Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs at EarthX 2022 Conferences.
PHILIPSBURG--Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs has issued a challenge for persons to make a conscious effort to play their part to invest in the planet by taking small steps to reduce individual use of materials and products that are harmful to the environment.
Jacobs made the remarks in her Earth Day Message. Earth Day was observed on April 22.
She said as Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and in particular as St. Maarteners, “we are well aware of the negative impact humans can have on the environment and in turn the effect this has on climate change. Though our own impact may be negligible from a global standpoint, locally we still feel the effects daily.
“Notwithstanding our own experience with Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the past few years have seen several global crises that have had a crippling effect on the global economy, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on tourism, and now the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and its impact on our import-based economy (increased cost of transport, travel, and energy). The detrimental impact of these unrelated incidents shares one common thread: the impetus they all offer to be intentional about our move towards more sustainable development, inclusive of environment-friendly initiatives and energy transformation. “
The official theme for Earth Day 2022 is: “Invest in our Planet.” Jacobs said government is being intentional and taking the steps to live up to this theme.
The Department of Interior and Kingdom Relations BAK is working to implement the National Development Vision, streamlining the Sustainable Development Goals across the work of all ministries.
The Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) is working on modernising the energy policy taking into account renewable forms of energy, new forms of sustainable agricultural projects, reducing imports and playing its part in effectively reducing the country’s carbon footprint.
The Directorate of Foreign Relations is working to lobby the SIDS agenda on energy, climate, and concessionary financing at the international level to protect the country’s national interests. This inter-ministerial work aims to support the country's transformational goals and to start to build today a resilient society for tomorrow.
“I always believe in “practising what we preach” and in so doing, I and many other citizens have stopped or minimised using single-use plastic bottles and bags, and when possible, shop and support local designers and farmers’ markets which underscores the possibilities for economic diversification and local empowerment in the face of rising import cost. My steps are small but imagine what we could accomplish collectively,” Jacobs said.
“I challenge you to mark Earth Day 2022 by making a conscious effort to play your part to invest in our planet, by taking small steps to reduce your individual use of materials and products that are harmful to our environment.”
