To Protect Lakes, 'Act Now for the Future'

The most important message of World Lakes Day is that action must be taken today for the sake of tomorrow, Ágnes Forsthoffer, the speaker of parliament, told a conference held in Balatonfüred, in western Hungary, on Tuesday.

Jessika Roswall, the European Commission’s commissioner for environment, water resilience and a competitive circular economy, also attended the event.

Ágnes Forsthoffer emphasized that the message of the day was that the challenges facing lakes - climate change, droughts, extreme weather, water level fluctuations, pollution and declining biodiversity -- are shared European issues. "These can only be addressed through joint action at European and international levels, in cooperation with one another," she added.

At the event, organized by the Balaton Integration and Development Agency, the house speaker also noted that a country’s approach to environmental protection reflects its level of commitment. She remarked that she was proud that, since May, an independent ministry has been responsible for the living environment.