Barbadians are being called upon to change their behaviour and protect the very ocean that has the potential to sustain the livelihoods of residents on the island.
Minister of the Environment and National Beautification, Adrian Forde, made this call as he launched a week activities to mark Blue Fest 2022 under the theme: Telling our Story, in the Ministry’s Warrens Tower II conference room, last Friday. The week runs from Sunday, October 28, until Saturday November 5.
He called on all residents to listen to “the story about the ocean” and find out how to play a part in protecting it against the vagaries of climate change.
“The call for the United Nations General Assembly to have 30 per cent of our biodiversity being realised by the year 2030, is an affable call. [But], the 2030 vision must not be a United Nations General Assembly call; it must be a Barbadian call.
“So, every single person in Barbados must understand the importance of preserving our biodiversity,” he said.
The Minister also called for the “anthropogenic behaviour” of citizens to stop, while describing it as pollution of the ocean with waste, chemicals, runoffs and even plastic.
“If we continue to pollute the ocean, we are polluting ourselves. It will become a health threat. The damage caused by waste pollution is renowned and documented. Just take a look at our reefs and corals that are being damaged daily,” Mr. Forde urged.
He stressed that creating an awareness of Barbados’ maritime environment was important as Barbadians must be sensitised about their behaviour and how they should treat the ocean as part of the island’s sustainable development.
“So I am appealing to Barbadians to heed over the next couple of days and come and listen to some of the lectures. Understand what we are doing in terms of the Debt for Nature Swap and what it means to the maritime environment and the Marine Spatial Plan,” the Minister pleaded.
Director of the Coastal Zone Management Unit, Dr. Leo Brewster, said the concept of “Telling our Story” was important as the blue economy had evolved overtime.
He explained that they were turning away from the coast and focusing more inland with more land-based activities to develop the space as a new frontier.
Dr. Brewster said that would include areas such as marine renewable energy, renewable wind energy, wave power, offshore oil and gas. However, he stressed that before a space could be designated, it was important for the public to understand the space they were working in.