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African ministers adopt common position ahead Doha

Michael Simire
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The 14th session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) held recently in Arusha, Tanzania. Among the key resolutions in the Arusha Declaration is the endorsement of the updated common African position on climate change as the basis for negotiations by African States on strengthening the international climate change regime through full, effective and sustained implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol.

Arusha, Tanzania

AMCEN affirmed that the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol constitute the fundamental global legal framework on climate change, and that the climate change negotiations in Doha (26 November – 7 December) must conclude agreed outcomes in line with the Bali Road Map as well as progress under the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action. It called for outcomes of the Doha conference to be based on science, equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, reflecting the latest scientific, technical, economic and social information, as such outcomes will significantly influence efforts to secure Africa’s sustainable development.

The ministers resolved further that a long-term global goal must include ambitious short-, medium- and long-term mitigation commitments by Annex I parties (developed countries), reflecting their historical responsibilities, and an equitable and appropriate contribution to the global effort, as well as the provision of adequate means of implementation – finance, technology and capacity-building – to enable Africa to address its adaptation needs in particular.

They encouraged Annex I parties to the UNFCCC that are not parties to the Kyoto Protocol to undertake commitments under the Convention that are comparable in magnitude and effort and are measurable, reportable and verifiable through an agreed set of common accounting rules and a compliance framework (the key countries in this group are now the United States and Canada).

AMCEN also called on developed country parties to urgently scale up support for the implementation of adaptation measures and plans, through, in particular, the Cancun Adaptation Framework and the Nairobi Work Programme, and to support and expedite work to understand, reduce and compensate for loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including impacts on agriculture.

On funding, the ministers called on developed country parties to provide new and additional resources to the climate funds under the Convention, in particular the Green Climate Fund, as well as the Least Developed Countries Fund, the Special Climate Change Fund and the Adaptation Fund, which are currently the only financial means to fund adaptation under the Convention.

On the work to enhance ambition under the Durban Platform to adequately address the need to limit the increase in global average temperature to well below 1.5 degrees Celsius, AMCEN emphasized the urgent need to reflect ambitious commitments under the Bali Road Map in order for Annex I parties to reduce their emissions by at least 40 per cent by 2017 as an equitable and appropriate contribution to achieving the objective of the Convention.

AMCEN called for efforts under the Durban Platform to reflect all principles and provisions of the Convention, including equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in order to limit the increase of global average temperature to well below 1.5 degrees Celsius while ensuring equitable access to sustainable development and the sharing of atmospheric space and resources, taking into account cumulative historical responsibility and the use of such resources by Annex I parties.

The ministers also agreed on a set of key messages for the upcoming Doha climate negotiations.

Key messages on climate change negotiations for the eighteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the eighth Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol

1. We, African ministers of the environment, recognize that climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time and represents an urgent and irreversible threat to human societies and the planet. We express our deep concern that the window of opportunity to avoid dangerous human interference with the climate system is closing, with a growing risk of run-away climate change and catastrophic impacts for natural ecosystems and humankind, particularly in Africa.

2. We reaffirm that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol constitutes the fundamental global legal framework on climate change and that all actions or measures related to climate change must be in full conformity with the principles and provisions of the Convention, in particular those of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.

3. We reaffirm that achieving sustainable development and poverty eradication are the priorities for Africa. We recognize that today Africa faces numerous, severe and growing negative impacts arising from of climate change and that these impacts are undermining Africa’s efforts to attain its development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals.

4. We note with concern that wealthy Annex I parties increased their emissions by approximately 8 per cent between 1990 and 2008. We further express concern that the current inadequate mitigation pledges, in particular by Annex I parties, are likely to lead to an increase of the global average temperature of greater than 20C – and possibly as much as 50C – threatening catastrophic impacts worldwide, and particularly for Africa due to its high vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and low adaptive capacity.

5. We acknowledge that there is an urgent and immediate need to avoid further loss and damage to Africa and call for an intensified action, in particular by Annex I parties, to reduce their emissions in line with the information set out in the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and more recent scientific studies in a way that will limit the global average temperature increase to well below 1.50C.

6. We are aware that, despite the urgent threat facing human societies and the planet, the mitigation pledges by Annex I parties in the context of the climate change negotiations amount to less than the voluntary mitigation pledges by non-Annex I parties. We recall that the Convention requires Annex I parties to make equitable and appropriate contributions to achieving the objective of the Convention and therefore stress that Annex I parties should show leadership, including through raising their level of ambition to the scale required by science and equity.

7. We urge Annex I parties to provide scaled-up new and additional financial resources to enable developing countries, particularly to countries in Africa, to mitigate and adapt to climate change without diverting scarce resources required for poverty eradication and other sustainable development objectives.

8. We recognize that Africa needs its fair share of atmospheric space in order to meet its development needs, and acknowledge that this may result in increased emissions.

9. We note that in the absence of increased ambition, the projected emissions of Annex I parties would consume almost half of the 44 Gt emissions budget for 2020 that is estimated by the United Nations Environment Programme to have a likely chance of limiting temperature increase to 20C or less, thereby limiting the atmospheric space available to non-Annex I parties and allocating to the Annex I parties an excessive share of a global atmospheric resource.

10. We express concerns that rather than increasing their ambition some Annex I parties have refused to ratify, or have withdrawn from the Kyoto Protocol or intend to do so. We further express concern at the apparent intention of some Annex I parties to move away from a legally binding regime applicable to them into a weaker pledge-based regime, while shifting the burden to non-Annex I parties.

11. We reaffirm that adaptation is an essential priority for Africa and that there is an urgent need for immediate and adequate support for the implementation of country-driven adaptation measures and actions through the provision of grant-based public resources including through direct access to the Green Climate Fund and other relevant financial entities.

12. We also recognize, in this context, the importance of agriculture to Africa and reaffirm our recommendation that a comprehensive work programme on agriculture in non-Annex I parties is to be established under the Adaptation Framework, and that agriculture is to be addressed as a matter of priority in relation to the mitigation commitments of Annex I parties. We confirm that Africa’s emissions, including from the agriculture sector, are low and that most of the global emissions from the agriculture sector derive from industrialized, subsidized and fossil-fuel intensive agricultural practices in Annex I parties, and that the overriding priority for Africa in the agriculture sector is food production and rural development.

