AKNL - Nou Koste Pou Nou Lakot !

We are running out of time ! Mauritius is a very small island and there remains today only very few portions of our coastal zone that are still unbuilt. Each coastal ecosystem that we lose is a major loss.

"Ase akaparman, ase destriksion!" 

AKNL has set up a full-time, people-powered, registered organisation, called mru2025. Let’s set the targets for the coming 4-5 years, “Nou Koste Pou Nou lakot”. Together we can turn the tide against the relentless destruction still happening in our fragile coastal zone.

For the past 6 years, we have operated during our spare time, with very little resources. Thanks to the public’s great support however, we have been able to go from one challenge to the next. But we now need to move on to an even higher level and are therefore setting up this crowdfunding campaign.

These fights are not easily won. They require constant advocacy/pressure campaigns with the Government, lodging legal cases, mobilizing public opinion, producing scientific content/reports for dissemination so as to create awareness and encourage environmental stewardship amongst one and all. Our high level advocacy work has also been recently acknowledged by international bodies and environmental conventions and this has encouraged us tremendously to persevere, especially when it comes to promoting environmental rights.

Our Strategic Plan focuses on environmental stewardship and on the coastal zone of the Island of Mauritius. mru2025 wants to be a catalyst for broad and effective participation of the general public, local communities and scientists in decision-making as per the established principles of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM).

mru2025’s Vision: a country where there is a sustainable management of our coastal zone that actively protects the rights of the public and preserves the natural environment while being economically viable for the community.

We, as a Small Island Developing State, need to maintain the ecological balance by respecting natural sites, as well as the rights of the Mauritian public to enjoy their coastal heritage. A different approach is thus urgently called for.

We need 1500 people to support us with the equivalent of 100 rupees per month to sustain our team and our actions.

You may proceed as follows :

Our urgent campaigns :

• Conduct a national “Enn Vizion Pu Nu Lakot” campaign of consultations on the Future we want for our coastal zone. This will target specific coastal villages.Using social media and physical meetings, these consultations will be summarised into short videos and written reports that will be disseminated via social media and merged into one documentary film, and report that will be submitted to the authorities. The views of the Mauritian public in general, coastal communities in particular, and environmental experts must be integrated into key policy-making processes currently underway, such as the revision of the country’s land use masterplan by the Ministry of Housing and Land-Use.

• Continue AKNL’s legal battles against the construction of new hotels and villas on coastal State Lands (“Pas Géométriques”)

• Develop a “Pomponette model public beach experience”, a proposal that can become a national reference in terms of a public beach that is sustainably managed for quality public enjoyment

• Advocate for a Coastal Public Geopark on the Pas Geometriques of the South-East and South coasts, in line with UNESCO’s Global Geoparks label. A first phase would be between La Cambuse and Gris Gris. There is urgent need to provide on the coast for both more public spaces and a “Poumon Vert” that will support a high quality alternative tourism model, different to the now saturated model of beach hotels, especially after the MV Wakashio oil spill and with global awareness to climate change rising.

• Advocate for a “Conservatoire du Littoral” in Mauritius, inspired by the French example, to preserve and sustainably manage our Coast, so that ecosystems are protected, there are more and better public coastal areas, there is sustainable economic development for and by local communities.

The actions just listed aim to respond to the following fundamental issues:

• Aret fer sanblan protez nou lanvironnman! It is unacceptable that Government bodies are allowing the destruction of our last few wetlands, marshes, sand dunes and functioning ecosystems on our coast. Not only are they unique treasures, they are our best barriers against coastal erosion.

• Aret detrir nou lakot ek beton! It is unacceptable that officially only 15% of the coastline is for the public, e.g. 48 kilometres of public beaches out of a total coastline length of 322 kilometres. It is a folly to believe that the more concrete we put on our coast, the more tourists will come to Mauritius. It was mad before the Covid-19 crisis, it is even madder now.

• Aret pran nou pou Second Class Citizens ! Our rights, our views, our hopes matter. It is unacceptable that Government bodies barely, if at all, listen to the wishes of the public, the concerns of citizens, the proposals by civil society and local communities.

If you wish to have more details on our work, please visit our site: www.mru2025.org .

Our facebook pages : Aret Kokin Nu Laplaz and mru2025

Thank you for your support. You are also most welcome to get in touch with us if you wish to help as a volunteer in activities to promote environmental stewardship.