Take actions to preserve our planet

A message from Nadra Nathai-Gyan, chairman of the Environmental Management Authority, on the occasion of Mother Earth Day which was observed on Friday

IN RECOGNITION of our responsibility to protect our sustaining environment, the board of directors, management and staff of the EMA join the rest of the world in focusing attention on Mother Earth Day 2022. This year’s theme, “Invest in our Planet,” is a clarion call to all citizens to take the necessary actions to preserve our planet reeling from both natural and man-made disasters.

The EMA acknowledges Mother Earth Day as a catalyst for building environmental consciousness and stewardship. It is an opportune time for recommitment to Trinidad and Tobago’s National Development Strategy – Vision 2030 and the National Environmental Policy. These are aligned to the targets set within the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and are emphasised in theme five of Vision 2030, “Placing the Environment at the Centre of Social and Economic Development.”

No nation can claim that it is unaffected by pollution or climate change brought on by anthropogenic activities. We all have a role to play to heal this planet, and the time is now! Therefore, let us use Mother Earth Day as a platform for change, an opportunity to adopt new behaviours and habits that benefit our planet. No action is too small or too insignificant and we encourage you to make your investment.

Get involved! You can plant a tree, start a kitchen garden, refrain from littering, practise recycling, utilise reusable bags, minimise noise pollution by reducing the volume of music played in homes and vehicles, eliminate single-use plastics, install energy-efficient bulbs, reduce your carbon footprint and simply be the change you want to see in our environment. Planet Earth is our home and it is up to us to make these changes a part of our daily lives.

“Bold, fast and wide-ranging action needs to be taken by governments and businesses. But the transition to a low-carbon world also requires the participation of citizens” (UN Campaign for Individual Action).