13. We express concern about the lack of clarity on long-term financing of results-based REDD+ activities in phase three. We call for a transparent process for the provision of adequate and equitable long-term financial resources. We further call for the establishment of a simplified structure that would allow broader participation of countries in accordance with their national circumstances.

14. We recall that the effective implementation of mitigation and adaptation actions by non-Annex I parties depends on the fulfilment by Annex I parties of their commitments relating to financial resources, technology development and transfer and capacity building. We recognize, in this context, the insufficient transparency and slow disbursement of the financial resources pledged by developed country parties as “fast start” finance for the period 2010-2012 and indications that only a small proportion of these resources are “new and additional”, and we call on Annex I parties to fully implement their commitments relating to financial resources and the transfer of technology as an important step towards addressing the common challenge of climate change.

15. We further call for an agreement in Doha on scaled-up public resources to be provided by Annex II parties commencing in 2013, building on lessons learned from fast start finance and reaching a scale adequate to meet the needs of developing countries up to 2020 and beyond.

 

Negotiations under the United Nations Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto

Protocol thereto

16. We reaffirm that the outcome of negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change must be based on science, principles and provisions of the Convention. Such an approach must include ambitious short- medium- and long-term mitigation commitments by Annex I parties that reflect their historical responsibility and an equitable and appropriate contribution to the global effort to tackle climate change, and the provision of adequate means of implementation – finance, technology and capacity building – to enable non-Annex I parties to address mitigation and adaptation.

17. We reiterate that the climate negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change should produce: (a) an amendment to Annex B of the Kyoto Protocol regarding further mitigation commitments of Annex I parties for a second commitment period from 2013 to 2017 under the Kyoto Protocol; (b) a set of outcomes in line with the Bali Road Map regarding an agreed outcome on long-term cooperative action to enhance the implementation of the Convention; and (c) a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force under the Convention addressing mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology development and transfer, transparency of action and support, and capacity-building through the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) no later than 2015 to come into effect and be implemented by 2020.

18. We call on all parties to respect the balance of the outcome at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change, held in Durban, South Africa. We urge Annex I parties to join us in ensuring an ambitious and legally binding second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol, an ambitious and comprehensive set of outcomes under the Bali Action Plan to ensure the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention, recognizing that progress in the ADP negotiations is premised on successful conclusion of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA) and Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP). We affirm that these three negotiations are interlinked and that new discussions under the Durban Platform must build on conclusions agreed in longstanding negotiations under the Kyoto Protocol and the Convention.

19. We emphasize that work under these negotiations must be carefully balanced and sequenced to ensure that Annex I parties take on equitable and adequate mitigation commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, that parties achieve the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention in accordance with the Bali Action Plan, and that the ambition gap on mitigation and means of implementation is closed prior to 2015 to ensure the highest level of effort by all parties, as a sound basis for negotiations towards a new protocol, legal instrument or agreed outcome for legal force under the Durban Platform.

20. We call on all parties to join us in preserving and building on the architecture of the Convention and its Kyoto Protocol developed over almost two decades, and we warn against the unravelling of the international climate change architecture into a weaker regime based on “pledge and review” for Annex I parties, as this will undermine environmental integrity thus increasing the risk to the African continent of climate change. We call on all Annex I parties to fulfil their commitments through an ambitious and legally binding second period of commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, comparable efforts by Annex I non-Kyoto parties, as well as full implementation of commitments relating to adaptation, finance, technology transfer, capacity-building and related matters.

 

Implementing the Kyoto Protocol

21. We call on developed country parties to the Kyoto Protocol to honour their commitments through ambitious mitigation commitments for a second commitment period and to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases by at least 40 per cent during the second commitment period from 2013 to 2017 and by at least 95 per cent by 2050, compared to 1990 levels, as an equitable and appropriate contribution to achieving the objective of the Convention. We stress the urgency of concluding all issues for a second commitment period in Doha and of elaborating measures to avoid a gap between commitment periods.

22. We confirm that negotiations towards a new agreement under the Durban Platform must not detract from agreement of ambitious further commitments for Annex I parties under the Kyoto Protocol. We join other developing countries in confirming that the second commitment period shall end in 2017 to avoid locking in low levels of ambition by Annex I parties until 2020, which would risk extremely dangerous levels of warming and an inadequate contribution by Annex I parties towards addressing climate change. Individual contributions by Annex I parties are to be agreed and converted into quantified emission limitation and reduction objectives (QELROs) for inclusion in Annex B of the Kyoto Protocol to be adopted in Doha and further urge those Annex 1 parties that have not submitted their QELROs to do so.

23. We call on Annex I parties to ensure the environmental integrity of their emission reduction commitments, and to guarantee an equitable and appropriate level of domestic emission reductions, by closing existing loopholes, limiting the use of carbon markets and project-based mechanisms to 10 per cent of their quantified emission reduction commitments, and ensuring the additionality of carbon credits.

24. We recognize that the continued existence and effectiveness of the Adaptation Fund is contingent on an ambitious second commitment period by Annex I parties under the Kyoto Protocol, including ambitious emission aggregate and individual reduction commitments as well as the effective closure of all loopholes, as a precondition for a functioning project-based mechanism and delivery of carbon credits. As a means for increasing funding for the Adaptation Fund we call for financial resources to be raised through a levy on emissions trading and other carbon mechanisms and markets.

25. We reiterate that Annex I parties that do not sign up to the second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol, and have therefore not taken on a legally binding QELRO under the Kyoto Protocol, shall not have access to the mechanisms established by the Kyoto Protocol, including emissions trading, joint implementation and clean development mechanism.

 

Implementing the Convention

26. We reiterate the importance of fulfilment by all parties of their commitments under the Convention and call for the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action to continue its work to reach an agreed outcome pursuant with decision 1/CP.13 (the Bali Action Plan) and conclude its work in Doha in accordance with decision 1/CP.17.

 

Shared vision

27. We emphasize that avoiding dangerous interference with the climate system and achieving a global goal of limiting temperature increase to well below 1.5ฐC will require an integrated approach based on science, equity and the principles and provisions of the Convention. We are concerned that temperature increases above 1.5ฐC from pre-industrial levels pose catastrophic impacts to poor and vulnerable people and communities worldwide, in particular Africa, and is inconsistent with the fundamental objective of the Convention.

