The Government on Monday officially launched the national environment week program which would see various thematic areas celebrated.

The official launching was held at the T.A.T.T.E. Building conference room with Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, Cabinet Ministers as well as ministry officials and civil society representatives in attendance.

Each day this week has been allotted to the different rheumatic areas with Monday 1 November 2021 dubbed by the Government as the National “Biodiversity Day”, whereby the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (M.N.R.E.) will focus on drawing the country’s attention to the importance of promoting biodiversity sustainability.

Tuesday 2 November is dedicated to “land and soil day” where various events such as an environment science fair and school debates highlight the significance of these resources to the eyes of the students.

On Wednesday 3 November the Ministry will convene the Water and Sanitation Forum where senior staff from the M.N.R.E invite professionals to share their respective research and experiences, which is later published in National Environment Forum Publication.

The National Climate Action Day will be celebrated on the fourth day Thursday 4 November where the Ministry and other environmental experts will showcase potential solutions for climate change.

And the last Friday 5 November  will mark the “Tsunami Awareness Day” which will then be followed by an awards presentation titled the “Environment Awards” where the efforts of all the individuals who are fighting to safeguard the environment will be recognised.

The National Environment Week celebrates the different areas broadly under the environment sector including biodiversity and waste management, sustainable Land Management, forests, renewable energy, climate change, natural disasters and tsunamis.

The M.N.R.E also invited the community, private sector and Government offices to participate in the National Cleanup Campaign to ensure a greater and healthier Samoa.  

The Ministry also announced the official commencement of its “3 million tree planting project” this year after the success of the “2 million tree planting campaign” that ran from 2015 to 2020.

It said the new campaign demonstrates the Government’s commitment to supporting ecological restoration and the post-2020 framework for Biodiversity Conservation.

An amount of $1 million tala has also been given by the Government to carry out the new project to ensure the restoration of forests and ecological restoration.

The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster, said in his address that the celebration of the biannual event will run from 1 November to 5  November commemorates the importance of the environment and its benefits for Samoans and the community.

He said environmental degradation and climate change are topics that pose a great threat to the environment. 

“Our leaders of small island states have recently affirmed that climate change represents the single greatest threat to our livelihoods,” said Toeolesulusulu.

“The impacts of natural disasters exasperated by climate change on Pacific people’s social, economic, cultural and environmental wellbeing increases the burden and risk of our society,” stated Toeolesulusulu.

The Prime Minister cut the ribbon for the new M.N.R.E banners promoting messages such as saving and protecting Samoa’s native animal species like the “flying-fox”, “manumea” and others.

The posters, billboards and recycle bins were commissioned by the Deputy Prime Minister, Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio who stressed the importance of safeguarding the environment through proper segregation of different types of rubbish.