Sustainable & Eco-tourism Initiatives in Rwanda
One of the cleanest nations on the planet
Rwanda is somewhere I would love to see endangered mountain gorillas, lions, and rhinos in the National Park’s. I was fascinated to read and will share the country's other environmental efforts over the last decade and what the future holds for this amazing country.
Rwanda has:
- a community day every month
- a total ban on plastic bags
The country is building:
- the first green airport in Africa to open in 2022
- Nyandungu Urban Wetland Ecotourism Park to open in 2022/2023
The Community Day and Banned Plastic Bags
Every Saturday of the month the country holds Umuganda translated as a coming together in common purpose to achieve an outcome. This is mandatory from 8am to 11am where all businesses close and traffic halts and every able-bodied citizen goes out to clean the country. This can involve digging drainage ditches, planting trees, street sweeping or more infrastructure developments like schools etc.
The President (who also takes part) sees this as a particularly important opportunity and the community has noticed that this has had a major impact on better air quality and improvement in the environment.
If you happen to be visiting Rwanda and stay over that Saturday you will be invited to help, as well. What a brilliant opportunity to work together with local people on a common goal.
Rwanda also became the first country in the world to ban the use of plastic bags being imported since the beginning of the century. Only biodegradable alternatives or paper bags can be used.
The first green airport in Africa to open in 2022.
Kigali Bugesera International airport is to replace the existing airport and once build will have capacity for 1.8 million passengers a year. It will have a host of green building features that will promote energy and water efficiencies and be a net zero emission complex.
Also the country is building Nyandungu Urban Wetland Ecotourism Park to open in 2022/2023
Located in the largest valley found in the capital city of Kigali (143 hectares) to restore and conserve the biodiversity of the wetland ecosystems and enhance incomes for local communities. New forests and man-made lakes will be incorporated into the natural landscape.
All these plans help towards Rwanda's long term aim (in the next few decades) to become a 100% carbon emission free country
To read more about this country: https://www.visitrwanda.com/