Minister Flavien Joubert’s message on World Wetlands Day 2023 |02 February 2023
Minister Joubert
‘Restore as many wetlands as possible to counteract the loss of these water bodies’
“Water is the source of life and wetlands are critical in sustaining this source of life by holding large amounts of water for multiple uses. Water from wetlands contributes enormously to the socio-economic activities benefitting millions of people globally, providing both fresh water and other important ecosystem services.
“The alarming rate of the loss of wetlands is of great concern, which threatens the livelihoods of millions globally that are depending on wetlands ecosystems for survival. From the 70s more than 35% of wetlands have been lost mostly through anthropogenic pressures. Wetlands are disappearing three times faster than forest ecosystems.
“The need to protect, conserve and manage wetlands is of paramount importance for many reasons and it is the responsibility of each country and community to reverse this trend through which wetlands are lost.
“Seychelles has not shied away from its responsibility to protect, conserve and manage wetlands through various programmes and projects from various organisations and individuals. “This year’s theme declared by the Ramsar Convention is ‘It’s time for wetlands restoration’ which denotes the urgent need to restore degraded wetlands around of the world.
“Seychelles have long embarked on this adventure many years back through various contributions coming from the private sector and NGOs, and also some international partners. Restoration projects under south-south cooperation between China and Seychelles and the watershed management project under UNDP through an ecosystem-based adaptation approach which has reaped remarkable benefits, by restoring fresh and coastal wetlands in many parts of Mahé and Praslin, namely the ‘Dan Sours’ – Val d’Andorre (Baie Lazare), Lower Caiman wetlands – Anse Boileau, Lower Anse Royale wetlands, Mont Plaisir wetlands, Anse Gouvernman – Praslin, just to name of few.
“From the private sector, a few tourism establishments have adopted and restored wetlands within their premises and some have even signed MoUs that commit them to long-term management of wetlands. The protection, conservation, and management of wetlands is a long and arduous battle, but not impossible.
“As Seychelles joins the rest of World in celebrating World Wetlands Day, the message is to restore as many wetlands as possible to counter-act the loss of these water bodies. In the face of climate change, wetlands ecosystems will have even more prominent roles, such as reducing the impacts of storm surges, increasing the carbon sinks, remaining an important habitat to many species, protecting other ecosystems such as seagrass and coral reefs from pollutants etc…
“A time to reflect on the achievements and also the challenges that Seychelles still faces as a small island state in the protection and management of its wetland ecosystems and which needs the contribution of each individual.
“The key to achieving success in reversing the loss of wetlands should not be solely through better management of our wetlands but rather through better management of anthropogenic activities impacting our wetlands through policies and laws.
“The future of our wetlands lies in the younger generation to bring forth the message that the restoration of wetlands would only bring back the species, but restore the link in a ridge-to-reef context that connects all ecosystems.”
Flavien Joubert
Minister for Agriculture, Climate Change & Environment