On Saturday, 26 March, the Premier and Minister of Sustainability & Climate Resiliency, Hon. G. Wayne Panton joined the National Trust for the Cayman Islands, youth climate ambassadors and their families to plant trees as part of efforts to offset their travel to the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in November 2021.

The Cayman Islands sent a contingency of 12 – including nine Caymanian students – to the international climate summit. Accordingly, a total of 12 trees (including 10 Broadleaf, Cordia sebestena var. caymanensis) were planted at the Blue Iguana Conservation facility at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park to offset the air travel emissions.

Mr. Panton said, though trees are no longer required to build traditional cottages or twist rope, they have renewed importance in national efforts to prevent, mitigate and adapt to climate change.

“What is becoming more significant is the reality that we need those trees alive. We need them for shade, to give off water vapor through their leaves, to absorb carbon and emit oxygen,” he said.

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To see the tree planting in action, check out this video shared to the MSCR LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6914574203308421121