 Angelique Pouponneau, 27-year-old environmental lawyer from the Seychelles. She holds the position of vice-chairperson for inclusion and engagement of the Commonwealth Youth Council. Angelique is passionate about sustainability. In 2014, she co-founded a youth-led non-governmental organisation, SYAH-Seychelles, which provides a platform for young people to advance and promote sustainability through youth-led projects. To date the biggest achievements has been the successful campaign for the ban of plastic bags in the Seychelles and the implementation of the Blue Economy Internship Programme.
For her work, she was recognised as a Queen’s Young Leader in 2016.
0 Comments
I never thought that I’d be saying this, I never thought that I’d be the one writing this and that’s the same thing that many a young people said when they heard about the plastic bag ban, when they heard about the new age that Seychelles was heading towards. Seychelles; this is our island paradise, this is our home, there are no other place that can compare in our hearts. So why do we deny it justice? Why do we resent its cry for a change and a healthy life?
 Love can be defined in so many ways; In Multiple languages and in an immense amount of ways. There are no holds that love doesn’t have on us. If you write down a social equation there is no answer that won’t have love as a common denominator. With less than 5 years dedicated to youth work, from co-founding an NGO, organizing talks in schools and the community and workshops on the importance of environment sustainability, and after feeling satisfied that you have executed the master plan successfully, it all boils down to one question – How do I measure impact?
The SIDS Youth AIMS Hub - Seychelles joined the international organisation Positive Change for Marine Life in Australia in a Marine Debris Challenge. This involved conducting a series of beach clean ups across the country including islands such as Silhouette and Cousin Island leading up to Earth Day. Seychelles free from plastic bags by 2016?
The Seychelles, a small island Developing State, at the forefront of the fight to save our Mother Earth and combat climate change yet Seychelles should stand envious of countries like Rwanda when it comes to plastic bags. In 2008, Rwanda got tough on plastic bags by deciding to effect a complete ban on the non-biodegradable polythene bags. The country is looking to ban other types of plastic and is even hinting at the possibility of become the world's first plastic free nation. Can we beat them to it? Like the Seychelles Constitution, the Constitution of Rwanda recognises the right to a clean and safe environment. A right that is recognised and enforceable under the law.
Some people see climate change as merely a concept, the beginning of a conspiracy theory or an attempt to shy away from the real issues whilst others experience this first hand and suffer the consequences. Many people see it as a national problem whilst others see it as an international problem. This first article will explore how Seychellois of all ages see climate change.
With 73% of participants thinking that nothing has really followed after the UN meeting in the 1992, whose responsibility is it to fight climate change? Who has failed to take their responsibility 23 years ago? The statistics from the Seychelles reveals some concern. With 1% of participants expressing that they are not concerned by climate change the wheels of my mind begin to turn as this can only mean that a certain percentage of the population are simply not concerned by this. This is worsened by the statistics that show 7% of people say the present system should not be changed substantially and 16% insisting that exploration of fossil fuels should continue. Anxiety worsens as 9% of participants state that climate change should not be a national priority. Will we ever reach carbon zero? In the Seychelles with the creation of a Ministry for Environment, Energy and Climate Change, a principal secretary for Climate change and a national committee dealing with climate change climate change is perceived to be a national priority on a national level but should it be government’s problem alone? There is good news!  The weather seemed like it was going to wreck everything but with Mother Earth we can expect anything. Within an hour the skies cleared and the sun was out again. Members of the Hub car pooled to the Four Seasons Resort at Baie Lazare to spend the afternoon with WISEOCEANS and the marine creatures that lies beneath the ocean surface in the Petit Anse Bay.
83 people made an appearance to this youth and ocean focussed event organised by the SIDS Youth AIMS Hub- Seychelles on the 28th March 2015 at 1330. The enthusiasm and interest in the topic of the Blue Economy concept was obvious. This half day workshop was opened by the Minister of Finance, Trade and the Blue economy. He reached out to the youths asking that they seize the opportunities that are available and especially to take up careers that would assist with the development of the blue economy. Miss Shantana Barbe, the Secretary of SIDS Youth AIMS Hub- Seychelles gave a short address on the objectives behind this event. The first half of the workshop was aimed at providing education and empowerment for young people in the development of the Blue Economy. The second half was SYAH-SEYCHELLES insisting that youths are involved in the development of the Blue Economy by bringing high level officials to spend an afternoon listening to the concerns and proposals of young people regarding its development and where they seem themselves fitting in.
|
AuthorContributed posts Archives
November 2017
Categories |
RSS Feed
