By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
The Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi,said that Nigeria is committed to actions that support living sustainably in harmony with nature.
He made the disclosure at the commemoration of the World Environment Day in partnership with the European Union and French Embassy,themed:#Only one Earth” “together we can protect it”,held in Abuja recently.,
Abdullahi represented by Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment,Engr. Hassan Musa,said that everyone has a major role to play in trying to improve on our environment.
The Minister recalled that the country has achieved alot in a short while with regard to actions against climate change.
He said Nigeria submitted her National Determined Contribution (NDC) last year which was reviewed before the Cop 26 at Glasgow, and have the Climate Change Act, which would allow the country to tackle the climate change challenges.
“We also have the energy transition program which we’re working with Federal Ministry of petroleum and power to see how we can reduce our emissions into the climate” he added.
Also speaking,at the event, the European Union(EU) Ambassador to Nigeria and Economic Community of West African States Samuela Isopi,said warned that micro plastic particles may outnumber fish in the Seas across the globe by the year 2050.
Isopi said that already there are as many as 51 trillion micro plastic particles in the seas, stressing that the number is 500,000 times more than the stars in the galaxy.
According to her, micro plastics are now part of the world food chain since marine animals injest them, hence they have been found in our drinks, beer, water, honey, among other daily edibles.
“Plastics are everywhere, they are cheap, they are convenient, they are light. Our addiction to plastics is leading to serious consequences, especially single use plastics which we use only for a few minutes, but which can last for hundreds of years in our environment. By 2050 there could be more plastics than fish in the sea.
“There are as many as 51 trillion micro plastic particles in the seas than is 500,000 times more than the stars in our galaxy. Micro plastics have been found in our drinks, beer, water, honey, and since marine animals injest them, they are now part of our food chain. And therefore they can impact our health in ways that we might not be aware of today” she said.
Isopi said that the danger posed by plastic particles in the everyday lives of the world’s inhabitants, informed the coming together of EU, the French Ambassy, the Federal Ministry of Environment, and other development partners, and launched a symbolic clean up of the Jabi Lake weekend.
The EU Ambassador expressed hope that the symbolic clean up would be followed by concrete steps, stressing that the EU is committed to supporting the action in every way possible to ensure maximum success.
In her remarks, French Ambassador to Nigeria,Emmanuelle Blatmann, the, said that France is deploying a comprehensive diplomacy to respond to the urgency of climate environmental crisis in Nigeria,
According to Blatmann, the French Embassy, the French Development Agency, AFD and their partners including the Ministry of Federal Ministry of Environment are working hard to spread these convictions and support to support initiatives of the civil society aiming to reducing the impact of climate change in Nigeria.
“This year for instance, we are supporting the Center for Renewable Energy and action on climate change and also different foundations or associations that are working on, you know, training in climate smart farming practices or solar water irrigation systems. And also nursery tree nursery beds for instance. In Sokoto state” she said.
Also, speaking,Energy and Environmental expert to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, UNIDO, Yomi Banjo reaffirmed UNIDO’s commitment in supporting Nigeria in promoting sustainable industrialisation without compromising the environment.
“UNIDO is a specialised Agency of the United Nations which promotes inclusive and sustainable industrialisation in developing countries and economic transitions. Our activities in Nigeria falls under three key areas, poverty reduction, capacity building, environment and energy” he said.
Banjo, noted that UNIDO is also assisting the Nigerian government through the Ministry of Environment to fulfill its obligations on multilateral environment conventions toward achieving a more sustainable and safer environment.
“UNIDO is presently implementing several environment projects in Nigeria, working actively with the Ministry of Environment and other national and international stakeholders. One of this project is the circular economy on plastics of which implementation will start by July this year and is funded by the government of Japan” he added.
Meanwhile, Representative of Oxfam, a stakeholder in the environmental sector, Kenneth Akpan, he appealed to the government to empower every community and equip them with the right knowledge on how to segregate and dispose waste properly.
“Regardless of class, tradition, religion or gender, every citizen needs the same level of information, resources, aid and intervention to ensure we have an environment that is clean and healthy. Clean water, fresh air, healthy soil, and biodiversity should not be a privilege but a fundamental right of our people,” Akpan explained.
He further said Oxfam is also helping poor people adapt to shifting environmental conditions to ensure they attain their fair share of natural resources.
