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Lemanu makes commitment to a healthy environment and citizenry official

Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga and Lt. Gov. Talauega Eleasalo Ale (left)
compiled by Samoa News staff

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — With the threats of climate change growing more evident this year, Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga has signed on Dec. 23, Executive Order 019-21 creating the American Samoa Resilience Commission & Governor's Resilience Office.

In a press release issued this past Wed, the governor said that the dangers of climate change are literally at our doorstep. “Rising sea levels have increased the erosion of our coasts. The temperature of our oceans has affected sea life and presents new challenges for preserving healthy coral reefs. Threats include the changing of ocean currents, weather patterns, and disrupting entire marine food ecosystems and food chains," Lemanu said. 

"Our ancestors have passed down the capability to weather hurricanes and storms for thousands of years. We need to prepare our future generations to do the same by improving our resilience as a people and infrastructure to meet the new challenges of protecting our island.

“We have a chance to make a major impact now. Recently, our administration took part in the Flex for 1pt5 climate change campaign, hosted by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP) at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow in November 2021.

“Its goal is to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and carry out a major online/social media campaign recognized globally. ASG will continue to take advantage of this type of partnership and many others as we continue to keep our citizens educated on how to do their part.”

Lemanu pledged that he and Lt. Gov. Talauega Eleasalo Va’alele Ale are committed to doing what they can to avoid climate change from getting worse, protecting Am Samoa’s ocean resources, and expanding scientific capacities. “This has been a major goal for our Administration and I charge the GRO with the development of innovative adaptation and response strategies that will safeguard our natural systems and strengthen our economy," he said.

With this order, Lemanu said American Samoa recognizes the urgency of climate impacts with grave concern and the need to respond quickly and strategically to ensure the protection, adaptive capacity, resilience, and well-being of the islands and residents of American Samoa. 

The Governor's Resilience Office (GRO) consists of a Director, a Territorial Resilience Coordinator, a Communications Specialist, and a Finance Coordinator. The commission will have 23 members from the administration, the legislature and the private sector.

(Source: Gov's Office press release)