Seychelles to Conserve 100% of Mangroves and Seagrass in 2023

President Wavel Ramkalawan says that Seychelles will protect all of its mangroves and seagrass meadows in 2023. This is in addition to the already 32% protection of its ocean and 50% of its forest.

Ramkalawan made the declaration during the high-level section for leaders of state and government at the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

"Like other islands, we contribute less to the destruction of the planet, yet we suffer the most. For example, the carbon emissions of Seychelles are very low, and we clean up through our mangroves and seagrass meadows, thus making us a zero contributor to the destruction of the planet, yet our islands are disappearing and our coasts are being destroyed," he said.

Seychelles has one of the most biologically diverse marine environments in the world. It has over two million hectares of carbon ecosystems, and seagrass beds make up 99 per cent of the blue carbon extent. The other carbon habitat in the island nation is mangrove forests, which cover more than 80% of the Aldabra atoll.

Ramkalawan used the opportunity to show that Seychelles stands with and supports all countries that are suffering from the terrible effects of climate change.

The president of Seychelles asked if the Conference of the Parties was just a game or a real countdown to saving the world.

"I pray that we leave Egypt with good decisions and pledges that will be followed by concrete actions instead of another set of empty promises," he said.

Ramkalawan said that the Multi Vulnerability Index (MVI) should be the new order because "SIDS [Small Island Developing States] are vulnerable, and we need access to concessionary funding to protect ourselves from climate change while meeting the SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals] to give our people a better life."

"Industrialised nations must pay greater attention to the Damage and Loss agenda. We, the oceanic states that receive the harsh effects of your activities, have to be assisted in repairing the damage you cause to us," he added.

Ramkalawan said that Seychelles is playing a leadership role and building strong partnerships, however small the island nation is.

He talked about the Ocean Race Summit, which was held on the island nation to discuss how important it is to save the ocean.

"Later we offered the venue for the first European Blue Invest Forum outside Europe to put emphasis on financing the Blue Economy and late last month we welcomed Prince Albert of Monaco and the Monaco research expedition in the search for resilient corals, plus we are active in promoting the Great Blue Wall project," he said.

"Let us be good partners, let us give our youth a better planet and may we leave Egypt with enhanced hope and commitment to save our one and only blue planet," Ramkalawan concluded.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

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