2030 from the 1990 baseline was not enough, Schmuck said, and urged a 65 percent target as well as a higher ratio than 21 percent of renewable energy by 2030.

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AgMin: Protection of soil, water reserves joint responsibility

The sustainable husbandry of soil and water reserves is key to global food security, the agriculture minister told a meeting of the European Committee on Agriculture of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation in Budapest on Wednesday.

Greeting the meeting, Agriculture Minister István Nagy said that while Hungary was rich in good-quality water, last summer had been plagued by droughts. Preserving water in backwaters and rivers through systematic channelling, reserving water bodies and irrigation is an effective counter-measure against climate change, he said.

Another important factor is quality soil, a key to the production of healthy and high-quality food, Nagy said. Soil improvement and sustainable agriculture are a priority in Hungary, he told the meeting.

FAO’s European Committee on Agriculture is meeting in Budapest on 27-28 September, with the representatives of some 40 states discussing the sustainable use of soil and water in Europe and Central Asia.

September 28, 2023

Shipwreck found in Hungarian river: may be half a century old

In recent days, the water level of the River Maros has been extremely low, causing sandbanks to emerge in the river. A sunken shipwreck near Ferencszállás has also become visible.

The water level of the River Maros has been extremely low in recent days, which has caused an interesting shipwreck to surface. There is no detailed information about the wreck, as the vegetation in the floodplain is very dense and it is not possible to take close-up photos, Sokszínű Vidék reports.

The photos of the boat were taken by Attila Bodrogi, an amateur naturalist and meteorology enthusiast. You can check out his photo of the wreck HERE.

All that is known about the boat is that in its heyday, it was a barge that used to transport stones to fill the Maros, and it probably sank during transport. According to the Water Directorate’s records, the vessel may have been a Romanian crossing barge.

The shipwreck appeared in the river as a result of the extremely low water level in the River Maros. According to our records, the wreck is located in the vicinity of the 18,560 river kilometre section of the river. It is the remains of a small vessel that came from Romania during the 1970 Maros emergency flooding,

Tibor Borza, deputy technical director of the Lower Tisza Water Management Directorate (Alsó-Tisza-vidéki Vízügyi Igazgatóság), told Sokszínű Vidék.

The last record flooding of the Maros was in May 1970, when the river reached a height of 624 centimetres.

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September 27, 2023

Sorrowful prediction: Pines to disappear from Hungary

According to a WWF programme manager, a significant proportion of pines and pine forests will disappear, radically transforming Hungary’s forests. Pines have been languishing for years, living under climate stress in large parts of Europe – including Hungary.

Spruce to disappear from Hungary with time

As InfoStart writes, pines have been under climate stress for many years in large parts of Europe. According to Dr László Gálhidy, increasingly hot and dry summers, storms with extreme weather and the emergence of insect pests not previously typical of the area are all contributing to the death of trees.

The head of WWF Hungary’s Forest Programme points out that in 2019, a tenth of the black pine (Pinus nigra) population was lost in one year. Similar trends can be observed in neighbouring countries. In Germany, more than 110,000 hectares of forest were lost in 2018: an area the size of Hamburg and Bremen combined.

Damage by climate change

The damage to trees is caused by drought, storms and bark beetle damage. It mainly affects spruce trees, as drought and lack of water mean that trees cannot produce enough resin to help them control pests, according to an interview with Dr Gálhidy, published on wmn.hu.

According to the expert, “many pine trees have been planted in places where they would not otherwise have been, and many forests that were previously mixed forests or beech forests have been planted with pine. And this has happened not only in Hungary but also in neighbouring countries”.

No spruce for Christmas, but fear not

According to Gálhidy, from a nature conservation point of view, it is important to restore the original vegetation cover in areas where the pines will soon disappear.

As for Christmas, he also has some bad news. Spruce “will have to go, but not all conifers will disappear from the country. There will be some that can adapt to the changed conditions and some that would have survived naturally in this area before”.

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September 25, 2023

Unique VIDEO: Masses of fish jump out of River Tisza, Hungarian lake disappears

Masses of fish jump out of the River Tisza, Hungarian lake disappears

Silver carp jumped out from the Tisza River near Szeged, and the fantastic phenomenon was caught on video. It was like the water was boiling.

According to Blikk, a Hungarian tabloid, silver carp “tried to jump out” from the Tisza River near Szeged, South Hungary. The events took place where River Tisza meets River Maros near Újszeged. The fish were probably terrified because of something that is why they wanted to leave the water.

