The Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, Mr Kavydass Ramano, called on the population for more responsible behaviour and consumption and sustainable lifestyles on the occasion of the World Environment Day, celebrated annually on 05 June.
The World Environment Day is celebrated since 1972 to raise awareness and generate action on a pressing environmental issue. The day offers an opportunity to reflect on accomplishments and renew the determination to overcome the environmental challenges facing the world today. The theme retained for year 2021 is “Ecosystem Restoration” under the campaign “Reimagine. Recreate. Restore”.
In this context the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change will undertake several activities in line with its agenda to adopt responsible and environmentally sustainable practices to protect the environment and increase the resilience of our ecosystems.
They are as follows:
(i) Launching of an awareness campaign on the severity of fines as regards littering and illegal dumping;
(ii) Creation of a 600-metre fitness trail with amenities, including an outdoor gym at La Citadelle;
(iii) Landscaping of tracks at Quatre Bornes in collaboration with Metro Express Ltd and Larsen & Toubro Ltd; and
(iv) Clean-up campaign across the island in collaboration with the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority and other stakeholders in July 2021.
Some governmental measures undertaken to restore the ecosystem are: rehabilitation of some 7.1 kilometers of eroding coastal areas over the past five years, rehabilitation of some 800 meters of shoreline as part of the project to replace casuarinas (2020-2022) with endemic and native trees, placing of 995 units of artificial reefs in the lagoon, as well as restoration of coastal ecosystems affected by the MV Wakashio grounding and oil spill.
A major achievement is the enactment of the Climate Change Act in November 2020, which is the first of its kind in the Indian Ocean region.
Additionally, the Environment Protection Act and the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (2003) are being revised to address new challenges such as the impacts of increased vessel traffic and increased risk of oil spills in territorial waters.
A number of projects are likewise underway. They include review of the Nationally Determined Contributions to be submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change before the COP-26 meeting in November 2021;formulation of a national climate change mitigation strategy and action plan under the Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions project; and development of strategies under Facilité 2050′ program through the French Development Agency.
Also, the Ministry will soon finalise its Environmental Master Plan (2021-2030) with various action plans oriented towards an ‘ecological transition.
