"To sustain Green Mauritius, we will accelerate the pace of progress on the road to Maurice Ile Durable; focus on high tech, low carbon, renewable energy, and green quality living Mauritius; and entwine our agenda for investment in public in f rastructure with our vision of Green Mauritius so that the investment in our physical fabric enriches our environment," Sithanen said. He said Mauritius had also been doing its best to move the global agenda on clim ate change because the footprints of global warming were a threat to all countries.
"From heat waves to ocean warming and from coral reef bleaching to droughts and floods - they are a threat to us as well," Sithanen said.
He recalled that the government introduced a scheme to promote the use of solar water heaters.
"This has been an outstanding success with 29,000 solar water heaters bought by the people," he declared. The purpose of the solar water heater programme, he emphasized, was to encourage a switch from electricity and gas to renewable energy.
A second programme that will serve 50,000 additional households will be launched shortly, he said.
The minister said 300,000 households had replaced one million lamps during last year, thereby reducing energy demand by 12 million KWh per year and reducing carbon emission by 26,000 metric tonnes.
The Minister said that a National Grid Code had been established to enable the Central Electricity Board (CEB) to purchase electricity from Small Independent Power Producers that adhere to the policy of promoting clean, renewable and local energy sources.
To improve efficiency in the use of energy, Sithanen said, customs duty would be abolished on fluorescent kit, LED fixtures, including street lighting lamps, and the nation would build on the success of the scheme to replace incandescent bulbs with energy saving lamps.
"We are allocating funds for a campaign to encourage all our citizens and businesses to actively participate in environmental and waste reduction activities and at the same time promote their environmental awareness," the minister said.
A Climate Change Unit will be set up to develop a Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Plan in the country, he added.
Port-Louis - 18/11/2009
Pana
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