The act to protect and conserve our motherland should start now before it is too late and the use of environmental impact assessment tools can contribute to achieving sustainable development on our earth.
This has been highlighted by the Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Doctor Sivendra Michael at the opening of the Environment Impact Assessment roundtable meeting with approving and licensing authorities at Tanoa Plaza in Suva.
Doctor Michael says the increase in the climate crisis and the increased levels of pollution with waste management practices give a reminder that we must act now to protect and conserve what we have left and to restore what we have lost.
He says it is important to adopt risk-informed approaches where people in the communities are at the centre of all decisions.
He adds we must shift our approaches to development so that it can meet the needs of our present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own.
