The Isle of Man Biosphere Programme is about working together for a sustainable future. The strategy is about five E’s. Five areas which each begin with the letter E. The Biosphere strategy is about education, engagement, environment, economy, & enjoyment.
By working on those five areas, we have an opportunity to celebrate what makes us special as an island, and an opportunity to tell the rest of the planet that we care about our island.
When I announced that I was running for Tynwald, I talked about how we have an opportunity to make our island a shining beacon when the rest of the world is facing stormy seas.
Being a shining beacon is like being a lighthouse, and requires two key things.
Firstly, it requires being built on solid foundations. A good lighthouse is built on solid rock and is stable even when the weather is miserable. For the Isle of Man, a strong foundation would be to have a physical and mental health service which is high quality, local, and universally accessible. A strong foundation requires fixing our housing market so that our young people can build homes, build families, and build lives here on the Isle of Man. A strong foundation requires an educational system, which teaches our young people to be productive, and also supports adults in retraining to serve an innovative economy for the future.
The other part of being a beacon is to shine a bright light that the rest of the world can see. The Isle of Man Biosphere Programme can be a part of that. That means we need to protect our natural resources. We need to develop our economy in a sustainable way. We need to support our cultural heritage. We need to make a positive environmental impact. We need to engage with our own, local, community. And finally, we need to promote our outstanding living landscapes globally.
That’s the sort of action that will help our island be a strong beacon when the rest of the world faces stormy seas.
You can join us today in taking the pledge to support our Manx Biosphere online at biosphere.im
