The United Nations Development Programme, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, organised a National Consultation for the Stockholm+50 Initiative in Port-Louis on Thursday 28 April. The event was attended by the Honourable Kavydass Ramano, Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change; His Excellency Mr. Vincent Degert, Ambassador and Head of the delegation of the European Union to Mauritius, Her Excellency Åsa Pehrson, Ambassador of Sweden to Mauritius, Malawi and Zimbabwe, and Ms. Amanda Serumaga, UNDP Resident Representative for Mauritius and Seychelles. Senior officials from various Ministries; representatives of NGOs, academia, and public and private sector were also present on this occasion.

This National Consultation is the last of a series of meetings organised in the context of the forthcoming Stockholm+50 Conference, which will commemorate 50 years of global climate action on 02 and 03 June 2022 in Sweden. As the world faces a triple planetary crisis, with climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss, the Stockholm+50 initiative proposes an all-of-society dialogue on bold actions to be implemented to achieve a healthy planet and prosperity for all; an inclusive and sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic; and to accelerate the implementation of the environmental dimension of the sustainable development goals. 

A healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity

In her opening remarks, Mrs. Moheenee Nathoo, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change recalled that the first UN conference on the human environment was held in Stockholm in 1972, marking the beginning of the global environment agenda, the creation of the United Nations Environment Programme, and the designation of the 5^th of June as World Environment Day. Mrs. Nathoo added that Stockholm+50 “will provide leaders with the opportunity to reflect on and strengthen global unity on issues that address our common future.”

Ms. Amanda Serumaga, UNDP Resident Representative for Mauritius and Seychelles, emphasised that “the Stockholm Declaration adopted on 16^th of June 1972 by the United Nations Conference was the first document to recognise an interconnectivity between development, poverty and the environment.” She added that science points to the need for urgent and system-wide transformation in our socio-economic systems, and that Stockholm+50 is “the opportunity to identify the most urgent actions to put the world on a pathway to realize longer-term ambitions.”

In his keynote address, the Honourable Kavydass Ramano, Minister of Environment, observed that the first environment convention in Stockholm in 1972 and World Environment Day in 2022 share the same theme: Only One Earth. Minister Ramano stated that “an unhealthy planet represents a threat to human health, prosperity and equality, as evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic”. He added that his Ministry is focused on creating a green transition for Mauritius using nature-based solutions, and stressed that the participation of all stakeholders is necessary to establish a common vision for the future of the country.

The National Consultation also included presentations on solutions to explore and implement to achieve a healthy planet and prosperity for all. During the breakout sessions organized for the participants, several recommendations were made including the following: improving the protection of natural ecosystems, promoting renewable energy solutions, enhancing environmental awareness, implementing sustainable waste management solutions, transiting to a circular economy, optimizing the hybrid or work-from-home model, harmonizing legal frameworks for improved institutional processes, financial incentives for green businesses, more sustainable consumption and production modes, and measures to address corruption.

The way forward

As a facilitator of the Stockholm+50 initiative in Mauritius, the UNDP has collaborated mainly with the Ministry of Environment and other public or private institutions, to engage with various stakeholders, namely civil servants, businesses, academia, youth, senior citizens, women, people with disabilities, NGOs, and grassroots communities. The views, comments and recommendations gathered from these stakeholder groups during the series of consultations will be synthesised in a National Consultations Report to be submitted to the Stockholm +50 Global Event.

Mauritian citizens are invited to share their insights and join the dialogue on the leadership themes of Stockholm+50 on Sparkblue. Discussions are open until 15 May.