The phenomenon is rare but typical at this time of the year. Carps probably jumped because of the movement of the boats and kayaks. The show can turn dangerous provided there are people around the jumping fish. That is because a carp may reach 15 kg, so you will probably not be thankful if one hits you.

Read also:

This is an amazing drone video: Budapest, Like Never Before! – Read more HERE
VIDEO: Spectacular animation for the 77-year-old Hungarian forint

Here is the video:

@szeged365Ritkán látni ilyet a Tiszán – több tucat busa kezdett “ugrálásba” a vízben, Ádám olvasónk lencsevégre is kapta őket!♬ eredeti hang – Szeged365 – Szeged365

Romantic Hungarian lake “disappeared”

The artificial lake of Jósvafő is a popular tourist destination close to Miskolc, one of the most beautiful human-made Hungarian lakes. Created in 1942, it contained the water of the nearby abundant fountains. The aim was electricity production, travelo.hu wrote.

The lake will not disappear, but the national park removes the water to carry out the lakebed’s desludging, remove the plants, reestablish the original water depth and renew the dam. After the work finishes, the lake will be refilled, “hopefully already by next weekend”, the national park said in a Facebook post.

September 24, 2023

Hungarian minister shared what is needed to reach decarbonisation goals

Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) is essential for reaching decarbonisation goals, Csaba Lantos, the energy minister, said on Saturday.

Carbon dioxide emissions have fallen by 37 percent in Hungary since 1990, and the National Energy and Climate Strategy (read more about that HERE) calls for a 50 percent reduction by 2030, he said at a presentation of a book on carbon dioxide storage and utilisation opportunities in Hungary. Last year, Hungary was the fourth most effective EU member state in reducing carbon dioxide emissions per unit of energy production, he said, having reduced this ratio by 8.6 percent. Only the three Benelux countries outperformed Hungary, he added.

Citing a recent Hungarian study, Lantos said CCUS may be the only way of ensuring the viability of existing power plants and industrial facilities, which can be retrofitted with carbon dioxide capture technology. Electricity generated by renewable energy can replace some processes, but not all industrial processes can be made electricity-based, he said, citing the examples of heavy industry, long-distance transport and cement production, which would rely of CCUS to achieve zero emissions.

Read also:

After months of despair, good news for solar panel owners in Hungary – Read more HERE
Hungary to start receiving gas from north

Parts of the steel industry that use CCUS technologies now are the most advanced and cheapest low-carbon solutions for the production of new steel, he said. Only twenty large emitters account for 70 percent of Hungarian emissions where CCUS is relevant, so it would be fairly easy to make changes with relatively few players involved, he said. Around 47 million tonnes of carbon dioxide are spewed into the country’s atmosphere annually, much of it by fossil fuelled power plants, metal producers, the chemical industry and cement makers. Since these produce emissions in large volumes they are big CCUS contenders, he added.

September 10, 2023

Mass disaster: President, Speaker expressed condolences

President Katalin Novák has sent her condolences to King Mohammed VI of Morocco, his family and the people of Morocco, over the earthquake that hit the country late Friday.

“Deeply shocked by the devastating news coming from Morocco where an earthquake killed hundreds of people and left many more homeless,” Novák said on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter. “My heartfelt condolences to the royal family and to the people of Morocco; my thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the victims during this tragic moment. I wish you strength for the rescue operations, we Hungarians lend a helping hand whenever needed,” she added.

László Kövér, the Speaker of Parliament, also expressed his condolences to Rachid Talbi Alami, head of the Moroccan House of Representatives. “Let me express my condolences to you and to every Moroccan citizen, especially those who lost family members and homes during this tragic event,” he wrote. Kövér sent a similar message of condolence to Naam Miyara, head of the Council of Advisors of the Kingdom of Morocco.

Read also:

Morocco from a Hungarian perspective – Part I.
Morocco’s National Day celebrated in Budapest with a special event

Foreign ministry spokesman Máté Paczolay told MTI on Saturday that based on currently available information, there were no Hungarian victims or injured in connection with the overnight earthquake. The Hungarian embassy in Morocco is contacting Hungarian citizens living or staying in the country for the purpose of travel, providing them with all possible help and information, he said.

September 10, 2023

Beautiful Budapest park represents Hungary in Green Cities Europe contest! – PHOTOS

Northern Budapest’s Pünkösdfürdő Park, the winner of Hungary’s National Green Cities Europe Award, will represent the country in the Green Cities Europe international contest in Brussels in October, Mayor Gergely Karácsony said on Facebook on Wednesday.

