News
Environment Minister Says Swift and Decisive Actions Required to Mitigate Climate Change
Environment Minister Says Swift and Decisive Actions Required to Mitigate Climate Change
By: Michael Mike
Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal has said swift and decisive actions are needed to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.
The Minister made the statement on Wednesday while delivering a speech at the 17th meeting of the Council of Environment in Abuja.
He decried that: “Climate change is threatening ecosystems, livelihoods, and biodiversity, environmental degradation disproportionately impacts marginalised communities, exacerbating inequalities and perpetuating social injustices.”
Lawal said: “We must redouble our efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, embrace renewable energy solutions, and foster sustainable practices across all sectors.
“Mobilising more financial inflow for environmental sustainability is essential because it allows for the allocation of resources towards projects and initiatives aimed at protecting and preserving the environment.
“As we are all aware, environment financing is capital intensive, to mobilise more financial inflow for environmental sustainability there is the need to implore innovative financing mechanisms, such as Green Bonds, Carbon Pricing, and Public-Private Partnerships,” noting that this will help in generating the resources needed for effective environmental protection and conservation efforts.
The Minister added: “I therefore urge members of this council to intensify exploration and implementation of financing mechanisms at their disposal.
“As we convene amidst pressing global challenges, from climate change to biodiversity loss, our duty as custodians of the environment has never been more paramount.
“Each decision we make within these walls reverberates far beyond, shaping the health and sustainability of our planet for generations to come.”
“Our nation stands at a critical juncture, where the urgency to act boldly on environmental issues is undeniable. As guardians of biodiversity, we must safeguard our precious ecosystems from degradation and exploitation,” he urged.
On his part, Minister of State for Environment, Dr Iziaq Salako, in an address of welcome stated that the need to galvanise more financial windows for environmental sustainability efforts is not just an aspiration but a commitment that would define our era.
He said: “In our drive to build a sustainable future for our generation and the ones yet unborn, mobilising funding for climate and environmental actions is a core imperative.
“In doing this, we need to emphasis our areas of comparative advantages and present such to the global community as our contribution to addressing the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
“The global north who are the greatest contributor to the environmental challenges being faced by the world is offering us all kinds of technologies, some of them controversial as the solution to the crisis.”
He tasked stakeholders not to loose touch with nature based solutions that offers natural advantages and possess a higher potential to reduce capital flight and improve the livelihoods of the people.
He noted that: “The Federal Ministry of Environment at COP 28 in Dubai December 2023 championed and launched the Ministerial Alliance for Ambition on Nature Finance.
Salako stressed that the launch was to give Nigeria a voice to prompt an ambition on biodiversity finance in global south countries like Nigeria where most of the biodiversity performing critical ecosystem services for the entire world is located.
He said: “As the developed world comes around with their technologies and carbon credit schemes where they almost exclusively determine the pricing, let us also put forward our rich biodiversity worth trillion of dollars.
“Let us remain dedicated to the cause of environmental sustainability in the firm conviction that our collective efforts can pave the way for a healthier and cleaner planet earth.”
Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Representative in Nigeria and to ECOWAS, Mr Koffy Kouacou Dominque, on his part, noted that FAO is committed to supporting government at all levels to enhance sustainable natural resources management.
Dominque who was represented by one of the senior staff in the FAO, Nigeria’s office, Tofiq Braimah, said that the organisation’s area of supports are to implement, monitor and report climate commitments outlined in the National Determined Contribution document.
He assured FAO’s continuous support to access climate finance, partnership and technical support to mainstreaming agrifood systems to the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPS), among others.
He however noted that our environment is under increasing pressure from climate change, deforestation, pollution, and other threats that require urgent attention and collaborative action.
Environment Minister Says Swift and Decisive Actions Required to Mitigate Climate Change
DIGITAL RIGHTS: EU, ASF FRANCE SUPPORT FIGHT AGAINST CYBERBULLING IN NIGERIA
By: Michael Mike
Avocats Sans Frontieres (ASF) France with the support from the European Union (EU) in conjunction with the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), through it e- RIGHTS Protect has called for more strength to fight against cyberbulling and digital rights violation in Nigeria.
This was made known at the grand finale of the national inter-school digital rights competition organized by ASF under it E-RIGHTS platform last Tuesday in Abuja.
After a thorough engagement by various schools across the country, four schools from different States and zone were qualified to the final, namely Kano State, Lagos, Imo and FCT.
In the keenly contested competition, the Sonmori Senior Comprehensive High School, Ifako Ijaiye, Lagos State emerged as the winner, followed by FCT, Imo and Kano respectfully. The winner takes home the sum of one million Naira with support also from the eRights project to empower what they are doing in terms of digital literacy.
