Caribbean News

Environment Minister leads national cleanup drive

St. George’s, June 6, 2010 (GIS) – Environment Minister Michael Church led by example as Grenada joined the international community in observing World Environment Day. The theme of the day, which was marked on June 5 by United Nation member-countries, was: “Many Species. One Planet. One Future.”

The Environment Ministry used the weekend – June 5 and 6 – to spearhead a national cleanup drive. Hundreds, including government ministers, responded to the Ministry of the Environment’s appeal to “join the groups within your community to participate in the cleanup on the days identified.’’

Hon. Church, who is also MP for St. John, visited many communities – including those on the west coast of the island – to participate in the cleanup.

At the U.N., and through its leadership of the Alliance of Small Island States, Grenada has been championing the cause of environment protection and preservation.

Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the U.N., has warned that thousands of species, which are important for sustaining life on earth, are becoming extinct “at the fastest rate ever recorded.’’

The Secretary-General, in a World Environment Day message, added that “most of these extinctions are tied to human activities that are polluting and depleting water resources, changing and degrading habitats and altering the global climate.  From frogs to gorillas, from huge plants to tiny insects, thousands of species are in jeopardy.’’ 

He said the theme of World Environment Day “echoes the call’’ of the 2010 observance of the International Year of Biodiversity “to stop this mass extinction and raise awareness about the vital importance of the millions of species that inhabit our planet’s soils, forests, oceans, coral reefs and mountains.  Our health, well-being and sustainable future depend on this intricate, delicate web of ecosystems and life.’’

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