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The people of the Pacific need to educate themselves as individuals to sustain their environment for the future of their children and the Pacific as a whole, said Solomon Islands High Commissioner to Fiji, Faye Mose.
Mose made the comment while opening the Melanesian/Micronesian night at the 23rd Miss South Pacific Pageant at Albert Park in Suva last night.
“The theme for the Miss South Pacific Pageant 2009 - Protecting our Environment the Pacific Way - is indeed very relevant, especially at this time when the world and of course our own island countries in the Pacific are trying to protect and preserve our environment in the face of so many challenges,” she told the 200 plus crowd at the grounds.
“We must strive to protect what we value the most; our land and waters, our health and education our culture and values for our children’s future.”
Mose said the resources that Pacific islanders depended on the most for economic development and sustenance of their livelihood were fisheries and marine resources.
“Scientific reports have confirmed that certain tuna species that we depend on for economic development and sustenance and livelihood are on the verge of being over harvested by commercial fishing.”
“In order that these resources are fully utilised and harvested in a sustainable way, awareness on the negative consequences of over exploitation of fisheries and other natural resources must begin with each and everyone in the community, then at national and regional levels,” she said.
She said that knowing the consequences was not enough: “We as individuals in the community, boys and girls, youths and adults must and should do our part in protecting our natural environment.”
Making a strong statement in similar vein was Greenpeace advocate Fenton Lutunatabua who spoke briefly on the Pacific campaign at the upcoming Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change.
His short message was followed by a brief documentary on how climate change has affected the smaller island nations such as Kiribati, and included the killing of whales and the over harvesting of marine resources in the Pacific.
