Island Countries Want to See Climate Commitments Turn into Actions, Says Seychelles’ Minister

Marrakech 16/11/2016 (MAP) – Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine of Seychelles, Alain St. Ange, said at the Climate Change Conference (COP 22) in the Moroccan city of Marrakech.

In an interview with MAP, St.Ange pointed out that “Seychelles has joined the Community of Nations and salutes everyone who has worked to bring together the Paris Agreement”, adding that “Now actions need to follow this commitment and appropriate funding is necessary to see actions through”.

After saluting the world leaders who have come together to commit to implementing the Paris Agreement, he underlined that “this commitment is needed as it will alleviate the lives of so many.”

“This will be positive for Seychelles but we understand that change won’t happen overnight. The world needs to work together to save our vulnerable planet and stop the effects we are facing already”, he stressed.

At the continental level, St. Ange deemed the adoption of the first African Charter on Sustainable and Responsible Tourism during COP 22, as a “rallying call to help move Africa forward as a united continent.”

The Tourism Minister said that Seychelles “has taken all the necessary actions to ensure that tourism growth does not come at the expense of the environment.”

Among the measures taken by this famous tourism destination, St. Ange referred to limiting the number of tourist beds and developing renewable energy sources, to actively protecting our land area and marine environment.

“At the same time, we are being proactive in dealing with the changes we are facing. We are building barricades to mitigate coastal erosion. One of our NGOs is developing the art of growing coral to help save our reefs,” he added.

Climate change is felt in each and every island country and Seychelles is no exception, he said, adding that climate change is a “phenomenon that forces us to be as resourceful as we can”.