Karácsony said the Pünkösdfürdő project, implemented by the city council and municipal park manager FŐKERT, was one of the projects launched and completed by Budapest’s incumbent leadership. Pünkösdfürdő is the city’s first “rain park” with 600 trees, shrubs and wild flowers, Karácsony said.

Check out some photos below!

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September 6, 2023

Rare phenomenon photographed in Hungary — PHOTO

A very rare and spectacular celestial phenomenon, the red ghost, has been photographed in Hungary.

A really special celestial phenomenon was photographed in Hungary, near Gyula, by a Hungarian photographer. The so-called red sprites appeared over thunderstorms in the Czech Republic, 420 kilometres from Gyula.

Red sprites are high-altitude haze discharges that flash for a fraction of a second above the lightning strikes of thunderstorms. The electric field strength required for these formations can develop after larger lightning discharges for short periods between the storm cloud and the lower boundary layer (100 km) of the ionosphere.

“This was the first time I tried something like this, and I was delighted to capture so many in one go. Beautiful phenomena,” napi.hu quotes Gábor Szűcs as saying.

August 31, 2023

Hungarian tourists commit crime at Croatian beach, police react quickly

An employee of the local veterinary institute called the police on Hungarian tourists on the island of Vir, Croatia. The tourists were lifting rare, endangered and protected noble pen shells (Pinna nobilis) out of the water.

Hvg writes that a group of Hungarian tourists were lifting up endangered noble pen shells on the island of Vir. According to Morski.hr‘s report, a staff member of the institute who was diving in the area sent the photos to a colleague in the capital, with the caption “Hungarians are taking noble pen shells out of the water!”. The colleague in Zagreb therefore called the nearest police station, in Zadar, where, to his surprise, the policemen understood the seriousness of the matter. After viewing the photos, police officers were sent to the scene.

An unintentional crime

Meanwhile, the staff member of the local veterinary institute who was on the spot also warned the Hungarians. The tourists were shocked to learn that the noble pen shell is so rare that only 26 specimens are reported to be left in the Adriatic Sea. In addition, they were also unaware of the risk to mussels’ lives they could cause by moving them. The Hungarian tourists could not even tell if these mussels were still alive. Police arrived at the scene within twenty minutes of the phone call. The local conservation law strictly prohibits the collection of not only live but even dead noble pen shell scallops.

It is not mentioned in the Croatian article whether the clueless Hungarians were fined. However, the report seems to indicate that the sea creatures survived.

Noble pen shells

The noble pen shell (Pinna nobilis) is a large type of Mediterranean clam. It can grow up to 120 cm, but the usual length is 30–50 cm. Its shape depends on its surroundings and the region. Unfortunately, this species is highly prone to diseases and sensitive to pollution. The noble pen shell has been threatened by extinction in multiple countries including Greece, Croatia, Turkey, Tunisia, France and Morroco.

August 30, 2023

More earthquakes expected in Hungary due to harmful human activity

In the quadrangle of Szarvas-Kondoros-Mezőberény-Gyomaendrőd (Békés County), 99 earthquakes were registered last week. And that number is expected to rise further, according to Attila Aszódi, a professor at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME).

In his article published on portfolio.hu, he explained how harmful human activities result in earthquakes in Békés County, SE Hungary. He added that earthquakes of magnitude 4 occur in Hungary every decade. But nearly a 100 within just one week is concerning. Oddly, they break out in small depths (6-8-10-20 km). Some politicians said such earthquakes endanger the operation of the Paks nuclear power plant. Aszódi assured the readers that earthquakes in Békés County do not affect Paks, which is 150 km away, at all.

Nevertheless, he said that in Békés County, certain human activities might trigger tremors from within the earth. Firstly, the Corvinus project could be a culprit, which is on a mission to increase domestic gas and oil production. Secondly, several geothermal energy projects will start soon in Békés County. The professor said the earthquakes should be taken as warning signs for everyone.

Read also:

VIDEO: Hungarian mother and her 5-year-old stuck in the earthquake-hit zone – click HERE for more
VIDEO: Earthquake in East Hungary

August 29, 2023

The Asian hornet is now present in Hungary: should we start panicking?

The Hungarian Natural History Museum has confirmed that the Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) has reached Hungary after its expansion in Europe.