28. We recognize that a global goal for substantially reducing global emissions by 2050 and the time frame for global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions cannot be undertaken in the abstract and will necessarily involve matters related to the context of such considerations including ambitious short, medium and long-term mitigation commitments by Annex I parties that reflect their historical responsibilities and an equitable and appropriate contribution to the global effort to tackle climate change. We confirm that a long-term global goal for reducing emissions by 2050 and a time frame for global peaking can only be understood in the context of a global goal for adaptation, finance, technology support and the implications for economic and social development in developing countries, particularly in Africa.

 

Adaptation

29. We welcome the operationalization of the Cancun Adaptation Framework, in particular the Adaptation Committee. We urge the Adaptation Committee to expedite its work on facilitating the support process and implementation of national adaptation actions and plans of non-Annex 1 parties through the relevant linkages between the finance and technology mechanisms of the Convention.

30. We affirm that adaptation activities should be funded at full cost through direct and simplified access to adequate, new and additional public grant-based financial resources, following a country driven approach, as well as to environmentally sound technologies and capacity building in a predictable and prompt manner as part of a balanced package on all issues to implement the Convention and its Kyoto Protocol.

31. We urge that measures should be taken to expedite work on strengthening international cooperation and expertise in order to understand, reduce and compensate loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including impacts on agriculture, water, human health, and other economic and non-economic losses related to extreme weather events and slow onset events.

 

Mitigation

32. We reiterate concerns about efforts by Annex I parties to move away from a legally binding into a weaker “pledge-based” regime, the conditional nature of Annex I pledges, the low level of mitigation ambition and the associated party specific rules and accounting methodologies which may undermine environmental integrity and significantly reduce the contribution of Annex I parties to the global mitigation effort by 2020.

33. We call on Annex I parties that are not parties to the Kyoto Protocol to undertake legally binding commitments under the Convention that are comparable in magnitude and effort and are measurable, reportable and verifiable with regard to mitigation and the provision of financial and technological resources. We call for the development of an agreed set of common accounting rules and a compliance framework for Annex I parties that have not subscribed to the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol to assess their quantified emission reductions.

34. We reaffirm that a firewall must be maintained between mitigation commitments of Annex I parties that are legally binding in nature and appropriate voluntary mitigation actions by non-Annex I parties.

35. We stress that the extent to which non-Annex I parties will effectively implement actions under the Convention will depend on the effective implementation and fulfilment by developed country parties of their commitments under the Convention related to financial resources, capacity-building and technology development and transfer.

 

Means of implementation

36. We welcome the adoption in Durban of the governing instrument of the Green Climate Fund and stress the need for concrete outcomes on the long-term finance work programme and the work of the Standing Committee. We call for enhanced transparency in the provision of support through a common reporting format, definitions and methodologies.

37. We note the pledge by developed country parties to mobilize jointly $100 billion per year by 2020, and reiterate Africa’s position that developed country parties should by the year 2020 provide scaled-up financial support based on an assessed scale of contributions that constitutes at least 1.5 per cent of the gross domestic product of Annex I parties, in order to curb climate change and meet the needs of non-Annex I parties to tackle climate change and its adverse effects.

38. We note with concern the gap between the end of fast start finance in 2012 and the $100 billion pledge by 2020. We call on Annex II parties to significantly scale up the provision of new, additional predictable and adequate resources in the interim period. We also call on those parties to contribute to the Green Climate Fund and to accelerate its operationalization with a view to addressing the most urgent adaptation needs of developing countries.

39. We emphasize the need for an appropriate body under the Convention with respect to mobilization of financial resources to address the ambition gap on finance, and to look beyond the short-term financial constraints faced by developed countries, in order to raise in a predictable and identifiable manner the amount of new and additional funding necessary and available for the implementation of this Convention and commensurate to the adaptation, mitigation and technology needs of developing countries, and establish the conditions under which that amount shall be periodically reviewed.

40. We stress the importance of ensuring direct access to financial resources for all developing countries through a transparent process, ensuring equitable allocation taking into account geographical and needs based criteria, a balance between adaptation and mitigation, and grant-based funding for adaptation activities.

41. We emphasize that public finance should be the main source of funding to ensure the sustainability, predictability and adequacy of funding, bearing in mind that private and market finance can play a complementary role.

42. We stress the urgent need to fully operationalize the technology mechanism in 2012 and taking into account the need to resolve the outstanding issues such as the link between the Technology Executive Committee and the Climate Technology Centre and its network, the operationalization of the Advisory Board, the identification and removal of all barriers preventing access to climate-related technologies and the appropriate treatment of intellectual property rights, including the removal of patents on climate-related technologies for non-Annex I parties.

43. We welcome the Durban Forum on Capacity-building and call for its further development through the establishment of a work programme. We acknowledge the creation of performance indicators for monitoring and review of capacity building is paramount. We further stress that capacity building activities should not be left to the private sector.

44. We welcome progress made in Durban in the establishment and operationalization of effective and accountable institutions under the authority and guidance of the Conference of the Parties in relation to adaptation, finance and technology transfer, including the Cancun Adaptation Framework, Green Climate Fund and Technology Mechanism. We further call for the prompt effective, and full operationalization of these institutions including through the provision of required financial resources to ensure these institutions are not “empty shells” and that adequate financial resources, including for time-bound deliverables and work programmes, are available for action in developing countries, particularly in relation to adaptation, mitigation and technology development and transfer.

 

Negotiations under the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action

45. We welcome the successful launching of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action to develop a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force under the Convention addressing, inter alia, mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology development and transfer, transparency of action and support, and capacity-building, as well as the workplan on enhancing mitigation ambition to identify and to explore options for a range of actions that can close the ambition gap.

46. We express satisfaction with the adoption of an agenda and initial exploratory discussions among Parties in Bangkok. We look forward to the successful completion of the mandates to implement the Convention (AWG-LCA) and Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP) in accordance with the Bali Road Map, as part of the Durban package. We call for ambitious and comprehensive outcomes under the Bali Roadmap, noting that unresolved items under this negotiation shall be dealt with in appropriate bodies under the Convention, including the Durban Platform.

