Issue date: 14 Oct, 2004
For the AMERICA UPAEP series, the member countries of the Postal Union of the Americas, Spain and Portugal, have chosen Environmental Protection as the theme for their issues. The aim of these stamps is to raise society's awareness of the danger to our Environment . The causes are undoubtedly the result of the influence of humans, who are changing the balance between all the environment's parts and their effects, whether this is climate change, loss of biodiversity, reduction of the ozone layer, or degradation of water and soil. The build-up of gases in the atmosphere is heating up the planet and changing its climate, which leads to the greenhouse effect. This will lead to serious consequences for both human health and nature. In order to ensure the quality of life of present and future generations, we must preserve the Environment . Society is aware of this and is demanding measures to protect it.
Among the many initiatives that have arisen within the European Union with the aim of preserving the Environment is the Sixth Environmental Action Programme which will be carried out between 2001 and 2010. Its priorities are treatment of climate change and global warming, protection of habitat and natural fauna, consideration of environmental issues with regard to health and quality of life, and conservation of natural resources and waste management. Among other measures, Spanish legislation includes regulations concerning gas emissions, and a committee for co-ordinating policies on climate change is to be established. The aim of the stamp's image, which is rich in symbolic content, is to give a message of hope. It reproduces a work by J. Carrero, an artist whose work has been shown on several stamp issues because of the communicative nature of his iconography.
Rate A - €0.75. For a “standard” letter or postcard within Spain, up to 20 g.
Rate A2 - €0.85. For a “standard” letter or postcard within Spain, between 20 g and 50 g.
Rate B - €1.65. For a “standard” Ordinary International letter or postcard addressed to Europe (including Greenland), up to 20 g.
Rate C - €1.75. For a “standard” Ordinary International letter or postcard addressed to the rest of the world (except USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand), up to 20 g.
Rate D - €2.10. For a “standard” Ordinary International letter or postcard addressed to the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, up to 20 g.