Portfolio wrote that the appearance of the species was expected in Hungary. The first specimens were captured by Tamás Márta, a beekeeper in Kimle. Two specimens were placed in the collection of the Hungarian Natural History Museum with the help of the Hungarian Beekeeping Association. Meanwhile, the domestic appearance of the species is in the process of being published in a scientific journal.

The Asian hornet

The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) was brought to France in 2004. Ever since, the species has been expanding in Europe. It was getting closer to Hungary year by year, but now it has finally reached the country. For now, the species has been seen in two areas: Szigetköz and Győr-Moson-Sopron county. The Hungarian Natural History Museum wrote:

However, there is no reason to panic: this species is slightly smaller (2.5–3 cm) than the European hornet (Vespa crabro) and no more aggressive than our native companion wasp species. From a population and public health point of view, its presence in the native fauna will not make a substantial difference. Unfortunately, however, the Asian hornet has a predilection for hunting domestic bees, so rather than unnecessary fear and scaremongering, let’s keep our fingers crossed for domestic beekeepers so that the species’ appearance causes as little harm as possible to them and pollinating insects.

No danger to humans

It is very important to keep calm about the matter and educate ourselves about hornets. Some people like to spread fake news about dangerous insects. Both European hornets (Vespa crabro) and Asian hornets (Vespa velutina) are easily mistaken for Asian giant hornets (Vespa mandarinia). Asian hornets and Asian giant hornets both originate from Asia, as their names suggest. Despite that, there is a significant size difference between the two species. Vespa mandarinia species are around 5–6 cm, while Vespa velutina are only 2.5–3 cm. Earlier this year, we wrote an article about the possibility of Asian giant hornets in Hungary which you can read HERE.

August 27, 2023

VIDEO: Earthquake in East Hungary

Several minor earthquakes occurred in eastern Hungary on Saturday, the disaster management authority told MTI.

At 11.13am, an earthquake registering a 4 on the Richter scale was reported near the town of Gyomaendrőd, in the southeast, the National Directorate of Disaster Management said, citing a report by the Kövesligeti Rado Seismology Observatory. The tremor was felt in several nearby settlements, but so far the disaster management authority has received no reports of damage.

A few minutes later, another 4.0 magnitude earthquake was registered near Turkeve in the east, with the tremors again being felt in nearby towns. At 12.51pm, the observatory registered a 2.8 magnitude earthquake near the south-eastern town of Szarvas. Later in the afternoon, two aftershocks with magnitudes of 2.8 and a 3.5 were registered around Szarvas, the observatory said, adding that more could be expected.

20 August fireworks: Budapest Mayor highlights importance of environmental protection

The mayor of Budapest has highlighted the importance of environmental protection during preparations for the celebration of the founding of the Hungarian state.

“We must consider the obligation our glorious past demands of us for the future,” Gergely Karácsony said on Facebook on Friday. “Let’s celebrate with humility towards the heritage entrusted to us: our environment.”

He accused organisers of a concert to be held in the Taban district of the capital on Sunday of showing “zero interest” in the park’s environment, and he appealed to concert-goers to take care of the area.

Referring to the national holiday fireworks, he said: “Some like fireworks but others are outraged that money is being spent on them during hard times.”

Pointing to the pollution, noise and stress felt by animals, he said fireworks should be replaced by light shows using new technologies.

The following picture was taken in the Taban district:

“The oldest tree in the Taban has been standing here for at least two hundred years. The park was renovated a few years ago at a cost of HUF half a billion. It does not deserve this. The concert organisers seem to be totally indifferent to this,” Karácsony wrote in his Facebook post.

PM’s chief of staff: Preserving St. Stephen’s legacy ‘protecting freedom’

Preserving the legacy of King St. Stephen “means protecting freedom and Europe’s traditional values and promoting national sovereignty,” Gergely Gulyás, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office, told a celebration on Friday, ahead of Hungary’s 20 August national holiday.

Marking the “1023rd birth anniversary of the Hungarian state”, Gulyás called on Hungarians to show gratitude for “40 lifespans of work and service through which the nation has survived over the centuries”.

“We must study the path behind us so that we do not lose the way ahead,” he said.

Gulyás also highlighted the work of St. Stephen in “choosing Christianity and the West of those times”. He added, however, that “after a thousand years the situation in Europe is such that there is no longer a path to western Europe through Christianity.”

