Signing Ceremony and Exchange of Memorandum of Understanding Between University of Mauritius & Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development

 

 

Speech - Signing Ceremony and Exchange of Memorandum of Understanding

Between

University of Mauritius & Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development

Thursday 22 May 2014 at 10 am

Venue: Council and Senate Room - University of Mauritius

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• The HonourableVirahsawmy, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development
• Professor SoodursunJugessur, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council
• Professor R Mohee, Vice-Chancellor
• Mr P Jhugroo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development
• Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academia)
• Deans of Faculties & Senior Staff
• Distinguished Guests

I have great pleasure to be here today for thisSigning of a Memorandum of Understanding between the University of Mauritius and the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development.

Under this agreement, the University will be running short courses related to  Coastal and Marine environment – a field of priority for environmental protection. This collaboration between the University and the ministry is a very positive step of the academia to support national strategies to deal with climate change.

We are all well aware that Climate Change is one of the major challenges that humankind has been facing over the years.  We have ourselves experiences some of the consequences in the recent years with the flash floods and rising waves.

The recent global assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC, has forecasted that in the next six years 200 million people in Africa will be exposed to a scarcity of clean water, agricultural production from rain-fed farming will drop by 50%, the prevalence of malaria will increase by 5% to 7% by the end of the 21st century and between 25% and 40% of mammal species in national parks in sub-Saharan Africa will also become endangered.

Climate change therefore involves all sectors and need to be addressed in a multidisciplinary research. There is need to look at urban development, food production, manufacturing, use of chemicals and a large number of other issues. Small Island Developing States (SIDS) such as Mauritius face even further challenges such as sea level rise with coastal flooding, destruction of coastal infrastructure and coastal agricultural fields.

The Universities have a vital role to play  by conducting research on these specific areas and in training and capacity building to help us address the impact of climate change. We need a clear research agenda and most importantly, efforts should be made to integrate sustainable development in the curriculum. I have to mention that we have been discussing with the Maurice Ile Durable on this issue and will hopefully recommend the way forward to the universities. I have to mention that we have already ensured that the new university of Mascareignes sets up a Faculty for sustainable development and through the Rajiv Gandhi Science Center’s promotional activities, young people are being sensitized on ecological concerns of the country.

I am confident that the University of Mauritius and the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development will be able to increase climate resilience of communities and livelihoods in coastal areas of the island in face of climate change.

I thank you for your attention and I wish both parties a fruitful collaboration.