CAPTION: Director of Environment Jope Davetanivalu. Photo: Google.
We are living on an island thus our inter-relation with living things is very important.
Department of Environment’s director, Mr Jope Davetanivalu made the comments in preview of World Biodiversity Day.
In this year’s celebrations on May 22, Fiji will pay homage to the blue-green sector of the economy.
This year, Mr Davetanivalu said the commemoration will be with a difference as more programmes will be mapped out and projects such as the clean-up of the Suva Harbour have been identified.
In the build up to last year’s Bio-diversity Summit, Professor Randy Thaman said it was only green economy but for countries such as Fiji, it is blue-green economy.
“For us it is blue green because we need to use not just our forest but our ocean and our waters which is symbolised by the colour blue,” Professor Thaman said.
Minister for Local Government and Environment, Mr Samuela Saumatua will be chief guest at the celebrations in Colo-i-Suva that will also simultaneously launch at the National Environment Celebrations Campaign.
The highlight will be a Nature Walk Colo-i-Suva Forest Reserve where Professor Thaman will take the participants on a short and informative journey on the existence of native plants, how it can be protected and how it contributes to our livelihood.
“We cannot see our forest, agriculture, reefs and other water resources as only an income source but as a bank account to be used wisely,” Professor Thaman said.
Mr Davetanivalu said with a budget of $60,000-$100,000 for this year’s celebrations, divisions will be activated to have a more enhanced and bigger reach to the public.
An Eco-School challenge will launched this year to bring the younger generation to become part of the national drive to keep the environment clean and to use resources sustainably.
MINFO