Download 25.01.15 ​Bicycle Rally-Riding for the planet at pamplemousses

Address
By
Hon. Jayeshwur Raj Dayal, CSK, PDSM, QPM
Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development, Disaster
and Beach Management
Bicycle Rally-Ride for the Planet
Pamplemousses Youth Centre
Pamplemousses
Sunday 25th January 2015 at 09 30hours
1
My Colleagues:
Hon. Yogida Sawmynaden, Minister of Youth and Sports,
President of District Council of Pamplemousses,
Mr Deeraj Sookur
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear participants,
 A very Good morning to you all, it is a pleasure for me to
be in your midst, today, for the launching of this bicycle
rally organized by EPCO (Environmental Protection
Conservation
organization)in
collaboration
with
the
Ministry of Youth and Sports and my Ministry with the
aim of creating awareness about climate change among
youth.
 I would like to seize the opportunity to put on record my
appreciation for the good work done by NGO’s engaged in
2
the field of environment. They are privileged partners of
the Ministry of Environment, Sustainable Development,
Disaster and Beach Management and they can rely on the
full support of my Ministry in such endeavours.
 ‘Ride for the Planet’ is indeed a good initiative to
encourage climate friendly use of bicycles displaying
environmental messages to sensitise the public about this
alarming threat.
 As you aware mankind is facing numerous global
challenges and you will agree that most of these challenges
are due to our past unplanned and unforeseen actions. In
most cases, these actions were mainly implemented with a
view to enhance our quality of life. Since the industrial era,
in the 18th century, the world has been consuming
petroleum products at an unprecedented rate. This has led
to the increase of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere and
is eventually resulting in global warming.
3
 Climate change is one of the greatest environmental, social
and economic threats facing the planet.
 The impacts of Climate Change are too many and too
important for us to ignore. Droughts and floods, more
intense cyclones, rising sea-level, beach erosion, loss of
biodiversity, food problems are a few of the impacts
associated with climate change.
 According to the Centre for Research and Epidemiology of
Disasters of the World Meteorological Organisation, more
than 370,000 people have died as a result of extreme
weather and climate conditions, such as heat waves, cold
spells, droughts, storms and floods between 2001 and 2010.
 Last year:
o On 14 December 2014, a series of floods from the
northeast monsoon hit Indonesia, West Malaysia,
Southern Thailand, and later Sri Lanka in South Asia
causing the displacement of more than 100,000 people
4
in Indonesia, 200,000 in Malaysia, and 1.1 Million
affected in Sri Lanka.
o Early this year, a flood in Malawi has caused the death
of at least 170 people and 200,000 people displaced.
o Between the 2nd to the 8th January 2015 in Australia,
the Adelaide Hills bushfire destroyed approximately
12,500 hectares of land, 32 houses and 125
outbuildings; and injured 134 people.
o The landslide, which hit the village of Malin in
Maharashtra, India early in the morning of 30th July
2014 killed at least 134 people. The landslide was
believed to have been caused by a burst of heavy
rainfall.
 Mauritius is no exception.
In fact, we are already
experiencing the impacts of climate change through
accelerated sea level rise, accentuated beach erosion and
increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather
5
events. The flash flood which hit Port-Louis area on 30th
March 2013 with the high death toll is evidence of our
vulnerability to the impacts of Climate Change.
 According to the World Risk Report, 2012, Mauritius is
among the top 15 countries with the highest disaster risk
and ranks 7th on the list of countries most exposed to
natural hazards.
 With the advent of cyclones, storm surges and sea level
rise, the coastal zone of Mauritius has been degraded at
several places and is exposed to risk.
Changes in the
current patterns in the lagoon have further accelerated the
sand movement causing sand depletion in some places and
accretion in others.
As such, several public beaches
namely Roches Noires, Von Molke public beach, Trou
D’Eau Douce, Bois des Amourettes and Rivière des
Créoles have been eroded.
6
 Nevertheless, it is never too late for actions – we have to
change our mindset and adopt a sustainable lifestyle to
preserve our natural resources and protect our environment.
This is the only way to ensure that our future generations
are legated a better planet.
 Everyone is encouraged to be an environment champion so
that your future is the one you want and you have
contributed in shaping.
 Today’s youth are tomorrow’s decision-makers, with the
destiny of our nation in their hands. Choices made today
will affect us tomorrow.
 Simple actions from each one of us will ultimately make a
big difference. So let us start today itself by:
o switching off lights, air conditioners and computers
when not in use,
o avoiding wastage of water,
7
o opting for walking and biking instead of motorised
transport,
o favouring reuse or recycling, setting up of a
network for the collection and distribution of used
clothes to underprivileged youngsters, instead of
throwing them away;
o sorting our wastes,
o composting green wastes,
o Using long lasting bags such as cloth bags, "tente
vacoas", instead of plastic bags which are nonbiodegradable products and remain for hundred of
years in the soil.
 Before ending I would like to reiterate that we need
collective and concerted actions by one and all to bring
sustainable changes. Without the active participation of all
stakeholders, that is the public as well as the private sector,
NGO’s
and
the
youth
among
others,
sustainable
development will remain a mere concept. Simple actions
can make a big difference and individual actions,
8
multiplied by millions of people, can add up to enormous
environmental benefits.
 I will end with a quote from the late President and CEO of
the Anheuser-Busch company Mr. August A. Busch III, I
quote
 “The World we all share is given to us in trust. Every
choice we make regarding the earth, air, and water
around us should be made with the objective of
preserving it for all generations to come” Unquote.
 I thank you all for you attention and have the pleasure to
launch the Bicycle Rally.
J.R.D.
9