The Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP), an NGO, has expressed commitment to advancing actions that would enhance environmental sustainability to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
President of the organisation, Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, said this in a statement on Thursday, May 13, 2021 in Abuja.
Okereke said that the impact of COVID-19 on economy was worrisome, adding that recommendations that could help to facilitate green recovery to the pandemic had been provided by the organisation.
“SPP has just released a major report on promoting a Green Resilient Recovery in Nigeria and the rest of West Africa.
“The report is now being presented to help West African countries integrate climate change action as a central objective in the planning and implementation of their respective economic recovery plans.
“Also, to build back a safer, green and resilient economy towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals, (SDGs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) agenda 2030 and African Union agenda 2063.
”At the peak of COVID-19 impact, the number of cases and deaths linked in the West African sub-region remains below figures projected by experts in March 2020 when the rest of the world was being ravaged.
“However, the pandemic has and continued to stretch regional and global health, financial and socio-economic resilience to their very limits.
”The pandemic has also triggered multiple impacts on the environment, exacerbated inequalities and food security, and upended Africa’s economic growth projections,” he said.
Okereke said that tackling climate change and COVID-19 was necessary as it would help in the pursuit of the recovery of economic growth.
He said that addressing climate change and COVID-19 would be achieved if both national and international organisations collaborate for effective interractive sections on environmental issues.
He added that the current economic challenge could lead to slow progress in the development of technologies thereby, making it difficult to addressing the impact of climate change in the country.
He said that the report contributed to advancing understanding of the policies that could help enhancing green recovery and combine efforts to tackle climate change and COVID-19 in a synergistic manner.
“Meanwhile, in achieving the COVID-19 and climate change, some of the actions to be taken include massive investment in renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture among others,” he said.
By Patricia Amogu
