$8 million grant to environmental association

Six months after the Ministry of the Environment, through the Environment Directorate (Diren), launched a call for projects to support projects carried out by associations, the 17 winners met on Friday morning at the Presidential Palace with Minister Taivini Teai to sign the grant agreement. The 17 selected associations, including Oceania, Coureurs des Gambier and Niuhi ma, presented projects related to environmental education and the management of protected species during this call for projects. In total, the State will provide them with a little over eight million francs in funding.

The Minister of the Environment thanked the associations for their “commitments”. “I hope to receive them and sign them. Previously, I was on the other side of the barrier, involved in waste collection operations on the beaches, in particular with the University and the Tamarii Pointe des Peschers association. This time, I am on the other side of the barrier, so I know the importance of the commitment of the members of these associations.”

“challenge”

The Minister also took the opportunity to confirm that environmental protection is “of course” a priority for the Government. “It is a portfolio assigned to me, which makes sense because I was first in charge of the primary sector, when I was in charge of biosecurity. That is, protecting our environment, but only within our borders. Today, we have to protect the environment while developing, which will be a great challenge,” he continued.

For Aeata Richerd, founder of the Reva Atea association, which works in the field of scientific communication and mediation, this grant is a real “boost”. Thanks to the subsidy provided by Diren, Reva Atea will be able to finance the production of educational brochures that will be distributed to students whose classes install the aquariums for five weeks. This is a “huge benefit” for the beneficial mission of awareness and learning.