30. Expresses its concern that in recent years Europe has suffered from fires destroying more than 400 000 hectares of forest per year, caused by the progressive abandonment of the countryside and its traditional activities, inadequate forest maintenance, the existence of large expanses of forest consisting of a single tree species, the planting of unsuitable tree varieties, the absence of a proper prevention policy and insufficiently severe penalties where fires are started deliberately, together with the inadequate implementation of laws prohibiting illegal building and ensuring reafforestation; notes that with fires occurring on this scale, especially in southern Europe, forests a ...[+++]re unable to regenerate, and that this has serious ecological consequences and economic and social effects; also notes that the unusual weather conditions experienced in 2007 exacerbated the phenomenon of mega-fires, something which is likely to recur more often in years to come; further notes that global warming will increase over the next 30 years at least, and that this could primarily affect specific regions particularly vulnerable to climate change;

30. Expresses its concern that in recent years Europe has suffered from fires destroying more than 400 000 hectares of forest per year; notes that with fires occurring on this scale, especially in southern Europe, forests are unable to regenerate, and that this has serious ecological consequences and economic and social effects; also notes that the unusual weather conditions experienced in 2007 led to the phenomenon of mega-fires, something which is likely to recur more often in years to come; further notes that global warming will increase over the next 30 years at least, and that this will primarily affect specific regions particula ...[+++]rly vulnerable to climate change;

Furthermore, from the investigations in the United Kingdom (UK) and Hungary, no elements have emerged to suggest that the adoption of more stringent measures for the Hungarian outbreak would have prevented the outbreak in the UK.

Furthermore, from the investigations in the United Kingdom (UK) and Hungary, no elements have emerged to suggest that the adoption of more stringent measures for the Hungarian outbreak would have prevented the outbreak in the UK.

25. Recalls that a newer car fleet would also be a safer one; regrets that the Commission Communication on the taxation of passenger cars in the European Union (COM(2002)0431) and the subsequent resolution adopted by the European Parliament have not led to the suggested replacement of registration taxes by annual road taxes, thus forfeiting an improvement in the functioning of the internal market and a faster introduction of newer and safer cars; calls on the Commission to put forward incentive programmes for the renewal of the vehicle fleet, including agricultural vehicles, which would bring clear benefits not only in terms of road sa ...[+++]fety and the environment but also in terms of industrial development; to this end, calls on the Commission to assess the effect of the increased use of 4x4 vehicles and of other vehicles intended for other purposes (quads, buggies, etc.) on the accident rate and to put forward measures to reduce the risks posed by them;

Why has the government not recognized this pine beetle infestation in the province of B.C., which is and has been going on for about 13 years since the newest outbreak, at the same level of concern that it has in the instances of the floods in Manitoba, the ice storms, et cetera, where it was quick to come to the aid in those situations?