Over the next five to ten years, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts will work towards making its events more environmentally friendly as it begins implementing the revised 2021-2030 Tourism Policy.
Tourism advisor Siddiqua Mondol reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to the policy while presenting at the Environmental Management Authority’s 2021 Knowledge Series on Tuesday.
Mondol explained the ministry’s plan to “green” national sporting, entertainment and cultural events which includes Carnival noting that the policy calls on the ministry to pursue the adoption of sustainable practices when planning its events.
According to the UN, green events are events which incorporate environmental considerations into its planning process to minimise their negative effects on the environment.
Part of the ministry’s plan will include procuring environmentally friendly services for events such as products that are biodegradable, ethically sourced, recyclable, reusable, locally produced and resource efficient which will reduce waste.
By procuring these services, the ministry aims to ensure that their events produce limited waste, use limited resources, reduce carbon dioxide emissions and raise greater awareness for locally produced sustainable products.
As it works to making events greener, the ministry hopes to move this country one step closer to achieving the targets under the UN Sustainable Development Goals especially Goal 12 which looks at responsible consumption and production of goods.
The New Fire Festival and Green Market Santa Cruz are just two of several local green events that have emerged in recent years.
The New Fire Festival is a zero-waste festival full of music, art, dance, food, craft, yoga, play and overnight camping held annually while Green Market Santa Cruz is a garden showcasing sustainably made local food, produce and craft.
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