ASF France, Nigeria County Director, Angela Uwandu Uzoma, explained that, the competitions is more than celebration of talents, but celebration of courage, consciousness and commitment. She said, the occasion is not just to shaping conversation of the students, but to shaping their future.
She further said “The eRights project aims at promoting digital rights, not just for the adults, but also for the children, ensuring that the children are not left behind in this conversation. So children are themselves today participating in putting out empowering videos, messaging to discourage cyberbullying, to say no to cyberbullying because of the attendant effects and the harms that it can cause”
“The Cybercrimes Act, which was recently revised, amended particularly with Section 24, which was amended in 2024, to ensure that the government addresses some of these issues
“The government needs to do more. And we’re seeing that this Act, which ordinarily should protect citizens, to empower them to create a safe space for engagement, ensure that people are able to express themselves freely as guaranteed by the Constitution, including children” she added.
Also, the EU representative at the event, Program Manager, CSO, Human Rights and Youth, Mrs. Wynyfred Achu-Egbuson, believed that, the competition will bring to the understanding of Yong people that they have a responsibility towards not only protecting their rights but also protect the rights of other people who use the digital space.
She further said, the issues surrounding digital rights in Nigeria and other developed countries of the West is dynamic. Therefore, the issues of legislations and regulation towards digital rights is developing, the situation is dynamic and ever changing
DIGITAL RIGHTS: EU, ASF FRANCE SUPPORT FIGHT AGAINST CYBERBULLING IN NIGERIA
One killed, several injured in farmers-herders clash in Niger
By: Zagazola Makama
At least one person killed and several others injured following a clash between Fulani herders and Gwari farmers in Kpowi village, Fuka District, Munya Local Government Area.
Zagazola Makama learnt that the incident, which occurred on June 2 at about 4:30 p.m., was reportedly triggered by a dispute over alleged farm trespass and destruction of crops.
The altercation led to violent confrontations between members of the Fulani and Gwari communities.
Security sources confirmed that six Fulani residents identified as Ahmadu Bature, Dauda Bello, Haruna Umaru, Shuaibu Bature, Bature Bello, and Safiya Auta sustained various degrees of injuries.
Similarly, four Gwari individuals Yusuf Pada, Pius Pada, Dantala Yusuf, and Joshua Mai’anguwa were also injured during the clash.
All the victims were evacuated to the General Hospital in Kaffin-Koro for medical attention. However, Ahmadu Bature was confirmed dead on admission.
The situation has been brought under control following swift intervention by operatives, and leaders of both communities have been invited for a peace dialogue.
One killed, several injured in farmers-herders clash in Niger
VP Shettima Arrives Abuja Airport En Route Mokwa, Niger State
By: Our Reporter
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, en route to Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State for an on-the-spot assessment of the flooding that has affected the area.
The Vice President’s visit is aimed at conducting a firsthand evaluation of the flood damage and delivering President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s condolence messages and assurances to families affected by the natural disaster.
Earlier, President Tinubu had issued a statement expressing deep concern over the severe flooding, which has resulted in tragic loss of lives and displacement of families. The President extended heartfelt condolences to affected families and the people of Niger State.
In his statement, President Tinubu announced the immediate activation of the National Emergency Response Centre and confirmed that he had been briefed by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on the scale of the disaster. He assured that search-and-rescue operations are ongoing, with all relevant federal agencies mobilised to support the state government’s efforts.
VP Shettima Arrives Abuja Airport En Route Mokwa, Niger State
Eid-el-Kabir Celebration: NSCDC Deploys 4,500 Personnel in Abuja
DIGITAL RIGHTS: EU, ASF FRANCE SUPPORT FIGHT AGAINST CYBERBULLING IN NIGERIA
China has shown to be Africa’s friend, development partner, Insists Stakeholders
Roger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
POLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News1 year agoRoger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
-
Opinions3 years ago
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
-
Opinions3 years ago
POLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News1 year agoEYN: Rev. Billi, Distortion of History, and The Living Tamarind Tree
-
Columns1 year agoArmy University Biu: There is certain interest, but certainly not from Borno.
-
ACADEMICS1 year agoA History of Biu” (2015) and The Lingering Bura-Pabir Question (1)
-
Opinions1 year agoTinubu,Shettima: The epidemic of economic, insecurity in Nigeria
-
Politics10 months agoKashim Shettima: Of Sentiments, Their Opinions, and the 21 billion Naira VP’s Official Resident