47. We stress that the negotiations of a future legal outcome under the Durban Platform are under the Convention and, as a result, all of the principles and provisions of the Convention apply including the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. The outcome must reinforce a fair, multilateral and rules-based regime that brings into effect the right to equitable access to sustainable development, sharing of atmospheric space and resources taking into account cumulative historical responsibility and use of such resources by Annex I Parties, with the principle of equity reflected in all aspects of a future agreement.

48. We stress that the outcome must fulfil the objective of the Convention including a limit in the increase of global average temperature to well below 1.5ฐC. We emphasize in this context the urgent need to reflect ambitious commitments under the Bali Road Map in order for Annex I parties to reduce their emissions by at least 40 per cent by 2017 as an equitable and appropriate contribution to achieving the objective of the Convention. We further reaffirm that the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol thereto are the multilateral platform for climate change action, as such additional actions under the ambition work stream of the Durban Platform require agreed transparency, accounting, and recognition provisions. To enhance action by developing countries a clear process to scale up the means of implementation including finance, technology and capacity to support is necessary.

49. Finally, we affirm that the outcome of negotiations should culminate in an enhanced multilateral rules based regime that implements the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol thereto through a common vision covering global goals relating to temperature, global emission reductions and trajectories, adaptation, finance and technology transfer in the context of an equity reference framework, as well as means to record additional specific commitments by Annex I parties and contributions by non-Annex I parties, operational mechanisms with dedicated funding, work programmes and deliverables, and arrangements for accountability, compliance and review.

Fodeke: Sea level rise threatens nation’s seaports, oil installations

Michael Simire
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The nation’s vulnerability to the adverse impacts of climate change will cost it dearly, according to an expert.

Dr Victor Fodeke, formerly Nigeria’s climate chief, is particularly worried over the threat of extensive damage to petrochemical industrial installations presently concentrated in the coastal belt from sea-level rise. According to him, the numerous industries clustering around Nigeria’s seaports are seriously threatened by sea level rise.

He said: “Most petrochemical industrial installations are concentrated along the coastal zones as offshore and onshore installations in the country. Accelerated sea level rise associated with climate change poses significant threat to all these critical economic installations. In an event of extreme climate change hazard of sea level rise, not only lives will be lost, irreparable damages would occur in all our oil installations due to the rising ocean wave.”

According to him, extreme climate change has being predicted could result in failed states, saying that it is on record that over 90 percent of the nation’s economy depends on oil and gas.

“Apart from the attendant human calamities, the country’s foreign earnings will be affected and this will in turn affect the country’s economic performance both in the short and the long runs. The coastal states of Nigeria play a national strategic role of economic, environmental, social, political and security significance, and should be designated as such,” he said.

He stresses that failure to plan is the surest way to hasten such a disaster, saying that this is a wake-up call to the coastal states in the country to arise to defend Nigeria for sustainable national development and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

“Given the current level of development, with the projected climate change and sea level rise of 0.5m and 1.0m, the capital value at risk would be about $8.05 billion and $17.5 billion respectively. With 30-year development and population growth of 5 percent and, without any measure, the capital value at risk would be between $20.13 billion and $43.13 billion.”

Fodeke stressed that the nation’s energy sector is also vulnerable to the impacts of response measures, which are measures being taken by the developed countries Parties to the Convention and the Protocol in their various countries to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

“A specific example is the introduction of carbon tax on consumption of petroleum. Since the source of greenhouse gas emissions, to a very large extent, is the production and consumption of fossil fuels, both the Convention and the Protocol are largely targeting carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and by extension, fossil fuels including oil, gas and coal. An increased carbon tax will lead to a reduction in the consumption of these fuels under the guise of combating climate change which is injurious not to Nigeria economy alone but also to the economies of fellow Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) countries, whose economies largely depend on foreign earnings from sales of fossil fuels.

“Nigeria’s offshore and onshore coastal zone (800km. in length) is rich in biodiversity, and could be vulnerable to climate change impacts. The region also harbours a lot of infrastructure, particularly those related to the oil and gas industry, which are equally vulnerable to climate change impacts. Sea level rise (SLR) will bring about coastal inundation which may destroy coastal infrastructure and biodiversity and salinisation of coastal fresh water resources. Storm surges, higher waves and flooding will accelerate the incidence of coastal erosion and beach destruction. Severe coastal inundation may lead to the displacement of population and the incidence of migration, with accompanying social disharmony.”

Fodeke emphasised that the most important significant impact of climate change on energy will include higher electricity demand for heating, cooling and pumping water, and reduced availability of hydroelectricity and fuel-wood.

“Inadequate supply of power is already forcing the closures of many industries thereby rendering several Nigerians jobless. This, in turn, will aggravate our macroeconomic problem of unemployment and accelerating poverty. Products from such industries become unavailable and where available through importation, the prices are beyond an average Nigerian.”

He urged the authorities to deploy and foster the use of sustainable, less carbon intensive, clean-energy and climate friendly technologies, from mitigation and adaptation view points.

“This cannot be overstated if Nigeria is to achieve the MDGs. Transfer of such technologies that should enhance our efforts towards implementation of the Convention and the Protocol are yet to come from the industrialised countries that have a duty to work assiduously towards the implementation of the UNFCCC and the Kyoto.”

How cassava can transform economy, by agronomist

Michael Simire
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Like most Nigerian teenagers who have dreams and ambition after secondary school to further their education, Miss Oluwashayo Elubode had high hopes. Miss Elubode is a young and aspiring Agronomist I met when I visited the International Institute of Tropical Agricultural (IITA) in Ibadan, Oyo State, in company of the Youth Voices for Small Scale Farmers which recently toured the Institute.

Twenty-nine-year-old Elubode wanted to study Nursing at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) in Ogbomosho, Osun State, but was offered Agronomy; reason being that the institution’s Nursing Department had reached it maximum number of applicants to be absorbed into the school that year. Elubode explained that she was disappointed but nonetheless decided to visit the Head of Department (HOD) of Agronomy who explained to her what Agronomic meant.

She said: “When I was offered the course, I did not know or even heard of the word Agronomy. After the brief lecture by the HOD, I was able to understand what the course was about subsequently after five years of studying Agronomy. I was glad I did.”

What I saw was a young lady who was happy doing what she does for a living.

