2024 WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY: Rep. Onuigbo Lauds Tinubu’s Efforts In Tackling Climate Change Challenges
*Says all hands must be on deck
By Charity Uwakwe
A clarion call has been made to all well meaning Nigerians to collaboratively combat the menacing effects of environmental challenges ravaging the country.
In his keynote address at the ‘2024 World Environment Day’, yesterday, at
the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, in Ikwuano LGA of Abia State, Rep. Sam Onuigbo, the former member who represented Ikwuano/Umuahia North and South Federal Constituency, lamented that Nigeria had over the years, been faced with severe environmental issues which required the efforts of all and sundry to abate.
According to him, the theme of the 2020 World Environment Day, ‘Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience’ is razor-made for Nigeria due to the extant climate change challenges suffered by the country.
The address read partly:
“The theme of this year’s event, which focuses on “land restoration, desertification and drought resilience,” is apt. This is because it seems as if it was razor-made to address the challenges of desertification, drought and the need to restore degraded land across 11 northern states covering about 1531 kilometers. The centre-piece of this theme led to the drying up of Lake Chad, forced migration, competition for scarce resources, security challenge and the resultant insurgency, banditry and kidnapping in that part of the country; a challenge that has even spread to other parts of the nation.”
“Legal frameworks, and bye-laws on environment and climate change actions in Nigeria, are generally predicated on the mandates of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the Climate Change Act 2021, the Nigerian Constitution, etc. Climate Change, Biodiversity and Desertification Conventions were direct outcomes of Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in June, 1992, which are popularly referred to as the “Rio Triplets.’’
“UNEP, was given the mandate “to provide leadership, deliver science and develop solutions on a wide range of issues, including climate change, the management of marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and green economy development.’’ Similarly, the UNFCCC which currently has 198 Parties was established by countries to combat “dangerous human interference with the climate system”. The convention’s main objective as contained in its Article 2, is the “stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic (i.e, human-caused) interference with the climate system.” UNCCD, has 197 Parties. It came about as a direct recommendation of the Rio Conference, as the only internationally legally binding framework set up to address the problem of desertification. It anchors its activities on good governance and sustainable development using the principles of participation, partnership and decentralization. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG15) focuses on protecting, restoring and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. It aims to combat desertification, and reverse land degradation, and prevent biodiversity loss.”
Worried by the devastated living condition of most Nigerians, Onuigbo, while fielding questions from Journalists, lamented that “so much is happening around the world and we know that we can arrest the situation. So, all hands must be on deck to arrest those factors that are degrading, causing problems leading to environmental challenges.”
“My message to Nigeria and the entire world is that all hands must be on deck to save the planet, save the world.
“Some of us are already old and other people are coming behind us. We want the generation that is coming behind us to have a peaceful and flourishing environment.
We do not want the planet to be devastated or destroyed.”
He recounted that “11 states off there in the Northeast and Northwest covering about 1531Km. And we happened to fall within the Sahel region out of the 11 countries that are affected by it, Nigeria is one of them. So, we have serious environmental challenges. So, apart from the problem of desertification and drought, we also have problems of coastal, gully erosion and all that within our area. So, that’s why I say all hands must be on deck for us to be able to arrest this.”
Meanwhile, he commended the APC led government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on her efforts in waging war against climate change challenges, thus making the country relatively safe for its inhabitants.
According to Onuigbo, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done exceedingly well in tackling climate change challenges.
Hear him: “you do not need to go far to see the list of actions he has taken within a period of one year of his administration. You talk about the CNG issue, even the removal of fuel subsidy, the committee he has set up to handle the issue of the green economy. Then, you talk about how he was able to activate the carbon market committee out there in Dubai. All these are happening.
