2025 EUBeachCleanUp action at Pointe d’Esny Ramsar site

2025 EUBeachCleanUp action at Pointe d'Esny Ramsar site

Honourable Mr Fabrice David, Junior Minister, Ministry of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries

HE Mr Paul Brummell , British High Commissioner

Representatives from the District Council of Grand Port

Representatives from the National Parks and Conservation Services

Colleagues from Reef Conservation

Representatives of fishermen

Representatives from Preskil Island Resort Mauritius

Our youth representatives

Friends from the media

I am extremely pleased to welcome you to this beautiful part of the island (on this bright and sunny day). Just take a look at this absolutely breath-taking turquoise lagoon across the road !

Firstly, let me thank you for accepting our invitation to this 2025 Cleanup event. The #EUBeachCleanup Campaign is a campaign to raise awareness about marine pollution, and how our habits impact our ocean. The campaign consists of clean-up events organised by EU Delegations and Representations around the world, NGOs, and citizens wanting to put-up their own event. In 2024, 367 events were organised in 53 countries, involving 12 270 volunteers.

I would also mention that this event is taking place on the eve of World Clean-up Day, an annual global movement - launched in Estonia in 2008 - aimed at removing waste from the environment.

Ladies and Gentlemen

Your very presence here this morning is a testament to the importance that you attach to the protection of our planet and in particular of your island.

And it could not be otherwise!

Science is clear and unequivocal: the WWF 2024 Living Planet Report alerts how - as a consequence of the triple planetary biodiversity-pollution-climate crisis - the Earth is fast approaching dangerous tipping points.

Let's start with biodiversity.

Did you know that at the global level, wildlife populations have declined by as much as 73% in the past 50 years? And more than one million plants and animals are threatened with extinction?

We see similar findings in Mauritius - IUCN ranks Mauritius as having the third most endangered native terrestrial flora, for instance in terms of the percentage of endemic flora that is considered as threatened (94%) or number of local indigenous species classified as extinct (77) or again the number of flowering plant species listed as critically endangered (155).

If we look at pollution, there is cause for concern be it in terms of natural resources extraction or in terms of wastes generation and mismanagement. It is said that by 2050, we would need 3 planets Earth in order to meet our needs if we consider to exploit resources as we are doing currently. This year the Overshoot Day, that marks the point when humanity begins to live in an ecological deficit for the rest of the year , was in July. The OECD has calculated that global consumption of minerals like biomass, fossil fuels and metals will double in the next 40 years.

And of course, more consumption means more wastes! It is estimated that by 2050, amount of wastes generated will increase by 70%. For the marine ecosystem, we also see more and more contamination caused by plastic wastes.

Today, 90% of biodiversity loss and more than 50% of Greenhouse gas emission are caused by natural resource extraction and transformation. Climate change is here and happening. We just need to recall the deadly heatwaves and wildfires that swept through Europe this summer or the extended dry season affecting Mauritius in the first half of the year or still the widespread coral bleaching that occurred in the Southwestern Indian Ocean region as a result of El-Nino since last year.

The livelihood of humanity is at risk because of these triple planetary crises. That is why we must spare no effort. We must constantly alert, raise awareness and take action! It is in this context that our action today takes place.

Everyone should be part of this activity because it concerns us all. We are pleased that the APP for instance has been developed by the civil society - this shows the engagement of the latter in conservation actions. We also need to involve the youth in particular via sensitisation campaigns and education.

I wish to thank both Reef Conservation and the National Parks and Conservation Services for choosing this Ramsar site this year. Our action today will reflect our common engagement to value and protect our ecosystems.

Ladies and Gentlemen

The calls from both the Climate COP 29 and Biodiversity COP 16 in2024 were about the urgency to respect and protect all life on earth, to regain our connection with our planet, and to make Peace with Nature.

This is what we will do today. And more.

This year, we will not focus only on cleaning activities but more importantly, we will discuss and share information on how to prevent the pollution and damage in the first place. In this regard, Reef Conservation will present an APP that they have developed called Mangrove Matters. The APP will serve as an essential tool to involve the entire community in this conservation action.

I will stop now so that the actions for which we gathered this morning can start.

Thank you for your attention.