Vice President Faisal Naseem has called for the adoption of environmentally-friendly lifestyles and habits as part of the country’s responsibility to advocate for climate change action.
Speaking at the ceremony held in Fuvahmulah City to mark World Environment Day, Vice President Naseem noted the Maldives is exposed to the risks of intensifying weather events induced by climate change and that the country is at the forefront of climate advocacy. As such, the vice president said that Maldivians must accept responsibility and work to reduce carbon emissions and plastic pollution by adopting environmentally-friendly and sustainable lifestyles and help drive change in consumption habits. He also spoke about securing the natural environment for future generations and urged the public to adopt cleaner and greener practices.
Furthermore, Vice President Naseem urged the public’s support for the administration’s waste management initiatives, calling on the public to do their part in segregating waste at the source. He also noted that World Environment Day is marked to put the global spotlight on the pressing environmental challenges, including raising awareness of the detrimental effects of climate change. He said it is an occasion when people should consider the dire outcomes of the depletion of natural resources. He described some of the effects of climate change, including the harmful effects of ozone layer depletion on humans and the environment, air pollution, and increased frequency of natural disasters.
Additionally, Vice President Faisal noted the climate crisis is a long-debated international issue and shed light on the country’s efforts to raise awareness of the climate emergency and the threats that climate change poses to the survival of small island states. Ringing the alarm about the gravity of the climate catastrophe, he reminded Maldivians that they only have one earth and must collectively take transformative action to celebrate, protect, and restore the planet.
The ceremony also saw the unveiling of the Fuvahmulah City Biosphere Reserve logo and the signing of the Implementing Sustainable Low and Non-Chemical Development in Small-Island Developing States project, carried out in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The agreement was signed on behalf of the Maldives by Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology Aminath Shauna.
At the ceremony, Vice President Naseem also presented letters of recognition to the winners of the Only One Earth book writing competition held at Sharafuddin School. He also participated in a bicycle rally held as part of the celebrations.