Elubode said after her youth service corps programme, she applied for work at IITA to broaden her knowledge and prepare her for further research towards her post-graduate studies as she plans to specialise in Agronomy, which she described as the backbone of agriculture that brings about innovative ways of boosting agricultural production.

At the Cassava Unit in IITA where she is undergoing a six-month training programme, she highlighted the vast potential in cassava, which is touted to herald the next big boom in agriculture in the country. According to her, cassava is a food security crop that is able to transform the country’s economy.

“It is well known that Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava in the world. All environmental factors that can boost maximum yield of cassava are available in Nigeria. That is why IITA is undertaking a lot of research in cassava such as improved varieties like the Beta-carotene fortified cassava. The days that cassava is regarded only as a source of carbohydrate are gone. Improved varieties now have vitamins and proteins. There is yellow garri which in the past you have to add palm oil to produce a yellow garri which is more expensive due to the addition of palm oil.”

She maintained that, through cassava, a green revolution in the agricultural sector can be achieved. Cassava is a staple food in most homes in Nigeria either processed as garri for eba, fufu or lafu. She urged those into  large scale production in the manufacturing industry to embrace cassava production and and use it as a by-product. If more cassava flour is used in the production of bread this would impact on the income and livelihood of small scale farmers.
Lots of money is used to import wheat flour into this country for bread production. There is cassava fortified with Vitamins that can be processed as flour and use to bake bread and other pasteries. Elubode maintained that cassava flour would add value to bread production and appealed to large scale bakers to introduce cassava flour in the production process.

“I am an agronomist and I have carried out research into this wonderful crop called cassava. It is the next big thing to happen to Nigeria. More youths should come into agriculture. I am glad I am able to contribute my quota to national development. If the youths don’t see agriculture as a way of life, very soon the old farmers who are growing weak and old would be no more. Does it mean we would no longer eat in this country?

“The youths have the energy and idea. We are the ones to bring back the past glory Nigeria achieved through agriculture. That means now we can do better with science and research. I appeal to Nigerian youths to engage aggressively in agriculture because there is vast potential in this sector,” she said.

Elubode bemoans the gradual switch in science education, as young entrants into higher institutions prefer other courses, but she expressed optimism that through science a lot can be transformed in the country.

Similarly, a young lecturer at the Nassarawa State University in Lafia, Mr Tunde Taiwo, who studied for his post-graduate research at IITA, decried the neglect in the area of science. Taiwo noted that science research in Nigeria is not receiving adequate attention and funding. He said the specialised higher institutions in the country like Universities of Technology and Agriculture are gradually becoming conventional universities.

“There are only three Universities of Agriculture in Nigeria; those at Abeokuta, Umudike and Makurdi. But, because of revenue generation, more non-science courses are being introduced into these schools,” he said, even as he called for more support by the government and corporate organisations in the area of science education and development.

Taiwo went on: “I am about going to the United Kingdom for my doctorate degree because there is not enough research materials in my area of interest. I believe that in the UK there will be well-equipped laboratories and not a case where I will be choked with theories and few practicals. Nigerians are intelligent and do well when they go abroad to study because of the enabling education environment.

“The recently presented 2013 budget shows that the education sector has a good allocation from the budget. The success of this budget would be if the funds are appropriately disbursed to the relevant areas where they are needed and proper monitoring of its use put in place.”

By Tina Armstrong-Ogbonna

Nigeria, others for Lafarge’s affordable housing programme launch

Michael Simire
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Nigeria and four other countries have been pencilled for the initial launch of a scheme aimed at enabling some 2 million people worldwide to have access to affordable and sustainable housing between now and 2020.

Courtesy of cement maker, Lafarge, the microfinance programme for affordable housing is targeted at people in emerging markets with low purchasing power to help them finance the construction, extension or renovation of their homes.

Besides Nigeria, the programme will be launched in Indonesia, Honduras, Zambia and the Philippines.

Officials of Lafarge disclosed recently at the World Urban Forum in Naples, Italy, that the initiative “represents an initial concrete response to one of the nine main ambitions of the Sustainability Ambitions 2020 plan announced by Lafarge.”

They added: “For the project, Lafarge has joined forces with CHF International (Cooperative Housing Foundation), an NGO with more than 40 years’ experience in housing microfinance and 60 years in urban housing solutions. Other partnerships will be formed with NGOs or public organisations to support the development of the project. The programme should involve around 10 million Euros over the next two years.”

According to the organisation, it will work in partnership with local microfinance institutions to grant loans of an average of 2,000 Euros over a term of two to three years.

“Lafarge offers an innovative approach, helping borrowers during the various stages of their construction project. Counsellors trained and managed by Lafarge will offer personalised support, which may include an architect visit or drawing up plans.

“The Group’s approach aims to provide custom-made responses suited to the needs of local populations. More than 1 billion people are currently unable to access decent housing. Faced with this challenge, Lafarge has developed a strong expertise in the area of affordable housing. To identify these needs as best possible, Lafarge draws on its local presence and partners – such as NGOs, public authorities, developers and banks – involving them in the implementation of its affordable housing construction projects. In order to make this a long-term approach, Lafarge funds projects with a profitable business models,” officials stated.

Located in 64 countries with 68,000 employees, Lafarge is considered the world leader in building materials, with top-ranking positions in its Cement, Aggregates & Concrete businesses. In 2011, Lafarge posted sales of 15.3 billion Euros.

For the second year in a row, the firm ranked amongst the top-10 of 500 companies evaluated by the “Carbon Disclosure Project” in recognition of their strategy and actions against global warming. With the world’s leading building materials research facility, Lafarge places innovation at the heart of its priorities, working for sustainable construction and architectural creativity.

Laaniba: Misery by the Ivory Tower

Michael Simire
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The sight of roaming goats depicted a typical village setting. The muddy houses, the types found in the remotest of villages possible, lend an air of rural scenery to the locality; their (the houses’) openings for wooden windows intercepting the even splash of mud on the walls. Many of the houses are roofed with iron sheets that have caved in to pressure from several years of overuse, and their decolorised frames are fragmentising and falling off the walls they are supposed to protect.

