Launching Ceremony of Climate Change Exhibition
at Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre
Address by
Honourable Devanand Virahsawmy, GOSK
Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development
14 June 2012
Dr. the Honourable Rajeshwar Jeetah Minister of Tertiary Education, Science,
Research and Technology
Mrs L. Tegmo-Reddy
UN Resident Representative
The Director of the Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre
Teachers and students
Ladies and Gentlemen
It gives me great pleasure to be in your midst today for the launching of this exhibition on climate change organised in the context of the World Environment Day. This is one of the numerous activities being organized in Mauritius and Rodrigues under the Africa Adaptation Programme. On behalf of the Government of Mauritius, I wish to acknowledge the assistance provided by the Government of Japan and the United Nations Development Programme in our efforts to build the resilience of our country against climate change.
Ialso wish to express my thanks to my colleague Hon. Minister Jeetah and to the Rajiv Gandhi Science Centrefor their support in making this event a reality. I understand that thisexhibition on climate change is the first in its kind. It will include panel displays depicting the different facets of climate change and will also comprise interactive sessions and video plays to render the exhibition more attractive. I am sure that this exhibition will contribute in bridging the disconnect between sheer perception and the harsh realities of climate change and provide, at the same time, a holistic understanding of the complexity of climate change. I am glad to note that this exhibition will be open to the public in general and to students in particular.
Ladies and Gentlemen
Climate change is happening and is real. It is recognized as one of the most daunting challenges of our time. In its recent publication, the International Energy Agency has indicated that the year 2011 was the warmest with a record level of greenhouse gas emissions. The Agency has even warned that greenhouse gas emissions by developed countries would need to peak,not later than 2017, for the world to staybelow two degrees Celsius rise in temperature. I must stress here that two degrees represent just an average. In real terms, this implies a temperature rise of the order of five to six degrees Celsius for Africa and sea level rise of the order of one metre by the next century. Recent scientific reports show a gross underestimation of the magnitude of sea level rise. In fact, over the past twenty years, the rate of sea level rise has been doubled while it tooka century for such a change to take place previously. Massive ice loss from the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica has accelerated and is now considered as the largest contributor to sea level rise. The most severe impact of such threatening realities is the disappearance of many houses and low-lying infrastructures in small island states like Tuvalu in the Pacific as well as a number of low lying islets in Seychelles and Maldives. Even our Saint Brandon Island which is only about two metres above mean sea level would not be spared.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, agriculture and global food supply will be severely affected. A recent study has shown that wheat production is likely to disappear from Africa by the 2080and crop net revenues are likely to fall by 2100, putting at stake the future of thousands of small-scale farmers. Heat waves and drought which are projected to increase under climate change, would also directly threaten livestock.
Furthermore, climate change will worsen the stress faced by living marine resources such as fisheries and coral reefs. The rise in temperature will contribute to coral bleaching and ocean acidification harming shellfish and leading to the migration of fishes.
Higher water temperatures and changes in weather extremes, including floods and droughts, are projected to affect water quality thus adding to the pressure of providing safe water supplies to the global population. The change in the rainfall pattern will also affect our freshwater sources. The 2012 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on climate extremes indicated that over ninety-five percent of deaths from natural disasters occurred in developing countries between 1970 and 2008. The report also indicates that in small vulnerable countries, particularly Small Island Developing States, losses from extreme events exceeded one percent of the Gross Domestic Product and in some cases up to eight percent.
Unlike developed countries which have the means and the resources to resist and rise up quickly after extremes, such may not be the case for Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries. Actions on climate change are a matter of urgency for vulnerable countries like ours.
Adopting a business as usual attitude or simply taking a couple of ad-hoc measures will not help to achieve a lasting climate change solution. However, with proper education we can empower the present and future generations to make climate-friendly choices. Education is an immediate as well as a long term solution to help people understand and address the impact of climate change. It is also the most effective tool to bring change in people’s attitudes and behavioursin helping them to adapt to climate change-related trends.
Allow me here to quote Mr Kofi Annan, ex-General Secretary of the United Nations:
“Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development”
(End of quote).
Article 6 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Article 10 (e) of the Kyoto Protocol have urged governments to educate, empower and engage stakeholders on policies related to climate change. Many governments and intergovernmental organizations are already working in partnership with civil society to fulfill these commitments. The 13th session of the Conference of Partiesalso assessed the usefulness and relevance of a Climate Change Information Network to serve as a portal for information sources on climate change.
Ladies and Gentlemen
Mauritius is no exception. In fact, the impacts of climate change are becoming worst as can be observed by the change in rainfall patterns, higher temperatures recorded and the accentuating beach erosions. Not later than last week, we observed a rather abnormal phenomenon, i.e. the formation of a depression around Agalega in early June, which is outside the official cyclonic period.
Addressing climate change requires a comprehensive and multi-disciplinary approach. Government has placed climate change high on its agenda. A series of measures has already been adopted by the Government. The most prominent one is the Prime Minister’s “Maurice Ile Durable” initiative.Its objective is to make Mauritius a world model of sustainable development. Actions taken by the Government to reduce our vulnerability and increase our resilience to climate change include investment in renewable energy, promotion of energy efficient technologies and practices and the introduction of duty rebate on vehicles emitting less carbon dioxide.
As far as my Ministry is concerned, we are actively involved in promoting Sustainable Consumption and Production practices, enhancing Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, rehabilitating eroded sites, identifying technology needs to enable adaptation and mitigation, amongst others. We are also supporting mainstreaming of climate change in the Environment, Agriculture, Fisheries, Tourism and Water sectors. Research and Development, Education and Sensitisation, are also among the main concerns of my Ministry.
Ladies and Gentlemen
Through this exhibition, which is going to last for about three years, it is expected that the basic knowledge and information on climate change – its causes, effects and adaptation - will be imparted to students and to the general public so as to keep the populationwell-informed.Advanced knowledge will be imparted on future energy technologies such as solar power, wind energy and biofuel. The public will also be encouraged to adopt sustainable lifestyles since each of us has a role to play in adapting to climate change impacts.
My Ministry in collaboration, with the Ministry of Education and Human Resources, has already embarked on a series of other climate change education activities. A training workshop was organised from 16 to 20 April 2012 by the Mauritius Institute of Education for training and sensitization of some 300 Primary Schools Teachers on climate change. Training manuals for teachers,including school curricular activities, have been developed and disseminated during the workshop with a view to sensitise children on existing and future climate related challenges and engaging them in the fight against climate change.
Similar training and sensitisation campaigns will be run for Secondary School Teachers. Essay and quiz competitions at primary and secondary levels and the launching of a mobile graphic exhibition on climate change that will move across the island, particularly the schools, for a period of two months are among the forthcoming activities to be organised under the aegis of the Ministry of Education and Human Resources. We have also envisaged the dissemination of best posters prepared by students from primary and secondary schools on climate change following an awareness week held last year at the University of Mauritius.
Ladies and Gentlemen
As a concluding note, I will emphasize that the successful implementationof climate change adaptation and mitigation measures rests on a comprehensive education as well as continuous public awareness system to get the full involvement of all stakeholders. Our daily activities makethe difference, this is why we must collaborate to create an empowered citizenship in the fight for climate change which is going to stay for decades.
I therefore appeal to teachers and parents to ensure that students benefit from the invaluable information availableat this exhibition.
I thank you for your attention.
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