In addition to the 32 per cent protection of its ocean and 50 per cent of its forest, President Wavel Ramkalawan has revealed that Seychelles will move to 100 per cent protection of all its mangroves and seagrass meadows in 2023.
Ramkalawan announced this while delivering a speech on the high-level segment for heads of state and government in the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27) taking place in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
“Like other islands, we contribute less to the destruction of the planet, yet we suffer the most. For example, the carbon emissions of Seychelles are very low, and we clean up through our mangroves and seagrass meadows, thus making us a zero contributor to the destruction of the planet, yet our islands are disappearing and our coasts are being destroyed,” he said.
Seychelles has one of the most biologically diverse marine ecosystems on the planet while the carbon ecosystems cover over two million hectares, with seagrass beds accounting for 99 per cent of the blue carbon extent. The other carbon ecosystem in the island nation is mangrove forests with more than 80 per cent located within the Aldabra atoll.
Ramkalawan took the opportunity to express Seychelles’ support and solidarity with all nations that have experienced the terrible effects of climate change lately.
Ramkalawan reiterated the need for the Multi Vulnerability Index (MVI) to be the new order as “SIDS [Small Island Developing States] are vulnerable and we need access to concessionary funding in order to defend ourselves against climate change while fulfilling the SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals] to give our people a better life.”
“Industrialised nations must pay greater attention to the Damage and Loss agenda. We, the oceanic states that receive the harsh effects of your activities, have to be assisted in repairing the damage you cause to us. I pray that we leave Egypt with good decisions and pledges that will be followed by concrete actions instead of another set of empty promises,” he added.
He called on participants to avail themselves of the cause of being good partners so they can give youths a better planet. He also expressed hope that world leaders will leave Egypt with enough commitment to save the planet.