In the heat of the ruthless descent of the scorching sun, two ladies tiredly slowed their steps as they approached their huts, bending down to lower the water pots on their heads and wiping their haggard faces with a piece of lace cloth that had previously served as a neckerchief. Those two are just some of the unlucky lot who regularly trekked long distances to fetch water at a river outside the community, in the absence of a single public tap bearing pipe-borne water.

Ordinarily, the people of Laaniba, under Akinyele Local Government in Ibadan, Oyo State, ought not to be grappling with water, housing, and electricity challenges, considering the community’s proximity to the University of Ibadan. In fact, the Ajibode River is its only real separation from the varsity, the rest being a long, straight stretch of road.

Pa Joshua Olatunji, head of the community whose age is said to be in excess of 100 years, spoke on the problems of the people. “Our road is very useless even though it is better than it was some years back. Whenever it rains, bicycle and motorcycle riders will have a hard time navigating it while cars many times get stuck for days,” he said, removing his cap in a move that amplified the smallness of his body frame.

Replacing his cap, he continued, “We do not have potable water. We drink from the river, and we know it is not hygienic. We know that we will live a healthier lifestyle if we had potable water.”

Although Pa Olatunji offered directions to a river where majority of the community fetch water, he had left out the more important details of other activities at the same river. It is, for example, inside the same river that many inhabitants of Laaniba have their baths — that much was confirmed with the sight of two half-dressed women bathing at the river right in broad daylight. In the dead of the night or the early mornings, it is unlikely that the bathing population at the river would be restricted to just two people. And it is unlikely, too, that the same river is not the people’s favourite defecation spot. The result is a chain of diseases that Pa Olatunji’s traditional roots may not recognise, but which exist all the same, as implicitly confirmed by John Joseph, a secondary school student in his early twenties.

“We need a hospital in Laaniba, and it is very important, especially because of the kind of water we drink,” Joseph pleaded. “When our people fall sick, our closest option is the clinic at Ajibode. Sometimes, the doctors are unavailable; at other times, it is the drugs that are not available, which leaves us with the difficult challenge of rushing sick people to town. You will agree with me that not all sick people will have the grace to endure such long trips to town without giving up the ghost on the way. That is why I said the provision of a hospital is very important.”

He also made a case for a secondary school in the town, saying, “I attend Ajibode Grammar School because all we have here is a primary school. Youths here do not attend school; so many of them just learn trades. And there are no jobs for them even at the end of their apprenticeships, so almost all of them resort to motorcycle riding. Somehow, I do not think that this is all that youths should be dissipating their energy and vigour into. But do they have a choice?”

Joseph’s claims were corroborated by Alhaji Ahmed Laaniba, another member of the Laaniba clan, who lamented the lack of government presence in the area for at least two decades.

“Laaniba is supposed to be a town and not a village,” he lamented. “So, how is it possible that a town has no single source of pipe-borne water? I was born here and I am already over 70 years; the last time Akinyele Local Government did anything for us was more than 20 years ago. If the government will give us just potable water and stable electricity, we will be a happy people.”

At an earlier visit to the only primary school in Laaniba, not much was happening in the waterlogged classrooms in the single building, which itself only slightly bettered a typical abandoned building. A second adjoining building collapsed several years ago, and there has been no effort from the government to raise it. The few pupils at the school cut a pitiable picture, many of them playing around while some fidgeted with their notebooks.

In the absence of the principal who was “away on an official assignment,” a teacher, Mrs. H. A. Abraham, conveyed the frustrations of the students and teachers with the run-down state of the school.

“This is a perfect example of how not to run a school,” she quipped. “There are no books, no instructional materials and no facilities. The classrooms are few so you cannot even talk of a toilet or source of potable water. There is a poor attitude among inhabitants towards education. The pupils do not understand English and I have to teach other subjects in Yoruba Language. The consequence is the production of pupils who graduate to secondary schools yet lack what it takes to compete with the rest of the world.”

The solution to the educational woes of the people of Laaniba, she noted, is to first develop the social amenities base of the community, and then watch the ripple effect on other areas of life.

“Without bringing development to Laaniba, these little children will have nothing to show for all the years in this primary school,” she said chillingly. “Without water, without electricity, without urban housing, without hospital, everything happening in the school will simply end up some nasty joke.”

By ‘Fisayo Soyombo

The article was initiated courtesy of the Pro-poor WASH Stories Project implemented by the Water and Sanitation Media Network Nigeria, with the support of West Africa WASH Media Network, WaterAid, and Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council.

Group offers assistance to flood victims

Michael Simire
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More than 10,000 people, mostly women and children have been displaced by the recent floods in Nigeria. Hundreds of communities in Anambara, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Kogi, Niger, and several other states were affected. The disaster is described as Nigeria’s worst since the civil war.

According to officials of the Women Environmental Programme (WEP), if nothing is done urgently, the humanitarian crises might result in an outbreak of diseases and several more lives will be lost.

To help salvage the situation, a group of young environmental activists have committed themselves to raising relief materials for victims affected by flooding in Nigeria.

The relief materials will be distributed to affected persons through WEP network of established volunteers.

“We use this medium to solicit for help and support from Nigerians in our bid to make life livable for these people who have lost their homes and livelihood to the effects of extreme weather conditions. Support should come in form of clothing  food and home items, blanket, bed sheets  mosquito nets and tents,” the organisation disclosed.

The WEP is a non-governmental, non-profit, non-religious and voluntary organisation, which was established in 1997 by a group of grassroots women in Nigeria. The major aim is to address the gender injustices on issues relating to environment, economic and social rights of women, children and youths in the society.

To facilitate this process, the organisation creates and sustains interest in socio-economic and political issues especially among women and youth in the country and across the globe. WEP has United Nations ECOSOC special consultative status.

