Celebrating Environmental ADVOCACY...

The month of June kicked off with a great buzz as Environment Tobago commemorated World Environment Day 2023, with a tree planting exercise at the Magdalena Beach Hotel and Golf Resort. 

Throughout the course of the week of June 1-5, our organization will be participating in several other activities inclusive of another tree planting exercise and community-based awareness campaign with the Pigeon Point Heritage Park Facilities.

What is the significance of World Environment Day and this year’s theme? #WorldEnvironmentDay2023
This year marks the 50th anniversary of World Environment Day, which will focus on solutions to plastic pollution, using the hashtag and slogan #BeatPlasticPollution.

More than 430 million tonnes of plastic is produced every year worldwide, half of which is designed to be used only once. Of that, less than 10 per cent is recycled. An estimated 19-23 million tonnes end up in lakes, rivers and seas annually. Microplastics – tiny plastic particles up to 5mm in diameter – find their way into food, water and air. 

It is estimated that each person on the planet consumes more than 50,000 plastic particles per year –and many more if inhalation is considered. Discarded or burnt single-use plastic harms human health and biodiversity and pollutes every ecosystem from mountain tops to the ocean floor.

With available science and solutions to tackle the problem, governments, companies and other stakeholders must scale up and speed actions to solve this crisis. This underscores the importance of this World Environment Day in mobilizing transformative action from every corner of the world.

A resolution was adopted in 2022 at the United Nations Environment Assembly to develop a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, with the ambition to complete the negotiations by end of 2024. The second meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee will be held in Paris at the end of May 2023. The instrument is to be based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastic.

Tobago and Environmental Awareness:

Arguably, we can state that Tobago has its fair share of 'voices' that speak on behalf of or speak up on environmental issues, but this form of activism is not enough, given that our times have changed, and technology along with culture within our society’s framework has also evolved significantly. 

Given the expected changes in methodology, environmental organizations such as Environment Tobago must become even more adaptable with a view of meeting new audiences, and also capturing the imagination of the younger generation that is up and coming.

As such our drive for participation in ‘doing’ actions has intensified and we have seen the need to become more aggressive in how we market, describe and demonstrate the benefits of protecting the natural environment, and by extension raising up a generation of youth activists, leaders and voices that can now take over the mantle in this work that we do. 

ENVIRONmentor programme: 

This national initiative has captured the interest and imagination of many young people particularly at primary and secondary schools level. Environment Tobago being a strong advocate with knowledge, experience and a focus on education has opted to become a Tobago-based partner in this initiative. 

Just as our organization’s involvement with the regional tree planting programme through the Caribbean Philanthropic Alliance, it is arguably another great opportunity through an environmental mentorship programme, that we can further adhere to sustainable partnerships for the goals, and effectively serve to bring the agenda of climate action, and many other interesting environmental topics to the fore within the local education system, and amongst our youth. 

All in all, Environment Tobago stands resolutely in support of such linkages being made to create even further awareness campaigns, and through celebrations like World Environment Day and the like, our mandate is slowly but surely realised, and we can safely say that we are continuously contributing to building capacity in environmental awareness, advocacy and education.