[Blog] Sustainability in Energy and Transport

By Dr Michael Atchia, Past Programme Director, United Nations, specialist in environmental management

General comment: While this Budget is remarkably balanced between the social, economic and structural aspects (congratulations to the Minister of Finance and his budget team), in the field of energy and transport it fails miserably, planning for a 1950 future instead of 2050. In the 1950s-70s, new roads were built, including the M1 motorway, largely due to the vision of SSR.

The petrol era is soon over, not just because of difficulties in obtaining supplies due to events such as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, but because petrol is a finite, non-renewable resource that is coming to an end. The future is, of course, in renewable energies. So where in the Budget are the measures to promote electric vehicles (cars, trucks, buses, two-wheelers, etc.)?

Where in the Budget is the measure to extend the electric tramway to the entire island, working on electricity produced from solar and wind energy, ensuring Mauritius will keep moving while many countries that have not undertaken such a reconversion will come to a standstill? A Forbach-Bel Air-Airport M4 is not just a waste of Rs 10 billion but is completely misdirected. It would only encourage more petrol cars on our already overcrowded roads. A recent visitor to Shanghai, China, reflected this future, with over 70% of vehicles electric, running quietly and smoothly. After a small but good measure by Padayachy in the last Budget of the previous government, nothing has been done to prepare for that transport future.

Let alone our essential contribution to reducing the use of fossil fuels to fight climate change.

The proposal in the Budget Speech to relaunch our programme Maurice Île Durable (Sustainable Mauritius) is excellent but, as of now, remains just a good idea rather than a budget measure. So too are eco-integrated villages and smart cities, as well as measures to ensure food and fresh water security (self-sufficiency) for the island and turning massively towards an ocean economy.

Complete pre-budget proposal already published on 3 July 2026 :

A fleet of electric vehicles plus the metro, extended Mauritius-wide, will ensure our mobility when petrol becomes too expensive or is not available.

Essentials for the energy field in the future: produce and capture energy mainly (eventually only) from renewable sources such as sun, wind and biomass and, when research has made it safe, from nuclear fusion.

Essentials for the transportation field in the future: move completely away from petrol and other fossil fuels to electric and other renewable resources to propel vehicles because of the harm fossil fuel burning does to the environment, causing climate change and global warming.

The increasing number of vehicles on our roads may be a sign of economic prosperity, but alongside this, the number of accidents and deaths is on the rise. Our much-improved public transport system (metro and buses) provides an alternative to private cars, which are often driven with only one passenger. Tiny Mauritius, with its 2,040 sq km of land, cannot continue adding 18,000 new vehicles per year. The Seychelles solution of zero growth in vehicle numbers (as proposed by Atchia from UNEP in the 1990s and adopted by them) is necessary for Mauritius.

So, we propose again, for the 2026-27 Budget, a notable shift in favour of electric vehicles: no excise duties on electric and hybrid vehicles, plus a Rs 200,000 grant for each person purchasing his or her first electric vehicle.

Plus an increase in import duty on petrol and diesel vehicles (except some heavy lorries), aimed at curbing petrol and diesel vehicle imports and alleviating road congestion.

Additionally, a proposed initiative suggests converting petrol stations into charging hubs for EVs, potentially using solar power, as well as exploring the possibility of converting older petrol cars into EVs.

The first Budget of the new government went wrong by increasing the cost of importing electric and hybrid vehicles. It also removed the Rs 200,000 incentive for each electric vehicle purchased. It was one of the few good measures introduced by former Finance Minister Padayachy and was very much in line with reducing our 100% dependence on imported petrol, since we do not produce any. A measure to revisit.

A fleet of electric vehicles plus the metro, extended Mauritius-wide, will ensure our mobility when petrol becomes too expensive or is not available. The metro/tramway could be extended along the former routes of Mauritius Railways during the British era, running on electricity produced by massive solar farms. Already, EVs are surging in popularity in Mauritius, accounting for more than 2,300 new registrations in 2025 from leading brands such as BYD, MG, Tata, Kia, Toyota and Nissan. Out of a total of 26,526 new vehicles registered, this has helped push the total number of vehicles in active circulation on the island to a record-breaking 727,120.

Also impose a complete ban on the import of petrol motorcycles. They are noisy, use fossil fuel and, unfortunately, rank first in terms of road accidents and fatalities. Replace them, of course, with electric cycles, which are slower, quieter and safer. This can eventually lead to reduced, close-to-zero filling-station bills. Using adapted solar-panel power sources, everyone can run their vehicles for free. A fleet of electric vehicles can reduce vehicle running costs almost to zero.

A new proposal is to require all filling stations to install solar panels, batteries and charging booths for electric vehicles, free of charge (or at minimal cost), since the batteries would be recharged using solar energy.

We also note the growing availability of technology to transform or convert petrol vehicles into hybrid or electric ones.