5 February 2021
The monthly meetings of the Highways Authority and the Environment & Natural Resources Committee (ENRC) took place on Thursday, 21 January 2021.
At the Highways Authority meeting updates were provided regarding a proposed parking area near the General Hospital. Arrangements are being made for Councillor Russell Yon to present the proposed design/layout for the zone between the Band Room and the area opposite to the entrance of St Johns Villa. It is envisaged that this presentation will take place at the General Hospital courtyard and this will enable the public to express their views.
The Roads Manager advised that ten new convex road mirrors will arrive on the next voyage of the MV Helena.
During the ENRC meeting the Draft Climate Change Action Plan for St Helena was presented and discussed. Climate Change has been internationally acknowledged as one of the principle threats to the global community and there is also widespread recognition that climate change will impact disproportionally on both Island nations and countries with weak economies. Therefore St Helena risks potential significant impacts. Whilst St Helena’s total emissions of Greenhouse Gases and other air pollutants may be insignificant in global terms, there are still opportunities to achieve emission reductions that will have local environmental, health or economic benefits.
The Draft Climate Change Plan, which was endorsed for St Helena to adopt, will help St Helena to implement its Climate Change Policy and highlights actions already on-going across the Island and lists new areas the Island needs to address to both significantly decrease the contribution of the Island to climate change and simultaneously prepare for the increased risks that could arise.
Some of the outcomes in this Draft Climate Change Action Plan will take a long period of time to achieve, even beyond the scope of this first plan, which has been designed to bring benefit to the environment of St Helena. However, all actions detailed are expected to make good progress towards mainstreaming the environment and achieving the objectives of the Climate Change Policy.
SHG
5 February 2021