Thank you, Madam Speaker. The House may wish to note that, in line with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, the preparation of the NDC 3.0 is being carried out with the collaboration of the GIZ, a German development partner, under its NDC Partnership Resilience Support Programme. The GIZ expert team has started the consultation process with the Department of Climate Change of my ministry since November 2024 and has already conducted a stocktaking exercise. The GIZ expert team, which was in Mauritius from 17 February to 21 February 2025, has presented the outcome of a draft desk review to stakeholders of the Climate Change Committee and provided the highlights of a road map, which identifies the process of updating the NDC. The draft desk review and road map include recommendations for the development of the NDC 3.0 and an accompanying NDC development plan. Madam Speaker, with regard to part (a) of the question, consultations had already been held at the level of the Climate Change Committee at its meeting held on 17 February 2025 under the chair of my ministry and which saw the participation of all its members from the public and private sector, the civil society, including officers of the Commission de l’Environnement of the Rodrigues Regional Assembly, virtually, in the presence of the GIZ team. The GIZ expert team, moreover, held several bilateral meetings with key ministries and departments to consolidate the roadmap, outline clear steps, roles and responsibilities of national stakeholders, as well as identify potential international experts to support the development of a sectoral pathway for the NDC 3.0. Madam Speaker, my ministry is in the process of finalising a calendar of activities to pursue the dialogues and consultations. National consultations will be held shortly with the public at large, including that of Rodrigues, to invite them to submit their suggestions and vision for a national climate agenda. Madam Speaker, any suggestion from members of Rodrigues in this august Assembly would be most welcome. Madam Speaker, with regard to part (b) of the question, responding to the climate challenges requiring significant financing, the Nationally Determined Contribution of 2021 had estimated the climate requirement of the Republic of Mauritius to be USD 6.5 billion. It is expected that the NDC 3.0 will indicate a substantial increase in investment required to

50 address climate adaptation and mitigation. In consultation with the Ministry of Finance, an investment plan will be prepared to identify the most appropriate financing instruments to meet the targets of the forthcoming NDC 3.0, which will have a timeline of 2025-2035. An effective response to climate actions will necessitate more effective access to climate finance at the national level, including both public and private sector financing at the international level. Madam Speaker, this Government has already taken initiatives to enhance the financing governance mechanisms by improving transparency and accountability through the introduction of the programme-based budgeting and the targeting of climate expenditures in seven pilot ministries, including my ministry. The tagging exercise is expected to be carried out thereafter in all government ministries and parastatal bodies. Madam Speaker, concerning part (c) of the question, I wish to inform the House that the 2021 Nationally Determined Contributions are still valid until the year 2030. Moving ahead with 2025, the NDC 3.0 will ensure that ambitions are made more robust and realistic towards making Mauritius a climate-resilient and low-emission country. The biennial Transparency Report prepared by my ministry in 2024, which tracked the implementation of a Nationally Determined Contribution, showed that only 15% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions was achieved in 2022 against a target of 40%. Only 17% of renewable energy was integrated into the energy mix against a target of 60% by 2030. The House may wish to know that the contribution of renewable energy in the energy mix at the national level in 2005 was 25%, and after 20 years, it decreased to only 17%. In spite of the difficult economic situation, the government will spare no efforts to put in place the necessary resources to meet the target and set and address our climate agenda. Thank you.

Thank you. At this stage, we are breaking. You keep your supplementary for after lunch. Yes! An hon. Member: It is short.

Short, but he will have to reply to you.

(Interruptions)

Vous savez ce que c’est que l’hypoglycémie ? I am going to raise for two and a half hours. He can put his question…

51

(Interruptions)

One and a half hour…

(Interruptions)

One and a half hour! We will come back at 2.30 p.m.! Everybody is deciding! C’est incroyable!

(Interruptions)

Yes, we are raising for one and a half hour. At 1.01 p.m., the Sitting was suspended. On resuming at 2.33 p.m. with the Deputy Speaker in the Chair.

Please be seated! Let us go back to the question of hon. François. You have a supplementary?

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir. Given the complexity of the global climate landscape, where Mauritius requires an investment of USD 6.5 billion, out of which 4.2 billion is from international funds and USD 2.3 billion from the government and private sector, may I humbly request the hon. Minister, through a collective societal approach, to ensure that considerations are given to strengthen our mitigation targets and strategies?

Definitely, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I can reassure my good friend that we are working in that direction with all the different stakeholders, even with the Ministry of Finance especially, and we are definitely going in that direction.

Just one more.

Go ahead.

May I ask the hon. Minister, with regard to all the climate change challenges ahead, whether Government is contemplating including Rodrigues’ representatives in the national delegation for COP30 in Brazil in November next?

Normalement!

This is normal. Rodrigues has special attention in our heart, as we all know. So, we are preparing all the processes of participation. There is even a meeting chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, and definitely when we will have to fix with regard to the

52 delegation and our participants, we will take Rodrigues into consideration, depending normally on financial clearances.

And Agalega!

Thank you, even Agalega.

Hon. Members, the Table has been advised that the following PQs have been withdrawn: B/295, B/296, B/299, B/331, B/336, B/341, B/347, B/348. ANNOUNCEMENT MINISTER OF LAND TRANSPORT – PQS B/297, B/298 & B/307 – OUT OF TURN REQUEST Hon. Members, I have to inform the House that the hon. Minister of Land Transport has made a request for PQs B/297, B/298 and B/307 be taken out of turn as he is taken up in a courtesy call with Mr Jean Todt, UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Road Safety. I have exceptionally acceded to his request. So, now, we proceed with B/297. The Second Member for Belle Rose and Quatre Bornes! Sorry! So, B/298! Same again, he is not here. B/300! RODRIGUES – CHILDREN’S COURT – SESSIONS & CASES