SPREP Launches Clean Pacific 2012 Campaign

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)
www.sprep.org

26 January 2012 --
The Clean Pacific 2012 campaign will be launched in partnership with the World Wetlands Day celebrations in Apia, Samoa on 2 February. The relationship between proper waste disposal practices, management and pollution prevention and healthy wetlands is a critical one. The Clean Pacific campaign will aim to promote a clean and healthy environment for our Pacific peoples through improved waste management practices.

The World Wetlands Day theme for 2012 is “Wetlands and Tourism” and with tourism being a major income earner for the Pacific Islands, this industry is set to grow over the coming years. While there are many examples of environmentally sustainable tourism, there are also a number of unsustainable examples of tourism, which generate waste and pollution and cause damage to our wetlands.

The Clean Pacific campaign is a regional waste management and pollution control campaign coordinated by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) in partnership with its member countries. The campaign will galvanise actions at all levels to improve the management of wastes and pollution through promotion of a range of activities, which contribute to a healthy environment, including wetlands.

SPREP will support relevant grass roots activities for waste reduction and management, pollution prevention, and hazardous chemical management during the campaign year.

“There are major problems on the management and disposal of solid waste throughout the Pacific, so the programme is focussing on raising awareness and building capacity in this important area,” said Mr. David Sheppard, SPREP’s Director General.

“SPREP is pleased to embark on this campaign and we look forward to good work to come as we all unite on our Clean Pacific campaign.”

In the Pacific region, isolated populations and remote locations are challenges beyond our control and often make sustainable waste management and pollution control difficult. At the same time they underscore the need to focus on local solutions that can be sustained regardless of external factors such as fuel prices and shipping costs.

Recognising these and other challenges, the Clean Pacific campaign focuses on ensuring that the right practices and policies are adopted by Pacific island countries to support sustainable management of waste and prevention and control of pollution.

The campaign will also show that a clean Pacific relies on everyone from the most senior politician to the smallest family taking immediate and responsible action to solve the dual problems of waste and pollution.

ENDS

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