When government officially launched the Clean Eswatini Campaign, it was by means of a rousing address aimed at inspiring the nation at large to turn the tide against environmental degradation. The speech asserted that Emaswati at all levels of society share a common responsibility in the pursuit of a clean and greener kingdom - as identified in government’s long-term strategic vision - and that the attainment of which demands the adoption of waste management principles.
It was pointed out that every citizen enjoys the fundamental right to live in a clean, protected environment that is not harmful to their health and well-being. And while the Environment Management Act calls upon citizens to avoid generating waste, it also stipulates that where such cannot be avoided, there should be measures in place to minimise its toxicity and promote re-use, recycle and resource-recovery, which fall to government. The latter’s spokesman issued a reminder that these measures are employed in the context of achieving sustainable consumption and production patterns, which is Goal 12 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: as a corollary, shifting towards a resource trajectory is more relevant now as the kingdom strives to promote green economy initiatives and move towards a circular economy model.