Green ambitions in Mauritius
Discussion details
As the world scrambles to deal with the devastating effects of climate change, extreme weather events continue to destroy infrastructure, jobs and lives. Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are especially vulnerable, since they are prone to tropical storms and their sweet water resources are threatened by salt water infiltration.
As most of them depend on long-distance imports, their economies are highly sensitive to transport costs and the rising price of fuel. In addition, their small size often inhibits their ability to invest in and implement vital changes.
In response, curbing climate change by reducing CO2 emissions and greening economies has become a top priority for the very survival of life on our planet. And as heads of state gather at the United Nations SIDS Conference in Samoa on 1-4 September, one nation they’ll be looking to for leadership is the Republic of Mauritius in the south west of the Indian Ocean.
An early front-runner in greening its economy, Mauritius framed its vision for sustainability, called Maurice Ile Durable (MID) in 2008. Employment must be at the core of this transition. After society-wide consultations, a comprehensive national action plan was adopted in 2013, with targets set for energy, environment, employment/economy, education and equity.
Since 2011, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has been supporting the Mauritian government and social partners in the creation of green jobs. This collaboration helped make operational the links between the green economy and jobs, needed skills, enterprise development and the role of employers’ and workers’ organizations.
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