A call has gone to all relevant stakeholders to Collectively tackle climate change by planting trees and supporting Environment Media Correspondents in Nigeria (EMCAN) for what they are doing in the area of awareness.
The Conservator General (CG) of the National Park Service (NPS), Dr Ibrahim Goni who made the call at a one day seminar organised by Development Agenda in collaboration with Environment Media Correspondent Association of Nigeria (EMCAN) in Abuja, noted that it is a awake up call for everyone of in the country to know that climate change is a reality due to the changes experienced currently.
Dr. Goni explained that the 9th assembly has already approved newly 10 National Parks because of the Presidential Declaration Order, of 2022 .
As according to him, “The seven National Parks provided a total area of vegetation of 20,000 square metres, and we are confident that it would sequester carbon by 4.8 million parts. This means that with the introduction of the new 10 National Parks, carbon dioxide is going to be sequestered”
The CG however, commended the Federal Government for its effort in carbon mediation by planting 25 million trees to cushion the effects of climate change in the country.
In his paper presentation, the Emir of Nasarawa and Former Minister of Environment, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman Jibril, explained that environmental issues have become global challenges, as he emphasized that Nigeria is not left out with the challenges.
“We have issues of land encroachment, oil pollution, deforestation among others.
“The issues of desert encroachment, oil pollution and flooding are challenges we are seeing all around us in the country over”.
According to the Emir, ‘these are long term temperature shifts in temperature and weather condition that has become Climate Change issues so there is a need for all us to put our hands on decks to tackle the challenges”. He noted.
Earlier in his address, the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Development Agenda Magazine, Paddy Ezeala, noted that the seminar is important in profiling the issues of climate change in Nigeria.
“This is special as it relates to the upcoming 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) coming up in Dubai, UAE, later this month. By extension, it is also an opportunity for us to take stock of the state of our environment and evaluate our responses to the various challenges confronting us in that regards.
“The consequences of climate change are manifesting starkly in Nigeria and, in fact, across West Africa. We can no longer pretend that nothing is happening. We are all affected.
Also speaking the Programme coordinator of United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Oluyomi Banjo, while applauding EMCAN as an organization for a job well done, he emphasized that messages cannot be passed without the media.
Banjo added that for Nigeria to tackle climate change, there is a need for leaders to key in and identify the roles to be played.
“UNIDO has been working tirelessly with the Nigerian Government and they can’t achieve this without the support of media practitioners”,he said
On his part, EMCAN Chairman, Amechi Chuks Oyema urged members of EMCAN to put in more efforts in reporting environmental challenges especially climate change, noting that participation in COP28 will enable EMCAN members build more capacity on the job.
