Africa-Press – Mauritius. A Workshop for Green Cells in the context of the Greening of the Public Sector initiative was launched, today, by the Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, Mr Rajesh Anand Bhagwan, at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation, in Minissy.
The Greening of the Public Sector project aims at encouraging public organisations to green their activities through the adoption of sustainable consumption and production patterns, resource efficiency and smart green practices; and embracing sustainable technology and business practices in their day-to-day operations.
The Minister of Energy and Public Utilities, Mr Patrick Gervais Assirvaden; the Minister of Public Service and Administrative Reforms, Mr Lutchmanah Pentiah; the Junior Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, Mrs Joanna Marie Bérenger; as well as other personalities were also present during the launching event.
In his address Minister Bhagwan highlighted that Government is committed to encourage public institutions to lead by example by adopting responsible environmental practices. To date, several initiatives are being undertaken, such as: the development of energy efficiency guidelines by the Energy Efficiency Management Office for electrical and electronic equipment in the public sector; implementation of an electronic document management system on a pilot basis; installation of photovoltaic panels at the National Environmental Laboratory and the State House; and a recycling plan whereby more than 2.5 tonnes of paper have been collected.
Mr Bhagwan stressed the importance of focussing efforts on energy and water conservation initiatives across the public sector so as to contribute to the energy efficiency campaign and demand management programme of the Ministry of Energy and Public Utilities. As such, the Green Cells already set up within public institutions must become champions and role models for responsible energy consumption, waste reduction and the promotion of a culture of moderation in the public service, he added.
For his part, Minister Assirvaden outlined that his Ministry, with the support of the Energy Efficiency Management Office, the Central Electricity Board and the Mauritius Renewable Energy Agency, has launched a major national awareness campaign against energy wastage. The aim, he said, is to change citizen’s behaviour and adopt simple energy efficiency habits.
As for Minister Pentiah, he called upon civil servants to act responsibly for the effective greening of the public service. He further advocated for a shift from fossil fuels to more sustainable sources of energy in order to protect the environment.
Junior Minister Bérenger, for her part, commended the European Union for the technical support provided for the Greening of the Public Sector initiative through its Switch to Green Programme. She moreover urged public servants and the population to develop good habits that can help save energy to better protect the environment.
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