Environment
Implementing Climate Change Agreement
Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed
Does Nigeria and the
rest of the international community have the political will to implement the Paris agreement on climate change?
The question was raised by a cross section of participants at recent climate change conference in Port Harcourt.
The conference was organised by Alliance Françoise, Port Harcourt, to create awareness on the impact of climate change on the society.
It would be recalled that over 171 world leaders had met in New York, United States of America, 22 April 2016 to sign the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Agency reports had it that France was the first to sign the Agreement.
It was formed by Marshall Islands, Mauru, Palau, Somalia, State of Palestine, Barbados, Belize and Fiji.
Other signatories include Greenada, Saint Fitts and Nevis, Samoa, Tuualu Maldives, Saint Lucia, Maurtius, Peru, Democratic Republic of Congo, Bulvia Brazil, China, Canada and Italy.
Other countries are expected to sign the Agreement between now and October this year.
The Port Harcourt seminar was attended by cross section of dignitaries from both the public and private sectors.
Specifically at the event were representatives of the Institute of Pollution Studies, Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Port Harcourt Centre for Conflict and Gender Studies, University of Port Harcourt, and the Centre for Development and Support Initiatives (CEDSI).
Also in attendance are the Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs Onimim Jacks representatives of the Ministries of Environment, Culture and Tourism, Information / Communication and Youth Development.
A documentary with The Theme: “No where to Run: Nigeria Climate And Environmental crisis” opened discussions at the conference.
The state commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs Onimim Jacks said that climate change poses a serious challenge to the state especially in the area of Agriculture.She said that the delay in the coming of the rains this year led to the suspension of planting activities by farmers in the state.
The commissioner added that because of the adverse effects of climate change on the state, her ministry is now encouraging more tree programmes across the state.“We are losing our forest resources to desert encroachment. Agriculture is one of the major causes of climate change because we have to deforest.
“We have to find a midway on how best to grow our feed” she said.
Also speaking, the Director Centre for Conflict and Gender Studies, University of Port Harcourt, Dr Fidelis Allen, querried the rationale behind the refusal of the Federal Government to critically examine some aspects of the draft policy in climate change which is already before the Ministry of Environment.
The university don insisted that the government, the petroleum industry and those involved in local refining of fuel need to respect our existence by being able to respond to climate change.
According to him, since the petroleum industry contributes more than 70 percent to climate change, the low urban industry must be made attractive to investors.
On his part, Dr Tubonimi Ideriah of the Institute of Pollution Studies, Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Port Harcourt said that coastal communities are gradually sinking owing to the rising level of sea water.
He said that even people in the North are also experiencing the increasing rate of desert encroachment, adding that the situation should serve as a wake up call to the relevant Authroites to the something.
The university don who described this year as the hottest in recent times, called for drastic measurers to check deforestation.
Dr Ideriah also called on the government to wakeup to its responsibilities of implementing all laws relating to conservation in the country.
“There are enough laws, but the will to implement them is the problem” he said.
The country Director of the Centre for Development and and Support Initiatives (CEDSI), Mrs Mina Ogbanga querried the rationale behind the non domestication of the agreement by Nigerian Government.
Mrs Ogbanga said that the aspect of the Agreement which talked about the reduction of global temperature below 1.5 per cent must be imbibed by all countries.
She said that the increasing level of heart being experienced these days shows that the temperature is getting out of hand.
She also called for measures to address coastal erosion and flooding.
Speaking to newsmen, a director in the state Ministry of Information Communication, Mr Paulinus Nsirim said that what is needed at the moment is action.
He said that the era of talkshop should be gone for good, stressing that both Governments and members of the civil society must begin to act now to protect the environment from destruction.
The Director Alliance Francaise, Port Harcourt, Mrs Helene Geneuu Okutue, said that the Port Harcourt office of Alliance Francaise is the second to organize the climate change conference in the country.
She said that the conference was to create the needed awareness on the impact of climate change with a view to funding solutions to it.
The conference which participants said was coming at the right time, however observed that so long as industrialized countries such as the United States of America, Great Britain, China, Canada, Australia, amongst others, continue to rely on the fossil fuel industry to power their industries, the political will to implement the agreement will be lacking.