“Whatever has been shared in European faith, culture and thinking has been rejected, forgotten and left behind by western Europe,” he said, adding that Christianity had been “banned from society’s basic principles, laws and politics, allowing an ideology to take over questioning, rejecting and removing all European values.”

At the ceremony, Gulyás, on behalf of President Katalin Novák, handed over the Order of Merit of Hungary, Commander’s Cross, to István Zsolt Gyulai, Olympic and world champion kayaker, head of the Hungarian Olympic Committee, as well as Gabriella Vukovich, retired head of the Central Statistical Office.

August 19, 2023

These are the most charming islands on the Danube, close to Budapest

When foreigners think of islands on the Danube, most of them conjure up images of the Hajógyári Island, which hosts the famous Sziget Festival. However, there are many other stunning islands on Hungary’s longest river.

As Utazási Élmények wrote there are several striking islands along the Hungarian stretch of the Danube. However, their exact number may change from time to time due to natural processes or human invention. According to the freshest data, there are about 76 islands on the Hungarian stretch of the Danube River. Some may be uninhabited, while others are used as residential and holiday resorts. Visiting these island, you’ll find a wealth of history and culture as well as pristine natural diversity. Many of them have water transport. Besides, they are great for recreational purposes as well; for picnics, cycling or outdoor sports.

Szigetköz

After the Danube passes the Dévényi Dam, its flow slows down and deposits sediment. It then splits into many small branches, resulting in the emergence of several tiny islets. Szigetköz is located on the north-western corner of the country, where the Danube crosses the border between Hungary and Slovakia. This location offers one of Hungary’s most scenic landscapes, with its rich flora and fauna, winding cycle paths and unique aquatic life. A true paradise on earth. It covers an area of 375 square kilometres, and it’s a joy for water sports enthusiasts who can canoe and kayak along the branches of the Danube.

Prímás Island

Prímás Island is one of the most beautiful locations in Esztergom. It is the perfect spot for those who seek sports and quality time by the waterfront. The island is 2.7 kilometres long. There are cruise, hydrofoil and excursion boat services at the island’s boat station. From here, it is only a few minutes walk to the water park and the Maria Valeria Bridge. The bridge takes you across the Danube to Štúrovo (Párkány) in Slovakia. You get a great a breathtaking view of the Buda Castle Hill.

Source: Pixabay

Csepel Island

Csepel Island is situated in the southern part of Budapest. It’s one of the largest islands on the Danube. It serves an important industrial and residential role with its rich natural ecosystem. Its iconic buildings include the athletics stadium on the northern part of the island, with several sports fields, and the 314-metre-high Lakihegy radio tower. This tower is the tallest structure in the country, built for medium-wave radio broadcasting. However, now it is an industrial monument.

Szentendre Island

Many consider Szentendre Island to be one of the most beautiful parts of the Danube Bend. It has retained its rural serenity despite the popularity of the area. Szentendre Island covers an area of 56 square kilometres and is 31 km long and roughly 2.3-3.5 km wide. It is an ideal hiking and cycling destination.

Margaret Island

Margaret Island, or Rabbit Island, as used to be called in the middle ages was a royal hunting reserve. The island was named after King Béla’s daughter, Margaret, who was sent to this island during the Mongol invasion. Margaret Island is located in the heart of Budapest and boasts a stunning park. If you want to relax and unwind in the great outdoors or play some sports, this is your place.

Népsziget

Népsziget is located in Districts IV. and XIII. of Budapest. It is about 2 kilometres long. It used to be an island on the Danube, but since then it formed into a peninsula.

Hajógyári Island

Surely everyone has heard of this island located in the northern part of Budapest. Hajógyári Island hosts the famous Sziget Festival, making it a very desirable destination in August.

Petőfi Island

This island is located further away from Budapest, in Baja. Petőfi Island is connected to the centre of Baja by a bridge over the Sugovica Lagoon. There are plenty of hostels, guesthouses, camping, restaurants, tennis courts, and pools in this area. Thus, this is a real sports and leisure paradise. The island also offers kayak and canoe rentals, as well as fishing opportunities. It makes a wonderful weekend getaway spot if you need a break from the hustle and bustle of the Hungarian capital. If you decide to venture out to Baja to discover the Hungarian countryside, make sure to try their famous fish soup!

August 15, 2023

PHOTOS: Record-high water level on River Dráva, but Hungary’s flood management ‘superb’

The authorities combatting flooding on Hungary’s rivers have performed superbly in recent days, partly owing to experiences gained during the great floods ten years ago, a government official said on Thursday.

