The Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation (DEPC), Live and Learn Vanuatu and Malampa Provincial Government are co-hosting the Vanuatu National Environment Week (VNEW) at the Malampa Provincial Headquarter in Lakatoro, Malekula.
The event was officially open by the newly elected President of Malampa provincial council, Aisick Abel yesterday.
The 1-week event will end on June 5 to coincide with World Environment Day (WED) which falls on June 5 every year.
The United Nations (UN) theme for the WED is ‘Ecosystem Restoration’. According to UN, Ecosystem Restoration can take many forms: Growing trees, greening cities, rewilding gardens, changing diets or cleaning up rivers and coasts. This is the generation that can make peace with nature.
The UN theme is translated to Vanuatu’s theme for the week and WED as: “Envaeronmen hemi stampa blong laef: Yumi mas lukaotem gud”
This theme links well with the challenges the country is now facing with COVID-19 to ensure that the citizens, country and environment are kept free from this pandemic.
The theme aims to highlight the current Environmental Protection and Conservation (EPC) Act (Cap 283) of 2002 and its (Amendment) Act No.28 of 2010, which is currently Vanuatu’s principal legislation governing the nation’s biodiversity and conservation, and the overall environmental resources and management.
The 1 week event will include awareness from Departments under the Ministry of Climate Change and Adaptation (particularly DEPC, Meteorology and Geo-Hazard) and the provincial-based government agencies and NGOs.
This includes an exhibition which will invite school children and the general public during the whole week.
Photo supplied Caption: Newly elected president, Aisick Able addressing the public during the official opening of the VNEW