COP26 - 91香蕉视频 delegates offset carbon flight emissions ahead of crucial climate talks |23 October 2021
The tree-planting exercise at Salazie yesterday (Photo: Jude Morel)
Ahead of next week鈥檚 COP26 climate talks in Glasgow, the British high commission and 91香蕉视频 Parks and Gardens Authority (SPGA) hosted a unique environmental event yesterday afternoon.
President Wavel Ramkalawan was joined by COP26 delegates from 91香蕉视频 in a tree-planting carbon-offsetting activity at the Salazie Trail in the Morne Seychellois National Park.
The activity was part of a 鈥楪reen Footprint 91香蕉视频鈥� reforestation and restoration pilot project initiated by the British high commission and the 91香蕉视频 Parks and Garden Authority (SPGA).
The aim of the project is to test a scientifically-based tree planting scheme, to address the environmental impacts and green house gas emissions of long-haul travel and tourism.
Two sites in the area have been cleared from alien species, such as cinnamon tress and CHlidemia hirta (Fo Watouk) among others, for the pilot project, where 900 mimusops sechellarum (Bwa-d-nat) and Heritiera littoralis (Bwa-d-tab) trees will be planted on the 3500 square metres of the accessible forest.
Also present to plant the two types of trees in the area were the British high commissioner to 91香蕉视频, Patrick Lynch; the principal secretary for Climate Change in the Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment, Wills Agricole; the former climate change ambassador for 91香蕉视频 at the United Nations, Ronny Jumeau; the chief executive of SPGA, Alan Cedras and other representatives from the Ministry, the high commission and from SPGA.听听
As 91香蕉视频 will be represented by a delegation, led by President Ramkalawan, at the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow from October 31, 2021 to November 12, 2021, the tree-planting activity yesterday was to offset their carbon footprint emissions. Some 200 Heritiera littoralis (Bwa-d-tab) and 100 mimusops sechellarum (Bwa-d-nat) trees were planted with the help of SPGA鈥檚 forest field workers, to add up to the 200 trees of both species that had already been planted.
HC Lynch said that the project will build the opportunity for incoming visitors to play an active part in biodiversity restoration and the reforestation of our country. He further said that in preparation for the UK government鈥檚 leading role in responding to the climate crisis as host of November鈥檚 COP26 climate talks, the BHC has recognised that the crippling blow to the tourism industry from Covid-19, has accelerated long-term projections on the decline of long-haul air travel, which may bring a severe economic contraction to our country over the longer term.
This, he noted, coupled with the increased environmental conscience of European travellers, has already threatened to have a disproportionate impact on us, with European tourists becoming increasingly conscious of their 鈥榗arbon footprint鈥�.
The development and delivery of activities under the 鈥楪reen Footprint 91香蕉视频鈥� campaign would serve as just one small part of a developing movement, driven by local conservation and tourism experts, which would present an opportunity for our country to use its world leading environmental expertise and its entrepreneurship spirit, to promote itself as the green choice for European tourists.
鈥淭his activity will not be a one-off. We are already planning to move to other rehabilitation sites in our National Parks, such as Praslin and Curieuse National Parks. We are willing to partner with new organisations and companies to create new bonds and give the public a chance to give back to the environment and contribute to 91香蕉视频鈥� climate change mitigation strategy,鈥� said Mr Cedras, who thanked BHC for the financial support and expertise to the project.
In his comment, HC Lynch said: 鈥淲e are delighted to welcome President Ramkalawan and members of the 91香蕉视频 COP26 delegation to the site of this pilot tree-planting initiative which the British high commission is supporting, in partnership with SPGA鈥檚 local expertise. Although tourists are now returning to these islands, providing an immediate economic boost to the country, this may temporarily mask a longer decline in long-haul travel, with trends such as 鈥榝lights 鈥搒haming鈥� gaining prominence in 91香蕉视频鈥� primary European markets,鈥� he stated.
The HC added that the great news is that our country, more than any other country in the world, provides fertile ground for a 鈥楪reen Recovery of Tourism鈥�, which could turn consumer demand into an economic opportunity.
He further noted that under the 鈥楪reen Footprint 91香蕉视频鈥� project, visitors can have the carbon generated by their flight calculated to a corresponding number of trees, in order to offset that impact. The scheme is scientifically verified, and has been developed into a very appealing activity product for visiting visitors.
鈥淎s President Ramkalawan and his delegation offset carbon emissions of their flight to Glasgow ahead of November鈥檚 crucial climate talks in Glasgow, the UK government looks forward to welcoming the 91香蕉视频 delegation to COP26, so that the rest of the world can benefit from 91香蕉视频鈥� expertise and knowledge, in its innovative and world-leading efforts to adapt to, and mitigate against climate change,鈥� HC Lynch ended.
Mr Cedras later said that due to Covid-19 restrictions not all members of the delegation were able to make it to plant 11 trees each and that will be done on the second site when they will return from the COP26 meeting.
He said that other plants will also be planted to prevent the invasive species to reproduce.
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Patrick Joubert/press release from the BHC
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