No Better Time Than Now to Pledge for Environment Restoration – Minister Shauna

On the occasion of the World Environment Day 2021 celebrated every June 5, Minister of Environment, Aminath Shauna has said that there will be no better time than now to pledge for the restoration of our fragile ecosystem.  
 
In her statement to the nation, Minister Shauna threw light on the fragile ecosystem of the Maldives, a nation that is heavily dependent on the limited natural resources available in its ecosystem for the stable running of the economy. Sectors such as tourism, fisheries, and agriculture are susceptible to even the smallest change in our ecosystem having the potential to cause costly effects in return.  
 
For the past decade, we have been experiencing the devastating effects of global warming and plastic pollution both on land and in the waters that has brought up concerning discussions of protecting the low-lying countries around the world such as Maldives, sustainability of our fast-depleting biodiversity, food security, and the numerous issues on the daily lives of everyone. In order to retain our valuable underwater fertility that is the key component of our tourism and fisheries sector, the Maldives continues rigorous advocation of sustainable and conscious practices that can be adapted in various aspects of our everyday lifestyles.  
 
The upcoming decade is dedicated to the theme of World Environment Day 2021 – Ecosystem Restoration by United Nations. Joining this global cause, Maldives has begun further strengthening its initiatives on the international platforms to advocate for the sustainable regeneration of the world. By 2030, Maldives aims to have declared at least 20% of the geographically and environment significant areas across the country as protected areas. This will be an addition to the currently protected 73 areas of environment importance in the Maldives. Furthermore, Maldives is also contributing to the calling of protecting at least 30% of the world’s oceans and areas corelating to it globally.  
 
Minister Shauna urges the current generation to become ambassadors of sustainable change brought about in the Maldives in the next decade, by planting more trees, adapting environment-friendly practices in our daily lives, and restoring our ecosystem. Maldives set its ambitions high to meet eye to eye with the changemakers in the world and develop strong and sustainable means of combating with environment changes that will affect the country.