Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Health and the Environment, Sir Molwyn Joseph, has underscored the importance of preserving the environment in the OECS for future generations as he welcomed regional colleagues to a Ministerial Roundtable on the OECS 30×30 Transformation Program taking place here in St. John’s.
In his remarks, Sir Molwyn emphasized the need for current leaders to take steps to protect and preserve the environment for the benefit of not only today’s generations, but also for the generations in the future.
Sir Molwyn welcomed the proposal to establish a Regional Conservation Center within the OECS framework. However, he said the sub-region needs to do more than just setting up institutions
“Beyond institutions and programs, let us be clear: this is about our people, and about the generations who will inherit these islands after us. We have a profound obligation to ensure that future generations are not disadvantaged by the decisions—or indecisions—we make today.
“They must have confidence that the governments of this region are not only acting decisively but are including and empowering them as true partners in the work of conservation and sustainable management,” he emphasized.
The Environment Minister also made the point that conservation is not a peripheral issue but central to protecting economies and lives. “It is central to protecting our economies, our resilience, and our identity as Caribbean peoples. It must be at the very heart of our efforts to defend and nurture the natural systems upon which all life in our region depends,” he stated.
Sir Molwyn reminded his colleagues that they were no longer in a position to debate whether nature-based solutions are worthwhile—they are indispensable. “Without healthy ecosystems, there can be no climate resilience. Without biodiversity, there can be no sustainable development.
“So let this roundtable mark a point of convergence—where we unify our efforts, clarify our priorities, and commit to concrete, measurable next steps,” he declared.
The Ministerial Roundtable seeks to bring the OECS territories to commit to regional collaboration, solidarity, and institutional commitment in order to achieve the conservation of at least 30% of region’s territorial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems by 2030.