In all, the impact of climate change is here and the government must act now.
Some residents of Port Harcourt and its environs have reacted to the impending flooding in parts of the country, including Rivers state.
It would be recalled that the federal government last week predicted flooding in some states in the country, including Rivers State.
A cross session of residents who spoke to The Tide on the issue said time has come for residents to be careful about the way they managed their waste, especially at this time of the year.
According to them, people must avoid blocking water channels as well as indiscriminate dumping of waste into water channels.
Speaking with The Tide, an Environmentalist, Elder Blessing Jackson Tiko, called for caution by residents of Port Harcourt and its environs
Tiko who was a former deputy operational officer Phalga Environmental Sanitation Taskforce, said people must be conscious of the way and manner that they manage their waste.
“We know that we have the rain and if you watch it is coming especially this month of July,it would rain and rain and rain
“We have to be very conscious of how we manage our environmental system, the way we throw our waste and how we evacuate it so that every where will be open for water to move freely
“Water doesn’t want blockage, water wants free flow, ’he said
Tiko urged state governments to liaise with the federal government and development agencies to dredge and open up river channels to enable Water move freely.
He particularly called on the Niger Delta Basine Development Authority and the Niger Delta Development Commission to liaise with state governments in the quest to end flooding in the states.
Also speaking, Mrs. Alice. A. Alabo a trader at Mile 3 Port Harcourt, urged the state government to do something on the constant flooding at the Abuja bypass in Mile 3 Diobu, Port Harcourt,
She said the bypass is always flooded at every little rainfalls stressing that something must be done about it.
Alabo also told The Tide Correspondents that the Abuja bypass has no receptacles and called on the management of the Rivers State Waste Management Agency to provide receptacles for the people, to ensure proper waste disposal in the area.
“The government should provide us with receptacles for us to properly place our waste which is causing the flooding in the area.
A shop owner Dickey, Livia Marko lemanted the incessant flooding along the Abuja bypass, adding that the situation is affecting their businesses.
“We have been begging the Rivers State Government and the local government to come to our aid.
“The Ego Line Progressive Union contributes N10,000 every year to make sure that we evacuate the drainage.
“We called the Hausa boys to come and clean from the beginning to the end of the tunnel which leads to the Interwoba
“So immediately after each rainfall within 10 minutes it will dry otherwise we cannot stay in our shop.
“I am begging the government to come to our rescue, even if they want to open the gutter or canal. It will help in preventing the flooding or they should clean the gutters starting from Ikwerre Road to the Interwoba axis”, he said
On his part,Mr. Ajaka Olawa, lamented that the flooding in Timber area by Abuja bypass area is so terrible that no businesses can easily be carried on in the area.
He blamed it on the continuous blockage of drainages
. “I can’t remember the last time the government came to clean the drainage, so when it rains we find it difficult to stay here.
“Some of our shops are wet because of the flooding. And if the rain falls heavily, we pack our goods. If not. they get damaged, and I am expecting this message to reach the government for them to do something about it”
“The people, the government gives the job are not being followed up, that’s why the road is still looking bad,
“The government is trying, but they should put more effort to make sure that the jobs are being carried out.
Also, Mr. Chukuma said, during the flooding along Abuja bypass by Timber, no activities take place.
He said that if rain falls, either little or heavy, none can use the road because the road will be inundated by water. Sometimes it takes two to three days for the water to dry.
According to him, eight years ago, the former governor was here to see things for himself, but nothing happened till he left office.
By: Victoria Gilbert / Ossia Victory
Following the rising impact of toxic waste in the Niger Delta communities in Nigeria, an Ecological Think Tank, Health of Mother Earth Foundation, HOMEF, has urged oil-producing communities in the region to monitor their environment and report incidents of pollution or other environmental hazards in real time to appropriate authorities.
