DILI, 26 october 2021 (TATOLI)—The Government of Timor-Leste on National Environment Day invites all citizens of Timor-Leste to raise awareness of actions to conserve the environment and combat the escalating climate crisis.
The message was delivered by the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, Taur Matan Ruak in his speech at the celebration of National Environmental Day.
PM Taur Matan Ruak said Timor-Leste celebrated National Environment Day as an important day to invite everyone to reflect on all the actions that have been done and will continue to be done in the future.
“This day invites everyone to reflect on all the actions that have been doing and will continue to do in the future as a State, local authorities and citizens, to promote and raise awareness of actions aimed at preserving the environment in our country,” said PM Taur in his speech at the event handover of the “ Environment protection” award at the Ministry of Finance office, Monday.
He said article 6 of the Republic’s Constitution stipulates that one of the goals of the State is “to protect the environment and preserve natural resources.”
This means that every citizen has the right to live in a healthy environment and enjoy the natural resources for his survival as a society and a nation.
Article 61 also reaffirms this goal, emphasizes the preservation and enhancement of natural resources, and for this reason, it is the duty of the State and citizens to contribute to the protection and conservation of the country’s natural resources.
To fulfill this constitutional mandate, the Government has ratified important United Nations Conventions and Protocols, namely: the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, the Kyoto Protocol and the Montreal Protocol.
The government is working with development agencies to declare 44 protected areas as well as marine areas.
On the same day, Secretary of State for the Environment, Demetrio de Amaral reminded the public that there is no more time to negotiate with the environment because now the environment is facing a crisis of climate change, loss of biodiversity, and environmental degradation.
“In today’s environment we are borrowing clean water and clean air for our children in the future, for that we must jointly take action for the environment,” He said.
He emphasized that currently, the progress that has been made by the government is to reduce the use of plastic in supermarkets, malls, and markets and replace it with canton bags. This also gives a tangible result that the champagne for plastic crackle has decreased.
Journalists: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Nelia Borges Rosario
