Country name: Republic of Mauritius Country Area: 2040 sq. km Forest Area: 471.76 sq. km Capital City: Port Louis Country Population: 1.2 Million GDP per capita (PPP): US $13 700 Growth Rate: 5.4% (2007-2008) +6%(2008-2009) Key Economic Sectors: Tourism, Textile & Apparel Industry, Sugar, and Financial Services & ITES
The Ecological Footprint is one way of measuring how our lifestyles impact not only on the country and eventually on the planet, and also on other people. It calculates how much productive land, freshwater and sea is needed to feed us and provide all the energy, water and materials we use in our everyday lives. It also calculates the emissions generated from the oil, coal and gas we burn at ever-increasing rates, and it determines how much land is required to absorb our wastes. Reducing our ecological footprint is a key aim of every country. A one planet lifestyle means having a footprint of less than 1.8 global hectares per person. This is the highest sustainable footprint.
Human Development Index (HDI) is a relative score that captures how conducive conditions are in a given nation for people to enjoy long, healthy and creative lives, the UNDP rates Mauritius at a score of 0.804. This is the lowest acceptable well being level.
Both these indicators put Mauritius at the threshold of an unsustainable lifestyle with an ecological footprint of 1.8 global hectares per person, an ecological deficit of 0.7 and an HDI of 0.8. Mauritius could be the first country to move to this upper right quadrant deemed sustainable.
MAURITIUS
''Mauritius, a Sustainable Island'' (MSI) launched by the government last year. MSI project is expected to increase the country's level of energy autonomy by 65 percent in 2028 through efficient use of energy and the production of energy from a mix of renewable sources, such as the sun, wind, biomass and waves.
Government has created a MID Fund of Rs1,400 Million The national energy supplier (Central Electricity Board CEB) exchanged ordinary bulb to energy saving bulbs, a project costing of several millions of rupees Government subsidising purchase and installation of water heaters with a grant of Rs 10,000 per household or a loan of Rs 25,000 including the Rs 10,000 payable over 7 years with an interest of 9%. Government has set the target date of 2020 for all hotels to be green globe certified
ILO/MEF Project: Cleaner Production (CP) in Mauritian Enterprises Boiler Efficiency Improvement / Energy Conservation in Floreal Textile Dyeing Process modifications (material substitution, equipment retrofit) at Britannia Sugar Optimization of resource consumption and waste reuse at Coco Beach Hotel Process modifications for improving productivity and reducing wastes at Mauritius Oil Refineries Ltd Paybacks ranged from 3 to 14 months with maximum annual savings of Rs. 1.5 Million
UNDP/GOM funded study Environmental Management of Vacoas-Phoenix Industrial Estate Objective - Analyze the pollution generated at VIE; develop options for pollution prevention and control; assess the effectiveness of the options and contribute to the development of a sound EMP Three Textile and One Oil Refinery were included in this study The study showed that water and energy form a focus for most industries to adopt Cleaner Production A training workshop on Cleaner Production Opportunity Assessment (CPOA) was conducted to assist factory staff on the estate in understanding CP and learn methods and tools towards CPOA. Dispersion Modeling for ambient air quality due to emissions from Valentina Industrial Estate was also carried out as another assignment linked to the above project
Green Globe certification in Hotels and AHRIM Tourism Environment Charter Worldwide benchmarking and certification program to the travel and tourism industry So far, Mauritian Hotels are currently Green Globe certified: Coco Beach Hotel Labourdonnais Hotel Le Prince Maurice The Association des Hoteliers et Restaurateurs de L ile Maurice(AHRIM) has produced a charter to promote high standards in tourist facilities The GEF/SGP grant was used to implement the project in three phases viz.: setting up of the charter and testing in 10 hotels, implementation of the charter in at least 30 hotels and finally monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the charter among the participants.
Promotion of Environmental Management System (ISO 14001) Many enterprises in Mauritius have adopted the ISO 9000 series standards and the ISO 14001 series is now being adopted by several companies.