The Project Manager, Communities and Culture, HOMEF, Cadmus Atake gave the advice last Friday during a Community Environmental Monitoring Training for the people of Nembe, Town-Brass in Bayelsa and Eastern Obolo, Akwa Ibom States respectively which was held in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
Atake said though the extractive activities of oil companies have impacted negatively on the communities, the people still have a role to play in protecting the environment by not throwing plastics in the water bodies or engaging in activities inimical to the environment.
He said, “The purpose is to train the people on how they can monitor their environment that has been impacted by extractive activities, for them to observe the changes that occur in their environment and things they see when they go out to fish.”
Atake also harped on the need for documentation and reporting of the identified environmental challenges or pollution, saying that monitoring without reporting would be an effort in futility even as he tasked them with the accuracy, authenticity and originality of data without any mutilation.
He encouraged people to use mobile phones to take real-time photos and videos without editing the images in the case of pollution or oil spills.
His words, “Reporting is an essential aspect of any monitoring activity. It affords the opportunities to track the activity and its impacts. It makes an activity visible and draws attention to it. Also, it helps to identify associated risks and to know the required controls and learning outcomes needed to prevent the reoccurrence of failures of an activity. No monitoring exercise is complete without a report of observations and a point of action.
“You must identify what caused the pollution, state the name of the community and landmark and if possible, use GPS, time and date the pollution was observed.”
One of the participants, OmusuoDieworio from Bayelsa State noted that apart from the activities of the multinationals, the people have contributed to the disappearance of fishes in the rivers by dumping refuse and plastic wastes inside the river which posed a great threat to fishes even as he urged community leaders to promulgate laws prohibiting that and the youth leaders to ensure the enforcement.
“Our people should be sensitized on the hazards of toxic waste. We should put laws that are binding on us. Our fishermen should discipline themselves enough after drinking sachet water eating should not drop the waterproof inside the water. They should also be discouraged from using dynamite and other chemicals for fishing as all these are harmful to both the aquatic animals and human beings that will consume it.” He said.
Speaking on the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, UmoIsua-Ikoh of the Peace Pact Development Foundation, said the provision in the PIA where the community should forfeit its 3% development fund in case of pipeline vandalism criminalizes the community and should be expunged noting that no community will agree to vandalize pipeline but an individual or a criminal.
He said they should go after anyone who vandalises pipelines and not make the entire community bear the brunt of one person.
On his part, Stephen Oduware, the Program Manager at Fossil Politics, called on the communities to network with CSOs, CBOs, doctors, lawyers, media especially those from their communities and other community members who have the community at heart to advocate at all fronts.
“The community people should partner with CSOs, CBOs so that they will be able to advocate from all fronts from the health implication of this pollution from the legal and human right violations as a result of this pollution, land grabbing and then they will be able to get well-researched works from the academics, we believe that with this network they will be able to push for the justice they needed.” He said.
The Delta State Govern-
ment says it is working hard to tackle the issue of climate change in the state.
Special Adviser to the state Governor on Sustainable Development Goals) (SDGs, Lady Diana Eyo _Enoette, said this in an interview with newsmen during the launching of Green City Project in Port Harcourt.
She said the government was doing this by raising awareness on the impact of climate change in the State and also control the indiscriminate dumping of waste across the State.
Eye-Emoette said government has also setup scouts across the State to embark on tree planting campaign in all nooks and crannies of Delta State.
She said time has come for governments across the Niger Delta region to create more awareness on climate change, adding that continuous human activities in the region have made it vulnerable to climate change
Diana described her government as a leading voice on climate change as far as the Niger Delta region is concerned and stressed the need for other governments in the region to follow suit.
She said Green City’s initiatives have become a potent weapon in fighting climate change, stressing that the initiative is coming at the appropriate time.
The special advise said governments across the country should key into the green city’s projects inorder to reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
Meanwhile, a university teacher, Professor Magnus Onuoha, has called for conscious efforts by governments across Africa to check carbon emissions.
The university teacher also described the green city’s initiatives as a safe avenue for emerging cities in Africa.
Prof Onuoha, who spoke via videophone described the project as innovative, adding that climate change is real and no longer fallacies.
According to him “it is glaringly telling on our faces and the possibility of it going away is not there”.
He said.
By: John Bibor
