RAMALLAH, June 5, 2011 (WAFA) - Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) Sunday said in a published report that 70.7% of Palestinian forest areas in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip are damaged areas.

The report, marking the World Environment Day (WED) on Sunday, coincided with the June 5, 1967 war, which Palestinians refer to as Naksa Day.

 Following 1967, many of the forests covering most of the Palestinian Territory have become barren as a result of Israeli aggression against the Palestinian land and environment, and due to excessive use by the Palestinians, said the report.

 The report also said that the Ecological Footprint (EF), which represents the demand for natural resources by humans, in the Palestinian Territory is the least among the neighboring countries.

The report said that the Biological Capacity (BC), which represents the supply side of these resources, should equal EF in ideal situation to maintain the ecological balance in the nature. When the EF exceeds the BC there will be a deficiency in the natural resources in a given country.

The EF of the Palestinian Territory amounts to 0.74 hectares per capita, that is to say any individual living in the Palestinian Territory consumes the production of 0.74 hectares, while the BC amounts to 0.16 hectares per capita, resulting in a deficit of 0.58 hectares, in comparison with 1.81 in Jordan and 0.92 in the World, said the report.

PCBS said that global reports indicated that the per capita emissions of carbon dioxide from the energy sector in the Palestinian Territory had increased by 50% during 2008, compared with 2000, due to the increase in the consumption of petroleum derivatives.

Globally, during 2008, the per capita quantities of carbon dioxide from the energy sector in the world reached 4.54 tons/year.  

R.Q./F.R.