Environment
Climate Change Mitigation: Crucial For Human Survival
As the world marks the 2013 World Earth Day, countries are increasingly participating in efforts to address the myriad effects of climate change, ranging from flooding, earthquake, excessive rains to air pollution.
The theme of this year’s celebration, The Face of Climate Change, aptly underscores the importance of concerted efforts to combat the global phenomenon, which has direct negative impact on the environment.
Climatologists describe climate change as a global problem, which challenges humanity to act fast in efforts to change every negative attitude which could have been a contributory factor to the crisis.
Commenting on the 2013 Earth Day celebration, the President of Earth Day Network, Mrs Kathleen Rogers, said: “We’ll bring our generation’s biggest environmental challenge down to size; the size of an individual faced with the consequences.
“Many people think climate change is a remote problem but the fact is that it is already impacting on real people, animals and beloved places all over the world, and these ‘Faces of Climate Change’ are multiplying every day.
“Fortunately, other ‘Faces of Climate Change’ are also multiplying every day — those stepping up to do something about it,’’ she added.
Besides, a Director at Earth Day Network, Mr Franklin Russell, said: “The day will unite the myriad ‘Earth Day’ events around the world into one call to action at a critical time.
“We’ll harness that power to show the world ‘The Face of Climate Change’ and we’ll call on our leaders to act boldly together, as we have, on this critical issue.
“‘The Face of Climate Change’ will personalise and make real the massive challenge that climate change presents,’’ Russell said.
According to Earth Day Network, the theme of this year’s celebration — The Face of Climate Change — was chosen because of the compelling need to highlight the mounting impact of climate change on individuals around the world.
Similarly, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) stressed that the choice of the theme of the 43rd anniversary of Earth Day was most appropriate because climate change had been affecting all spheres of human endeavour.
“The Face of Climate Change’ aims to raise awareness about the devastating impacts of climate change such as prolonged droughts, frequent flooding, cyclones, sea level rise and others,’’ the UN agency said.
However, a Consultant on Environmental Matters at ECOWAS, Mr Samuel Medu, said that the struggle to protect the environment was a collective responsibility for every human being, adding that past failures in that regard led to the current environmental challenges facing the world.
“What we are preaching to our member states is that we should manage our climate. People should not be scared about climate change; they should not attribute the current climate change to the anger of the gods.
“We need to be active and we should participate in climate change mitigation efforts; we, in ECOWAS, are just about developing a policy on the mitigation aspect,’’ he said.
Medu also urged all ECOWAS member states to domesticate the climate change policy document, which was signed by all members in Accra, Ghana, in 2010.
“We have validated that document and it is part of our environmental policy,’’ he added.
Speaking on the consequences of climate change, Alhaji Salisu Dahiru, the Acting Director, Department of Forestry, Federal Ministry of Environment, stressed that the impact of climate change could never be overlooked or wished away.
“This is because it affects every individual who stands on its way, irrespective of one’s personality. When the environment speaks, everyone listens.
“The impact of climate change cannot be over-emphasised and the environment speaks for itself.
“In the past, when you talk of the effect or the impact of climate change, many people perceived it as an abstract phenomenon because they could not touch climate change.
“However, last year’s floods across the country are a clear testimony that the environment is now speaking for itself.
“When the flood came, it did not distinguish or discriminate between the poor man and the elite; it did not distinguish between the electorate and the political class, everybody was involved,” Dahiru said.
Consequently, the Minister of Environment, Hajia Hadiza Mailafia, pledged that her ministry would soon launch a public awareness campaign to educate the public on issues relating to climate change, particularly in the areas of adaptation and mitigation.
Mailafia said that as part of efforts to fast-track the awareness campaign, the ministry would establish a graduate programme in Federal University of Technology (FUT), Akure and Federal University of Technology, Minna.
The venture is under the aegis of German International Climate Initiative and the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adaptive Land Use (WASCAL).
She also announced that the special climate change unit in the ministry had been upgraded to a full-fledged department, as part of efforts to tackle the environmental problem.
Besides, Mailafia said that the Nigerian National REDD+ programme had been approved by the UN REDD programme, adding that a REDD+ event recently took place in Calabar at the University of Calabar.
REDD is a UN collaborative programme on “Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation’’ in developing countries.
All the same, an environmentalist, Mr Deji Jimoh, stressed that climate change was a very critical issue, which necessitated the concerted efforts of everyone to tackle.
“It is not enough to talk of mitigation of climate change or signing of many declarations without taking a serious look at what we have done to cause the climate to change at the speed of light.
“This is a problem which weighs on all of us; people should seriously change their attitude towards the environment; we should dispose of bad habits such as indiscriminate refuse disposal habits.
“The environment is actually our life; if we destroy it, it will fight us back and drastically too. The government should be proactive with its environmental policies, while the people should show some concern about the environment,” Jimoh said.
Earth Day is observed every year with events held across the world to demonstrate support for environmental protection.
A UN resolution in 2009 designated April 22 as International Mother Earth Day, which is celebrated in more than 192 countries each year.
However, John McConnell pioneered plans to celebrate the Earth Day in 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco, U.S.
McConnell then proposed March 21, 1970, the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere, as the day for the celebration. The day was later endorsed in a proclamation signed by former UN Secretary-General U Thant.
A month later, a separate Earth Day was initiated by U.S Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental “teach-in’’ that was first held on April 22, 1970.
While the April 22 Earth Day then focused on the US, an organisation launched by the original national coordinator of the 1970 event, Danis Hayes transformed the Earth Day into an international celebration in 1990 and organised events in 141 nations.
Many communities also celebrate the Earth Week, an entire week of activities focused on environmental issues.
Analysts urge the Federal Government to consolidate on the achievements so far made in global climate change mitigation efforts.
They, however, advise the citizens to adopt lifestyles and attitudes, which are capable of protecting the environment, while participating in efforts to address the rising consequences of climate change.
Nwapi writes for the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
Edith Nwapi
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