By Ketricia Finch
St. Kitts Reporter
Tuesday was World Environment Day, a day celebrated in more than 100 countries.
The Physical Planning and Environment Department conducted educational outreach to students of the Verchilds High School and the general public and also presented a cutting of the national plant, the Flamboyant, as part of the department’s activities in celebrating World Environment Day.
The department gave a brief presentation before educating students in detail via a Powerpoint presentation.
The Senior Environmental Officer of the planning department, Randolph Edmeade said the tree would be planted on the school’s compound to involved the students in World Environment Day and to also aid at improving their environment.
The department also presented a package of educational materials to the principal of the school to later distribute to the students.
Randolph Edmeade said World Environment Day is a day set aside by the United Nations since 1972.
Mr. Blanchette, chairman of the ceremony, explained that the fifth day of June is set aside for world organisations to engage in activities promoting a safe and healthy environment.
The theme for this year’s World Environmental Day was Climate Change and Melting Ice Caps. The world is concerned about the effects of climate change, mainly global warming.
As this happens, the increase in temperature is likely to have an impact on the polar ice caps at the north and south poles.
Edmeade said it is a concern because when the ice caps melt, a lot of water is going to be released into the oceans. He said melted water could lead to sea level rise.
“Rise in sea levels of just a few centimetres can reap hazards on coastlines of small islands such as St. Kitts and Nevis and other islands around the world. Most of our infrastructures like settlements are very close to the coast and any rise we get in sea level is likely to result in the flooding of these coastal areas. It’s also going to impact on our beaches and will have a further impact on our tourism industry. Our water supply is also likely to be impacted,” Edmeade said.
Edmeade said the main purpose of the presentation is to sensitise the general public and the students to the likely impact on global warming.
The Observer then spoke to Patrick Williams, senior physical planning officers and he said that that is not the first time the department has participated in an activity such as that one.
“Each year there is a different theme…Over the years we have assisted schools in a variety of ways. We just thought that it would be significant for school students to see us plant trees and understand the significance of trees within our immediate environment. Next year there will be a different focus and I think that we would be in this route again.”
“What we wanted to do this year, apart from going to the schools and having the ministers make speeches, is to sensitise the public about some of the critical issues that would affect their own sustainable livelihood.”