Projects at Ministry of Environment (MoE) Setting up of a National Cleaner Production Center(NCPC) Awareness on Sustainable Consumption(SC) Control of use of Plastic Carry Bags 75% reduction in Use PET Post Consumer Bottle Recovery and Recycling in Mauritius National Environmental Reporting Award for Enterprises
Better living for the nation Make Mauritius Muda Free (2000-2006) Make Mauritius Work. Together (2007) Development of a Productivity Culture
The 4Es: Empowerment through Education for Employability and Entrepreneurship
Learning by DOING
Definition elaborated by 60 trade union leaders affiliated to National Trade Union Congress of Mauritius during a brainstorming session facilitated by NPCC, July 2000.
Promote innovation through building innovation capacity Promote entrepreneurship through networking Promote technological transfer through collaboration Develop competencies for empowerment through knowledge development and sharing Promote centres of excellence through benchmarking Promote capacity building (skills and competencies) through a Productivity Academy Improve enterprise/organisation productivity through better management - labour relations Promote civic responsibility Promote foresight discussion on national productivity and competitiveness issues Promote teamwork and social values in education system.
GREEN PRODUCTIVITY
Green Productivity is a strategy for enhancing productivity and environmental performance for overall socio-economic development.
Taming consumption patterns Achieving resource use reduction and waste minimisation Building capacities and sustaining GP Setting enabling policy and programmatic framework
Eco-labelling (in pipeline) Green Procurement (workshop conducted) Awareness campaign on sustainable consumption and responsible advertising (on going)
Manufacturing sector Hotels Education sector Community Policy makers (Ministry of Finance)
National Programme and Action Plan on Sustainable Consumption and Production(SCP) for Mauritius: Achieving More with Less a strategic paper on Government Practices in Mauritius for year 2008 to 2013. Strategic priorities: Resource Use Efficiency with a Focus on Energy, Water and Sustainable Buildings and Construction Education and Communication for Sustainable Lifestyles Integrated Solid Waste management and Recycling Sustainable Public Service Practices Increase Market Supply and Demand for Sustainable Products
Engergy efficiency improvement Furnace/boiler efficiency Use of energy efficient lightening Solar heating Water use efficiency programme Water efficient public infrastructure/utilities Rainwater harvesting Common Environmental and Energy Infrastructure (Funding required) Combined Heat and Power Units Waste Exchange/Recycling Centres National Household recycling programme
Princes Tuna Ltd Students of the University of Mauritius, collaborated with the NPCC to investigated various energy saving opportunities in the company Le Latanier Bleu Hotel The intervention focused on energy consumption, water consumption, solid waste disposal and ultimately setting up of an Environment Management System in the hotel. Corson tea factory The intervention identified opportunities among others to reduce energy losses and improve GP parameters (Boiler efficiency) in the factory.
Feasibility Plan for Central Compost Development Facility (CCDF), March 2008
Green School Manual / Training of Facilitators / 12 Pilot Schools
Innovators Mauritius Award II & III
The aim of Innovators Award is to develop a culture of innovation in all walks of Mauritian Life Themes: Award II Green M, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Award III Eco-living: Pour une île Maurice durable- Everybody can make a difference
Eco-living: Pour une île Maurice durable- Everybody can make a difference
Gold Award A project on low cost wind turbine made from metal scrap Silver Award Bronze Award None ex-aequo (i) a project on electric generator running without solar energy, fuel oil or biofuel (ii) a project on Tide and Wave Concertina Energy Conversion Device (TWCECD).
Gold Award Silver Award Bronze Award ex-aequo (i) A project on Residence Tanzi (ii) A project on passive cooling and day lighting of buildings.. None None
After he visited remote Mauritius in 1896, Mark Twain quoted an islander as saying: "Mauritius was made first and then heaven; and heaven was copied after Mauritius."
2070 APJ Abdul Kalam, Outgoing President of the Republic of India