CHIEF COMMISSIONER’S OFFICE
ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION DIVISION
About Us
The Environment Protection and Conservation Division is responsible to protect and manage the environment of Rodrigues and its assets with a view to safeguarding and improving their capacity to sustain the Rodriguan Society and its development processes and to harmonise environment protection, quality of life and sustainable development for the present and future generations.
The Environment Division assists the government in protecting the environment to ensure a good quality of life. The Environment Division effects:
- Monitoring of cleaning works, dumping sites and waste collection system in place
- Developing environmental education programme
- Carrying out sensitization campaign in schools and villages and through the media
- Attending complaints from members of the public and cases of environmental emergencies
- Carrying out inspection throughout the island to detect any environmental nuisance and eyesore
- Providing views on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) applications
- Processing applications for environmental clearances for land levelling, for livestock activities and submit recommendations to the Agricultural Services
- Identifying, conceiving and implanting embellishment landscaping projects
- Monitoring coastal development activities around the island
Vision
- To make Rodrigues an ecological island
Mission
To protect and manage the marine and terrestrial environment through active participation of all stakeholders for the present and future generations
Objectives
Our main objectives are to:
- Manage coastal zone of the Island
- Waste Collection Services through Rod Clean Co. Ltd
- Environmental Education, Awareness and Sensitisations
- Support to cleaning, embellishment campaigns and other environmental protection initiatives
- Issue of clearances for land excavation, Use of public places, Disposals of wastes
- Issue and clearances and permits to projects including conditions and recommendations for PER/EIA licences
- Monitor projects including those warranting PER/EIA licences
- Public toilet facilities on public beaches and places
- Enforce environmental laws, regulations and other related mechanism to protect the natural environment with assistance of the Police de l’Environnement :
- Environment Act
- Dumping and Waste Carrier Regulations 2005
- Collection of Refuse Regulations 2008
- Rodrigues Regional Assembly (Prohibition of Use of Plastic Bags) Regulations 2014
- Rodrigues Regional Assembly (Banning of Disposable Plastic Food Items) Regulations 2019
- Mainstream sustainable development, climate change and environment consideration in decision-making process
Activities organised by the Environment Protection and Conservation Division
Visit from the CEPF Executive Director, Olivier Langrand, and the CEPF Grant Director, Peggy Poncelet, along with their colleagues.
On June 10, 2024, the Chief Commissioner and Commissioner for the Environment, Franceau Aubret Grandcourt, G.O.S.K., received a courtesy visit from a delegation of the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund composed of the CEPF Executive Director, Olivier Langrand, and the CEPF Grant Director, Peggy Poncelet, along with their colleagues
The primary purpose of this visit was to discuss biodiversity preservation. They also took the opportunity to discuss various impacts of climate change.
Subsequently, they sought the support of the Chief Commissioner to encourage civil society participation in project calls, thereby assisting in the protection of our terrestrial and marine resources.
In the pursuit of transforming Rodrigues Island into an “Ecological Creole Island,” blue and yellow recycling bins were handed over to tourist businesses in Region 5 at the Youth & Family Center in Anse aux Anglais.
The event continued with a training organized by the Commission of Environment on the proper use of the bins and raising awareness about pollution and the importance of recycling.
The Chief Commissioner attended the transfer of the last of five adult endemic plants (Bois Charron) to a new location within the Anse Quitor reserve. This transfer was a crucial component of the new runway construction project.
The relocation of these five adult plants along with 110 other indigenous and endemic plants is a project of the Rodrigues Regional Assembly in collaboration with the Mauritius Wildlife Foundation.
World Environment Day 2024 was celebrated at Mourouk with the local theme: “Nou Later, Nou La Mer, Nou Lavenir – A Nou Protez Li”
The event aimed to raise awareness about the importance of protecting and conserving our resources and to inspire the younger generation to become a “generation of restoration” dedicated to creating and promoting an Ecological Creole Rodrigues Island. The Chief Commissioner, Franceau Aubret Grandcourt, G.O.S.K, highlighted the impact of climate change on coral reefs, sea level rise, and coastal erosion.
As a symbolic gesture, the attendees planted nearly a hundred plants at the end of the event.
Saturday, May 18, 2024, was marked by the inauguration of a 1 MW solar farm at Grenade by the Minister of Energy, Honorable Jeorges Pierre Lesjongard, along with the Chief Commissioner and Commissioner for the Environment, Franceau Aubret Grandcourt, G.O.S.K.
This project was led by the Ministry of Energy in collaboration with CEB and the Regional Assembly of Rodrigues.
The Chief Commissioner took the opportunity to announce his government’s measures in favor of energy transition including;
The Environment Division assist the government in protecting the environment to ensure a good quality of life. The Environment Division effects;
- The Executive Council’s decision to reserve 4 sites primarily in the north of the island for future development of similar projects,
- The completion of a study and roadmap with the assistance of AFD for energy transition, and
- The organization of an energy forum to facilitate the transition towards achieving the target of 50% renewable energy capacity by 2030.
CONTACT DETAILS
Environment Division
- Paul Elysee Rd
- Port Mathurin, Rodrigues
- +230 83 21 581 , +230 83 21 967
- +230 83 21 947
- hfeli4@yahoo.com