15 July 2024 10am STA Fale
Lau Susuga i le Taitai o le Sauniga,
Members of the Diplomatic Corp
Members of the Samoa Recycling Waste Management Association, Samoa Conservation Society and Samoa Association of Women Growers,
Representatives of Youth Groups joining us today,
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen
E viia le Atua e faavavau, auā o lana pule tonu, ua mafua ai ona tuta i fanua le vaatele i le paia ma le mamalu, ua ee ma pāpā ao, i Matagialalua o le malae na utu ai le faatauäpai o Tupu o Samoa.
Ua fotupule, ai nei le faiva o tama, ae atue le tautai o le igafo. Auā ua atoa i tagi ou mamalu faaletalalelei, o ou paia faale Malo, ma ou maualuga faale Atunuu. Nuunuu atu ia i le Aufueta latou te
gafataulimaina.
Ua toliua se lagona i lenei taeao āfua, e faafetaia ai le tofa faamaite
mea lelei i le SWRMA i lo latou moe manatunatu i le faatauaina, o le
malu puipuia ma le faamatagofieina o lo tatou siosiomaga ma
laufanua mai otaota ma lapisi, lenei ua fai faafitauli, e le gata i
tafaala, ao tuamaota ma totonu o afioaga ma alalafaga, aemaise
aoga.
O le Poloketi taua ua galulue ai le SWRMA, Sosaiete Faasao a Samoa, Samoa Womens Growers ma nisi tupulaga talavou, e ala i lo outou pulupulu lima faatasi ma soosoo tauau e saga tapue i galuega faatino, aemaise ole tātā logo a Masefau I le Atunuu lautele, mo le vaaia lelei o lo tatou siosiomaga, e momoli atu ai le fa’amalo a le tatou malo ona o lo outou saili ua maua ai nei fesoasoani taua.
O lo outou fita-i-tuga mo se manuia o Samoa, e le pau fua, o galuega o le asō, e malu ai lalotao, ma soo ai taiao, i le lumanai o Samoa mo a taeao, ma tupulaga o le lumanai. Ia manatua le auau o lenei aso. “O LE LUMANA’I, O LE ASŌ.”
1. In the last 50 years, global use of materials has more than
quadrupled from 28.6 billion tonnes to between 170 and 184
billion tonnes in 2050.
2. This rapid acceleration of consumption where over 90% of all
materials extracted and used are wasted, and only 8.6% of
materials make it back into the economy, is a real threat to the
planet’s future and consequently humans and the environment.
3. It has been noted that small island developing states including
Samoa, only account for just 1.56% of the global mismanaged
plastic waste volume, but at the national level the average waste
generation per person in SIDS of 2.3kg per day is 48% higher than
the world’s average.
4. For Samoa, government is spending so much of our budget, to
collect, and dispose of the accumulated waste in country, let
alone clean-up programs in schools, villages and nationally. These
resources can be utilised for other national economic development issues if waste can be managed at the source, by disposing them properly, recycling and reusing them appropriately.
5. So it is refreshing to see NGOs and the community stepping up to source financial support and partner with other groups to also
assist in our efforts to reduce waste around the country.
6. Today SRWMA, working together and in partnership with Samoa
Conservation Society, Samoa Association of Women Growers and
ten Youth Groups, are launching the “OUR FUTURE IS NOW”
project in commemoration of “World Youth Skills Day.”
7. This initiative supports environmentally conscious projects and
continue to promote awareness on climate adaptation. And in
doing so, you have achieved a first in Samoa in forming an
environmental youth group from 10 different communities that
consists of 385 youth members, who will all advocate on Waste
Management issues in Samoa.
8. I understand there will also be school recycling competitions
involving 20 schools, as well as river clean-ups and river
conservation, promotion of the 4 Rs and Plastic free green
markets, particularly engaging our farmers, market vendors and
consumers in addressing overuse of plastics. As well as promotion
of waste reduction, sustainable and conservation practices, which
are all aiming for a positive impact on our communities and to our
country.
9. For this I heartily congratulate SRWMA, SCS, SAWG and all of
Samoa’s young people actively engaged and participating in this
innovative initiative, for your relentless commitment and drive in
tackling waste management issues for the betterment of our
country’s environment and health
10. I also acknowledge with gratitude the European Union’s
generous funding of 90% of the total cost of the Our Future is
Now initiative which amounts to $939,253.30 SAT ($327,048.00
Euros).
11. Our Government, especially the Waste Management Division of
the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, stands ready
to provide necessary support for this initiative in line with its
programs to:
a. integrate Circular Economy principles into national
strategies,
b. establish an Import Waste Levy to fund recycling efforts
and thus supporting collaboration between government,
private sector, and civil society for sustainable waste
management, as well as
c. Waste collection and roadside clean ups
12. With the launch of the Our Future is Now initiative we as
a nation shall progress more with our goal in effectively tackling
plastics pollution, which is one of the pressing triple planetary
crisis of our present time.
I wish the Our Future is Now project and everyone involved resounding success, and God Bless.
Soifua ma ia Manuia
SOURCE – Office of the Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Tourism: Samoa
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