Torrential rain in western parts of the country has resulted in the serious swelling of rivers, István György, a state secretary of the prime minister’s office, told a press conference in Drávaszabolcs by the River Dráva, adding that flood barriers in Baranya County have held strong this past week. Instructed by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, officials participating in flood protection efforts have maintained close online communication with the government, he noted, also highlighting the contributions of the police, disaster managers, water experts, and local mayors.

The River Dráva at Drávaszabolcs is expected to peak on Friday morning at a near-record level, he said. Fully 31 settlements in the Drávaszabolcs area are being protected, and the first signs of subsidence on the river at Szentborbas has been observed, so flood protection efforts will be maintained in perilous sections of the Dráva until the end of next week, a water management official said.

Here is Orbán’s video:

Hungarian disaster authority offers aid to flood-stricken Slovenia

Hungary’s disaster management authority (OKF) has offered a diving team, pumps and flood protection equipment to Slovenia to help with flood mitigation. The authority said on Thursday that it had offered a 22-member diving team equipped with all-terrain vehicles and boats, 6 high-performance pumps and operating personnel, 2 excavators, 2 tipper trucks, 2 technical experts, sandbags, and other tools necessary for flood protection. The aid will only be sent to Slovenia once it has been accepted, OKF’s statement said.

August 11, 2023

Record: Thunderstorms prompt 6 red alerts this summer in Hungary

Thunderstorms this summer have prompted the authorities to order six red alerts over five days, more than in the whole of an average year, the National Meteorological Service said on Wednesday.

Red alerts are issued by the National Meteorological Service when there is a danger of hailstones more than 2 centimeters in diameter and stormy winds resulting in damage over a large area.

Hungary adopts third National Biodiversity Strategy

Hungary’s third National Biodiversity Strategy provides a comprehensive framework for the long-term preservation of the country’s wildlife and natural resources and defines the goals to be met by 2030, the agriculture ministry said on Tuesday.

The strategy prioritises topics such as protected areas, containing invasive species that damage natural ecosystems, as well as sustainable agriculture, forestry and game and fish farming, the ministry said in a statement.

Tasks defined in the strategy include halting the decline of pollinators, improving the resilience of ecosystems to climate change, developing the elements of the green infrastructure network and mitigating pollution that threatens biodiversity, it said.

Preserving Hungary’s biodiversity is vital to the well-being of present and future generations, they said. Biodiversity is also the foundation of food production, and is essential for ensuring soil fertility and pollination as well as water and air depollution, while also providing raw materials for medicine and wood, according to the statement.

Featured image: illustration

August 9, 2023

Volunteers remove over 6 tonnes of waste from River Tisza

Some 6.1 tonnes of waste has been removed from a 70km stretch of the River Tisza near Szolnok, in central Hungary, by environmental volunteers working over the past several days, the organisers of the 11th Tisza PET Cup competition said on Tuesday.

Thanks to waste collection at the catchment areas and the upper Tisza region in recent years, as well as the dam in Kisköre, less waste was found in the wooded areas along the river, the statement said. The 11th Tisza PET Cup was won by a team of Siemens Energy who collected 254 bags of waste out of the total 937 bags accumulated during the competition, it added.

The ministry of energy affairs was the main sponsor of the competition this year. Thanks to the series of PET Cup competitions, several hundreds of thousands of kilos of waste have been removed from Hungarian rivers in the past decade, more than twice as much as by the Ocean CleanUp scheme renowned for similar efforts targeting oceans, the statement said.

Of the 328,000 kgs of waste collected by the environmental volunteers over the years in Hungary, some 60 percent has been recycled, it added.

Here is the video:

And some photos:

Have you read THIS one? Floating body was found near a popular Budapest beach.

August 9, 2023

Forests intentionally destroyed in Hungary?

The opposition LMP has called on the government to scrap a decree allowing for “economic destruction of forests”, passed a year ago and aimed at ensuring firewood supplies.

LMP spokesperson Anna Süveg told a press conference on Friday that “Hungary’s forests are still endangered” due to the “amateurish” government decree “passed in a rush, in a fright of the energy crisis.”

“Winter is drawing near and forests are threatened again by destruction,” she said, adding that “producing marketable firewood or financing showcase investments come before leaving forests unviolated”. Süveg said her party would re-submit a relevant draft in September, noting that the proposal had once been voted down by parliament’s Fidesz-led majority.

August 4, 2023