Network of Young Catholic Carers for the Environment in Nigeria (NYCCEN) in collaboration with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) commemorated 2020 World Environment Day (WED) and 5th anniversary of ‘Laudato Si’ on Thursday, 11th June 2020 through a webinar. In her welcome address, Dame Marie Fatayi-Williams, NYCCEN Initiator, expressed displeasure at the rate humans activities continue to pose a great threat to the environment. She said, “This is a time to be sorry for our cruelty to creation for our plundering and overexploitation of her riches, consumption habits and lifestyle that has led to the loss of biodiversity, pollution, climate change, disease and poverty; making the earth one huge dumpsite which has become an existential threat for all.” She applauded the Pope’s Laudato Si’ initiative which has spurred interest and participation from the youths; especially the plastic recycling to bricks, which will help put money in the hands of the poor and unemployed youths. His Grace, Most Revd. (Dr). Adewale Martins, Archbishop, Metropolitan See of Lagos and Grand Patron NYCCEN expressed his appreciation in the collaboration between NYCCEN and NCF in mobilizing the teeming youth to care for the environment that is on the verge of collapse. He said that…
The Federal Ministry of the Environment in collaboration with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) commemorated the World Environment Day with the theme “Biodiversity” on Friday, 5th June, 2020 through a webinar. World Environment Day is a global event used to create awareness for the protection of the environment, as well as call for actions to promote environmental sustainability. In her opening remark, Chief (Mrs.) Sharon Ikeazor, Honourable Minister of State for the Environment reminded everyone of Nigeria’s rich biodiversity which include rainforests and mangrove forests on the Atlantic coast in the South; and the Savannah, bordering the Sahara in the North. She said: “Biodiversity plays vital and diverse roles in our economy, ecology and social lives. It is our source of food, fibre, commercial products, medicine, agriculture and industrial processes.” She observed that biodiversity in Nigeria is seriously threatened by factors such as land use, agriculture; over-exploitation of natural resources; environmental pollution; climate change and poaching. She revealed that these threats have caused biodiversity loss which has led the nation into loss of livelihoods, making poor people become even more impoverished; spread of diseases (zoonosis); reduced food production; migration and human conflict. “Therefore, immediate attention should be focused on saving…
Mr. Tunji Bello, Honourable Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Lagos State made a clarion call for action to conserve biodiversity towards preserving and protecting the earth, as biodiversity represents a critical part of the natural environment. He made this appeal at a virtual conference to mark the 2020 World Environment Day with the theme, “Biodiversity: Time for Nature” held on Friday, 5th June 2020. Mr. Bello said, “The environment must not be destroyed for development and survival, and biodiversity should be preserved because of its wildlife and natural attributes which would attract people to the location.” Mr. Bello further revealed that the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources is willing to collaborate with stakeholders in a meaningful engagement that will bring restoration to wetlands, coastal areas and other biodiversity. Dr. Joseph Onoja, Technical Director, Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) in his presentation at the webinar on “Engagement of Citizens, CBOs and Private Sectors in Nature Management and Protection" emphasised that plants and animals are an integral part of the existence of humans. Nature has created a balance for the enjoyment and overall wellbeing of humans. However, human through his activities has interrupted and disrupted…
The Nigerian Environmental Society, Lagos State Chapter joined the rest of the world to commemorate the World Environment Day 2020 by gathering environmentalists, conservationists and other stakeholders in a webinar held on Thursday, 4th June 2020 to discuss nature and people. In his presentation, Dr. Muhtari Aminu-Kano, Director General, Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) who spoke on “We need nature, not the other way round” revealed that nature provides certain crucial services to man. Among them are food, feeding, clothes and shelter, environmental education, culture and identity, soil fertility, climate regulation, pollination, habitats, air quality and energy etc. He said “Nature provides herbal medicines, which is considered as the best solution to treat diseases. It shows clearly how much of nature we need. This we should focus on and promote as it is easy to access and so affordable”. He urged the government and other stakeholders to engage in the preservation and restoration of wetlands and floodplains as flood management solution; protection of coastal wetlands/ecosystem is a natural risk management tool against coastal erosion; and reduce the impact of drought. He said further that “Ecosystems like forests and wetlands are critical to human wellbeing and provide enormous biodiversity conservation benefits. Degraded…
Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources commemorated the International Day of Biodiversity (IDB) with the theme “Our Solutions are in Nature” through a webinar on Thursday, 28th May, 2020. The International Day for Biological Diversity is celebrated each year to raise global awareness about the importance of protecting biological resources and the global biodiversity that shapes our environment, not only the various species of plants, animals and microorganisms around us, but also the genetic diversity of each of them, as well as the great variety of ecosystems that make up our planet. Speaking at the conference on “Conserving Wetlands For Sustainable Urban Livelihood”, Mr. Adedamola Ogunsesan, Project Manager, Lekki Conservation Centre said that wetlands provide a diversity of ecosystem services; provisioning, regulatory, supporting and cultural services which are essential for the human society. This is particularly necessary in cases where large urban agglomerations exist. He revealed further that wetlands are areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt-water, including areas of marine within the depth no more than six(6) meters at low tide. He portrayed wetlands as a source with…
“Wildlife animals and plants are the basis on which human lives depends in terms of food, oxygen, shelter, and medicine hence, there must be good management of these natural resources for posterity” – Muhtari Aminu-Kano. “We all know that trees are of indispensable importance to human wellbeing & our environment. Nigeria Government has no higher duty than to protect the Nigeria people and the environment” – Dr. Muhammad Mahmood. The Federal Ministry of the Environment in collaboration with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) is set to commemorate the World Environment Day (WED) with the theme “Biodiversity” on Friday, 5th June, 2020. The collaboration will deliver a webinar to commemorate the most important annual global event for positive environmental action and use the occasion to call for serious attention to nature while admonishing people to imbibe conservation practices. Leading the discussion is Dr Muhammad Mahmood, the Honourable Minister of the Environment, together with Chief (Mrs.) Sharon Ikeazor, Honourable Minister of State for the Environment. Other speakers are Chief Ede Dafinone, Chairman, National Executive Council, NCF; Dr. Muhtari Aminu-Kano, Director General, NCF and Ms. Katherine Kaetzer-Hodson, Environment, Science, Technology and Health Officer, US Embassy in Nigeria. The webinar will be moderated by…
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