NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT WEEK 2021 CLIMATE ACTION DAY

Last week, the Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment (MNRE) Climate Change and GEF Division in partnership with UNDP, is the Executing Agency under the Economy-Wide Adaptation to Climate Change (EWACC) celebrated as part of the National Environmental Week 2021, the achievements of the project in greening the Vaisigano walls and other climate actions with the participation of the community from Leone.

The event was presented by MNRE’s ACEO of Climate Change and GEF Division Galumalemana Anne Rasmussen in the presence of the Honorable Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Toeolesulusulu Cedric Posē Salesa Schuster who unveiled the billboard to showcase the key climate change adaptation actions delivered by the EWACC project and other climate initiatives by the Ministry as part of the Sustainable Development Goal 13 on Climate Action.

The CEO of the Ministry, Frances Brown-Reupena was also present together with the special guest Verena Linneweber, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP Multi-Country Office for Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tokelau.

The Greening of the Vaisigano Revetment Wall Initiative is an Ecosystem based adaptation strategy coupled with hard engineering structure. It establishes household gardens to address solar heat reflection from the new Vaisigano river walls as well as promotes green spaces along with the beautification of the Leone Bridges.

The project in partnership with MNRE, the Global Environment Facility and the United Nation Development Programme, provided gardening tools and vegetables seedlings and ornamental plants to 25 households of the Vaisigano and Leone Community Members for the construction of community greenhouses and planting of vetiver grass along the riverbanks as natural enforcement against strong climate events.

After this event, the participants visited the Methodist Reserve at Afiamalu for a Three planting ceremony with the Minister and distinguished guest.

The last event of Day 4 of the National Environmental Week was blessed with the presence of Honourable Fiame Naomi Mataafa, Prime Minister of the Independent State of Samoa and took place at the Teaumasina Island Resort.

At this event a Climate Dialogue between key national stakeholders took place along with the launch of Samoa’s Climate Change Policy 2020-2030, the showcase of the Community Integrated Management Plans (including Samoan language version) and the 2^nd Nationally Determined Contributions report.

The last part of the Programme before the networking and dialogue on Climate Actions started included the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Methodist Land Board representative for the Methodist Greening Project and the Minister of MNRE.