Environment Statistics – Year 2019Highlights
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emission
- GHG emissions increased by 2.9% from 2018 to 2019. Gross emissions went up from 5,613 to 5,777 thousand tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent and net emissions, after absorption by forest and land use practices from 5,248 to 5,416 thousand tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent.
2. In 2019, the energy sector accounted for the largest share of emissions (74.2%), followed by the waste sector (23.0%).
Solid Waste
3. In 2019, solid waste landfilled at Mare Chicose weighed 537,147 tonnes, 1.1% less than in 2018 (543,197 tonnes).
Land Use
4. Between 2018 and 2019, the harvested area under cultivation of sugar cane decreased by 5.5% from 47,678 hectares to 45,054 hectares; tea was 656 hectares, same as in 2018; and food crops decreased by 4.1% from 7,646 hectares to 7,334 hectares.
Water
5. In 2019, the Island of Mauritius received 3,972 million cubic metres of water rainfall, 24.4% lower when compared to 5,252 million cubic metres in 2018.
6. Total water utilisation was estimated at 928 million cubic metres in 2019. Hydropower accounted for 36%, the agricultural sector for 32% and the remaining 32% was used by domestic, industrial and tourism sectors.
Complaints
7. Complaints attended by the Pollution Prevention and Control Division of the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change decreased by 21.7% from 626 in 2018 to 490 in 2019. The complaints were mainly due to: solid waste (16%), bareland (15%), odour (15%), air pollution (14%), and noise (12%).
July 2020
