Compliance to the Montreal Protocol On Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer” Award.

“Team work is key to every success” said Professor Rolph Payet, Minister for Environment and Energy at a meeting where he met and personally thanked all stakeholders who has made it possible for Seychelles  to receive the “Compliance to the Montreal Protocol On Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer” Award.

In 1987 , the world  joined hands to save the Ozone Layer, a natural shield protecting us from the sun harmful radiation and 25 years on, the Ozone layer is  recovering, the Treaty that save it, is guarding it today, the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer  is regarded as one of  the world most successful Environmental Treaty of today.

The ozone hole is regarded as one of this century major Environmental disaster.  The Montreal Protocol was widely accepted as the way forward to address and redress this alarming situation.

Immediately after signing, Seychelles set work by putting in place the necessary mechanism to monitor, control and phase-out the use of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) especially refrigerant gases. In 2000, from the Environment Protection Act 1994, the Environment Protection (Ozone) Regulations 2000 came into existence which control import of all Chloro Fluoro Carbons (CFCs) and Hydro Chloro Fluoro Carbons (HCFCs) arriving in the country.

The work of the Ozone Unit in the Ministry of Environment and Energy  was made easier with the effective collaboration between different government agencies like custom Department, Licensing Authority, Seychelles Institute of Technology, Import office and different industrial and commercial sector, as well as private business was backed up by a strong political commitment from the government.

By 2007, Seychelles was among the few African countries which has achieved complete phase-out of Zero Consumption of CFCs and was in compliance to the Montreal Protocol before the 2010 deadline. With the newly amended legislation in 2010, “The Environment Protection (Ozone) Regulation 2010, Seychelles is now on the way to phase-out the usage of HCFCs used mainly in air-condition units and chillers by 2020.

In a short meeting on Monday 10^th December 2012, Professor Rolph Payet met with the stakeholders from Government and Private sectors to express his appreciation for their collaborative efforts in achieving the award.  The Assistant Commissioner from the Custom Division, Mr. Selwyn Knowles assured Minister Payet that all necessary steps will be taken to ensure tight compliance on importation, to prevent harmful substances from getting into the country. Minister Payet says that this award is a significant milestone for Seychelles: a small Island State proving to the rest of the world, that islands can make a difference and are committed to protecting the environment. Seychelles was among the first countries to ratify the provisions of the Montreal Protocol and subsequent amendments. The country has also benefitted tremendously from the Montreal Protocol Multilateral Fund and also the GTZ.

Seychelles at the Renewables and Islands Summit, 6-7 September 2012, Malta

The uniqueness and vulnerability of small developing islands is being taken into consideration at the Renewables and Islands Summit being held in Malta. The Seychelles delegation is headed by the Minister for Environment and Energy, Professor Rolph Payet, and accompanied by the CEO of PUC and the CEO of SEC,  Mr. Phillipe Morin and Mr. Andrew Jean Louis. Professor Payet formed part of the high-level panel at the opening of the summit which highlighted the priority needs for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) for renewable energy.

Professor Payet highlighted the challenges of SIDS in accessing low-interest financing for renewable energy projects and emphasized the need for technical support in considering renewable energy technologies. Panelists, in particular, highlighted the increasing number of investors who want to take advantage of the lack of technical capacity in SIDS to lock them into long-term investment contracts in renewable energy. By offering large sums of money, under the guise of no-risk investments, such investors make bogus offers for investment in renewable energy technologies which in many cases are either still in testing stage or not performing at established standards.

The summit concluded on a number of recommendations for implementation by the International Renewable Energy Agency ( IRENA) the main organiser of the summit. The summit is being used as a platform for sharing best practise and showcasing innovative solutions, pooling of knowledge and exchange of ideas between islands with different level of development, discussions on the role of renewables in power generations and it's end use in sectors, realising the high potential of renewable energy to address the islands energy needs and access in a sustainable way.

IRENA has been given a strong mandate to support global efforts in adopting renewable energy. The two day summit is taking place at an opportune time as there are accelerating efforts to encourage countries to use more sustainable forms of energy such as renewable energy. Seychelles first renewable energy projects include the Victoria Wind Turbine Project financed through a grant from the UAE. This year has been declared by United Nations as the year for
sustainable energy for all. IRENA is committed at helping countries to achieve the aims sets under this theme.

‘Seychelles has world’s best ocean’

The ocean around Seychelles and Germany are the healthiest on the planet says a new index according to the global National Features publication.

“Seychelles and Germany have the healthiest seas of any inhabited territory, while Sierra Leone has the unhealthiest, says the index which notes many oceans score poorly for biodiversity and as a human resource.

Topping the list with a score of 86 out of 100 was the uninhabited South Pacific territory of Jarvis Island, owned by the United States, as well as a clutch of other unpopulated Pacific Ocean islands.

“Seychelles, one of only two developing nations in the top 12, ranked fourth with a score of 73 out of 100 – the same as that of Germany,” says National Features.

Developing countries in West Africa, the Middle East and Central America generally scored poorly, while richer nations in northern Europe, Canada, Australia and Japan had higher scores, it said.

There were some notable exceptions, with developing country Suriname joining Seychelles in the top 12 while Poland and Singapore from the first world were ranked among the worst performers.

The lowest score of 36 went to the West African state of Sierra Leone.

The index was devised by researchers in the US and Canada who measured whether the world's oceans are able to provide food and recreation while also sustaining sea life.

They examined the overall condition of 171 exclusive economic zones (EEZs) – sea areas managed by coastal countries and stretching up to 200 nautical miles into the ocean.

The 171 EEZs represent 40% of the world's ocean, but yield the bulk of sea-derived food, recreation and means of livelihood.

Put together, the EEZs scored 60 out of 100, suggesting "substantial room for improvement", said a report in the journal.

"Humans undoubtedly have substantial negative impacts on the ocean, and index scores are negatively correlated with coastal human population," it said.

Nearly half of the world's seven billion people live near the coast.

The researchers measured the oceans in 10 categories including food provision, their ability to support coastal livelihoods and economies, clean water, coastal protection, artisanal fishing, carbon storage, tourism and biodiversity.

"The index is an important tool to assess where we've been and where we want to go," said study co-author Benjamin Halpern, of the Center for Marine Assessment and Planning at the University of California at Santa Barbara.

"This is the first time that we can quantitatively and directly compare and combine hugely different dimensions – ecological, social, economic, political – that define a healthy ocean."

He added the index only looked at how each nation manages its own EEZ, not on how they were affecting those of other countries.

Seychelles leads regional bid to save dying corals

Seychelles has started to propagate corals in the Indian Ocean to save reefs dying from the worst bleaching in more than a decade, scientists said late on Tuesday as US ambassador Mary Jo Wills launched the project.

Read more...