Ajuwon-Akute residents lament dry water taps

Michael Simire
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With a population of about 150,000 people, the Ajuwon and Akute communities located in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State are long due for total development.
The two communities bordering Lagos State share cultural identities with the people of the Iju-Agege axis of Nigeria’s former capital city.
Despite their proximity to Lagos, the twin communities are still far behind in terms of infrastructure.  Such amenities like good road network, public libraries, housing scheme, regular power supply and pipe borne water are still largely absent in the communities which have continued to grow due to their proximity to the nation’s commercial nerve centre.  As a matter of fact, more than 40% of the residents in these communities have daily contact with Lagos where they earn their living.
The two communities are largely rural, based on the type of houses and lack of basic infrastructure there.  Major parts of the only tarred road connecting the communities initially fixed by the Lagos State Government have already failed while there are no other tarred roads within the area.
“There is a little government presence in this locality as you can see; the local health centre, the post office and this Local Government Area office are only what we can point to for now. There is also a branch of a commercial bank (Zenith Bank) over there,” said Mr. Adewale, an officer at the Local Government Area Office, who decried the poor state of the road linking the communities to Lagos State.
“This road is used mainly by Lagos people and we want them to fix it, because they caused the major damage,” Adewale complained, adding: “You will not notice that there is a gas pipeline which convey gas to Lagos State under this failing road, there are water pipes also from the Iju Water Works few kilometres away but we in this community do not benefit from both the gas or water, the water pipes are dry and are of no benefit to us despite the fact that the a mega water works is located at our backyard.  We are so close to the water works but it supplies water largely to the Lagos area.”
“Water has no enemy,” said the late Afro Beat King, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, in one of his ever green titles, but with the Iju Water Works just at the backyard of these two communities and water pipes beneath them which are virtually of no benefit, water may have since chosen its friends and enemies.
Ajuwon-Akute is populated by low income earners, artisans, commercial cyclists, drivers and people who have found cheaper landed properties and accommodation away from neighbouring “highbrow” Lagos.  Quite a lot of these houses are bungalows and in some cases one or two storey buildings some of which are practically begging for renovation.
Pipe borne water is absent while the population survives on wells, though some privileged few could afford sinking boreholes. Power supply is grossly inadequate which makes the cost of running the boreholes a bit on the high side.
“Power supply here can be described as erratic because sometimes the lights may be off for four days in a row while the remaining three days are not certain.  Some other times, we may have the supply again for two or three days with interruptions in between; we can’t plan with it,” said Femi Adesanya, a resident of Ajuwon.
“Erratic power supply is one of the pains of a densely populated rural area. In Akute, we have about three hours of power supply between midnight and 4 am,” said James Dureke, a landlord in Akute who added that “I have a borehole in my house for my residence from which I supply my neighbours water for free, there are two other bore hole operators who sell water in the area, but I don’t sell because most people here are not as buoyant.”
When asked how clean the water from his borehole is, Dureke said: “Though it is clean, I don’t drink it, I buy water for drinking but the neighbours drink it”.
Dureke, a business man who recently moved into the area, narrated how he spends about N250 on drinking water on a daily basis which translates to about N7,500 monthly.
Despite the challenges in these communities, the area is dotted with various private schools providing education for the growing student population in the neighbourhood.  However, many parents in the area often find it more expensive and time consuming conveying their wards to schools in Lagos. Doland International Secondary School is perhaps one of the largest schools in Akute. The school, perhaps due to its size could afford a borehole which supplies water for the staff and students.
Water is not only a challenge for residents of Ajuwon-Akute as the various schools operating in the communities also spend extra to provide water for their pupils. A student of Fortuneland School who simply identified herself as Morayo said: “We have borehole in my school which we use for our sanitation but most of the students buy sachet water during break to drink.” A sachet of water containing 50cl of pure water costs N10 and an average student may consume two or more before the school closes by 4pm.
Some local schools are not so fortunate to have the luxury of a borehole; most local schools can only afford wells which supply water for sanitation purpose.
Dr. Alori Dare was a volunteer on a rural medical mission in some villages in Ogun State and he confirms that lack of clean water supply is the cause of most of the water borne disease cases in rural areas in Ogun State. “With my experience in Igbesa, I found that lack of pipe borne water is the root cause of a lot of ailments,” he said, even as he enjoined local residents to ensure they take clean water to avoid water borne diseases.
Alori, who is the Medical Director of Hope Alive Clinic, Abesan Estate, Ipaja, Lagos, added: “The goal of my trip to rural areas and Igbesa particularly is to see to the medical needs of rural people who ordinarily could not afford medical services, my trip has also motivated some of the youths who now aspire to study hard to become medical doctors in future.”
He however tasked the government on provision of clean water for rural people if the nation must stem the increase of waterborne disease.
“Waterborne diseases are caused by microorganisms like bacterial, protozoan, nematode etc. which are intestinal parasites commonly transmitted via contaminated fresh water,” said Dr. Bayo, a Lagos-based medical doctor who expatiated further that “intake of contaminated water eventually results to diarrhea, cholera, typhoid and  hepatitis A”.
By Dapo Emmanuel

The article was initiated courtesy of the Pro-poor WASH Stories Project implemented by the Water and Sanitation Media Network Nigeria, with the support of West Africa WASH Media Network, WaterAid, and Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council.

Hygeine concerns trail abandoned water project in Ewohimi

Michael Simire
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The last time residents of Ewohimi town in Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State fetched potable water from the dispensing pumps installed in strategic locations across the community by the state-owned Water Board was over a decade ago.
A non-functional water pump in Ewohimi

Ewohimi, an ancient town with a population of over 25,000 people, is the largest town in Esan South East Local Government Area. Geographically, the town lies approximately 60 kilometers west of the River Niger from Asaba and about 200 kilometers South of the Niger from the Lokoja axis.

Interestingly, the community which is also second to Uromi in population and size amongst the entities that constitute the area of the state popularly referred to as Esanland, once had a functional pipe-borne water scheme that was rated as one of best in the area in terms of efficiency, water quality and service delivery to the people.
An overheard water tank

Unfortunately, the town’s golden era could not be sustained as water supply gradually plummeted till it went completely comatose. Consequently, relics of the facilities which visibly adorn the streets in their rusty and dilapidated forms are all that is left for first-time visitors and the children born and raised in the community within the last 10 years to relate to presently.

