Audubon unveils environmental agenda
The environment is an issue which has grown in national prominence and today one of Belize’s most forceful environmental advocates took the opportunity to keep it on the front burner. Patrick Jones reports.
Armed with slides and aerial photographs of various parts of the country as evidence, the Belize Audubon Society today went public with its new advocacy plan for environmental preservation. The Environmental Agenda for the Twenty First Century addresses concerns in nine specific areas, including tourism, agricultural development and waste management.
Carlos Santos, Vice President, Audubon
“There are several challenges that tell us that not everything is so tranquil in this haven of diversity.”
The environmental manifesto is the product of seven months of research by the staff of the Belize Audubon Society and a panel of professionals from various fields. It details not only the concerns that the society has about the protection of the environment, but also puts forward some proposals to right many of the wrongs and prevent future damage.
Carlos Santos
“This whole question of the environment, unlike purists who would like to see us lock up everything and just leave it for all the animals, has got to be taken in the context of living with people and the environment.”
Two major points of concern for Audubon are the problem of waste disposal and the increasing speed with which natural buffer zones like mangroves are being destroyed. Advocacy Director Valdemar Andrade says the root cause of many of the problems currently confronting the environment can be traced back to bad management.
Valdemar Andrade, Advocacy Director
“If we sit down and come to realize that our main industry for example tourism and fisheries, rely heavily on our aesthetic and also on our natural resources, so if we take care of them then eventually we will have these resources for our children and our children’s children.”
Osmany Salas, Executive Director
“Since we truly believe in the positions contained in this manifesto, we are committed to doing our fair share to ensure that the proposals for action are seriously considered for endorsement and implementation. Although this document is intended for the general public, the first target population will be the political parties fielding candidates for the upcoming general elections. Past political manifestos have not devoted significant attention to the environment.”
With this being an election year, Audubon is hoping that the launch of the environmental manifesto is in time for some serious consideration by the political parties.
Valdemar Andrade
“Through this document the Audubon Society is sending two messages: one that it wants to become partner in this new environmental era and that we want to utilize our technical expertise to help work with the government to achieve this agenda and two that we are committing our technical expertise to achieving such an agenda.”
The Audubon Society says they fully realize that progress brings problems but that informed and decisive action early in the game should be enough to ensure that both man and environment co-exist in harmony. Patrick Jones, for News Five.
Aududon will be working on both political parties to incorporate their ideas into the respective manifestoes.
