Maurice ile durable - A Sustainable Mauritius Project

Though many people have heard of Maurice ile durable (MID), the majority cannot give it a proper definition except for associating it with words like green or sustainability. In the broad sense, the words are fair enough but the concept itself is that of continuous amendments to our lifestyles so as to reduce our ecological footprints through innovative and responsible means thus bettering the lives of future generations. It is not only a mere project for politicians' sake, it is a view of a better Mauritius that can be achieved if there is the cooperation of each and every person on the island.

While in the past, people were making judicious use of the resources on the island through natural means, (using less electricity, walking etc), today the level of development puts Mauritius in a place where it has to become self sufficient and sustainable not only for future generations but also for the current population to enjoy a better lifestyle. The MID concept is not a new one, having been evoked in the past (not in the same manner) to make Mauritius a sustainable island. In 2008, the Prime Minister, Dr Navin Ramgoolam, decided to solidify this wispy idea into a solid backbone of development with the help of a French specialist Pr Joel de Rosnay where the laying foundations were written down and the long term process started.

MID Projects

One of the most important pillars of the project is to make Mauritius less energy dependent on fossil fuels with a target autonomy of 65% by 2028. Renewable energies are highly encouraged to be used such as solar, water, wind biomass/biogas etc. A specialised MID fund has been set up by the government to help in projects regarding a sustainable Mauritius. They include the preservation and better handling of natural resources, exploitation of natural renewable energy sources, schemes to reduce overall energy consumption on the island and encourage self made energy alternatives, programmes to protect the environment through recycling of waste, conducting research with regards to renewable energy technologies, energy management programmes both locally and with foreign partners and sensitization campaigns regarding the wise use of energy and renewable energies.

Successful projects

Numerous projects for a better Mauritius have seen the light and been successful. The government came up with a scheme to encourage the use of solar water heaters by offering grants of Rs10,000 and another soft loan of Rs15,000 from the Development Bank of Mauritius to buy one; based on its success, the project was extended to shelters, elderly homes, hospitals etc. There has also been the initiative to use compact fluorescent lights which are less energy consuming than normal light bulbs with the offer of 3 lamps for Rs40; this project has been extended to all public places like schools, hospitals while traffic lights have been replaced with LED ones which have longer life times, better visibility and lower maintenance.