Meanwhile, residents who were old enough and privileged to witness the development then, have never stopped relishing the experience nostalgically. They proudly tell whoever cares to listen about the ‘good old days’ but the reality today is that the people have, all along, suffered the indignities resulting from relying on water from not too hygienic sources as an alternative for their drinking and domestic uses since things fell apart.
A cross section of the residents who spoke in an interview, disclosed that the public water supply has been grounded completely in Ewohimi since 1999 after functioning epileptically for some time. They however added that successive administrations in the state have made faint-hearted attempts to rehabilitate it but all to no avail.
Worse still, there is presently no functional borehole as an alternative source of water supply in the entire community. Against this backdrop, majority of the residents resort to drinking ill-treated sachet water popularly called ‘pure water’ or buy water in jerry-cans and buckets from those who sell from cemented wells in their compounds while some go through the Herculean  hassle of fetching ‘clean’ water from pockets of rivers and streams located several miles away.
While bearing her mind on the development, Mrs Veronica Udo, a mother of six, lamented that the perennial scarcity of water in the community was causing additional economic hardship in most households, adding that an average family now spends between N500 to N1,000 weekly on water for drinking and domestic uses.
Speaking in the same vein, Mr. Henry Itama, a resident who is a retiree, observed that what they are going through in Ewohimi can be likened to the proverbial ‘Paradise Lost’ because, quite unlike many communities in Esanland which never had the good fortune of assessing reliable supply of pipe-borne water, they never witnessed water problem until the system collapsed due to poor management by the authorities.
Ewohimi, according to him, had the best treated water in the 1970s, 1980s as well as the greater part of 1990s, adding that easy and regular access to potable water inadvertently brought about healthy and hygienic living standard in the whole community.
“It is very pathetic that we have retrogressed badly in this town. It is incredible that people now drink water from sources that are anything but potable. Some of us cannot afford to even have a good bathe after a hard day’s job in the farm, especially during dry the season here,” he said.
He also noted that the lack of potable water is taking its toll on the health of the residents, adding that water-related diseases have been on the increase lately in the community which, he said, also suffers from the absence of a well equipped primary health care centres.
Lending credence to this, Rev. Patrick Ulinkhifun, an opinion leader and native of the town, said the protracted Ewohimi water project saga which has assumed a worrisome and nauseating dimension, particularly when viewed against the background of its adverse effect on the wellbeing of the residents who, according to him, have been suffering in silence, over the years.
Rev. Ulinkhifun observed that the indifference and apathy so far displayed by the authorities in charge of the project, has not only compounded the problem but makes it appear insurmountable in terms of what it will cost it to revamp it completely when all the facilities seem to have decayed beyond repair.
“The problem looks mysterious to me because I cannot comprehend why those who are supposed to fix it are idling away doing nothing about it.  We need a miracle to turn things around here. God’s intervention seems to be the only way out of this problem,” he added.
He also attributed the problem to bad leadership at both the local and state levels, adding that there is no where societal problems can be redressed when those in authority are corrupt, greedy, selfish, wicked and morally bankrupt.
“The last time we saw sincere efforts to address the problem was when a prominent politician from Ewohimi, the late Hon. David Aimenbelomon, served as caretaker chairman at the local government council. He tried to revive it but the water ran in some parts of the town for a while before it stopped and we lost it again till today,” he further disclosed.
Corroborating this, Chief Robert Enoselease, a ranking palace chief, attributed the lingering problem of resuscitating the water supply in the community to what he described as the lackadaisical attitude and neglect on the part of government to redress the situation.
Chief Enoselease, who is the Ihaza of Ewohimi Kingdom, noted that the desired interventions from the government geared towards solving the problem over the years, have not been too encouraging in terms genuine and unflinching commitment to fix it and manage the facilities in a sustainable manner in the interest of the people.
The Ihaza who represents Idumijie community at the palace of the Enogie of Ewohimi Kingdom, His Royal Highness, Lord Peter Ogiefoh Usifoh II, also stated that residents of the community have been very desirous, supportive and committed to making it work efficiently and effectively.
“At a point, residents had to task themselves through the collection of levies in order  to collectively contribute funds for the purchase of gas to power the pumping plant here in the Water Board office for a period of about four years just to keep it running,” he stressed.
He however expressed optimism that the present efforts by the Governor Adams Oshiomole’s administration to fast-track the rehabilitation of the Ewohimi Iyagun Water Supply Scheme may turn things around for good and put smile on the faces of the residents once again.
“As you can see, the new contractor handling the project is presently digging up the old pipes and replacing them with plastic ones but let us keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best,” he further assured.
By Eric Ojo
The article was initiated courtesy of the Pro-poor WASH Stories Project implemented by the Water and Sanitation Media Network Nigeria, with the support of West Africa WASH Media Network, WaterAid, and Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council.

Ezeilo: I look forward to being the first West African on Antarctica

Michael Simire
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Abuja-based sustainable development strategist and youth activist, Michael-Donovan Ezeilo, has been nominated to be part of the 2041 International Antarctica Expedition (IAE) – as a Youth Ambassador to advocate for Clean Energy and Safe Eco-habitats. The team will be led by Robert Swan (OBE).

Ezeilo

Ezeilo, who is Executive Director, Culture Green, remarked: “I will be attempting to be the first West and Indigenous African to ever set foot in Antarctica. As a Youth Ambassador, I will be displaying the resilient spirit of today’s modern youth, while drawing attention to the effects of climate change and unsustainable exploitation of fragile eco-systems in the worlds’ vulnerable communities, particularly in my home country Nigeria.

“I’ll be working on the Planet Heroes Project during the scientific and research expedition and our mission is to advocate for Clean and Renewable Energy as a viable means to tackle Climate Change and help preserve the world’s sensitive ecosystems.”

On February 28, 2013, Ezeilo and members of the Expedition Team 2041 will embark on a mission to “the bottom of the earth,” described as one of the planet’s last wilderness. The voyage will draw attention to 2041, the year in which, according to Ezeilo, the Antarctic Treaty (Madrid Protocol) comes up for debate. The agreement reportedly placed a ban on mining and mineral exploration for 50 years (1991-2041) and it designates the continent as “a Natural Reserve Land for Science and Peace”.

“We also want to educate people in countries that do not necessarily have a coast, or ‘political’ interest in Antarctica, given that a lot of the time just because people are not personally connected they do not know much about the situation and how it is that their lifestyle influences the outcomes in the polar regions. But in the case of Nigeria, we do have a large coastline and the dynamics of climate change has left practically all regions of the world connected.

“Unlike the usual activist rhetoric that is fuelled with venom against Energy Corps, my strategy is for them to be part of the solution because, honestly speaking, in the end their renewable energy department will become increasing more viable as fossil fuel sources drop in the future. I would  like to see a future in which there is better understanding and cooperation between Energy Corp and host communities to minimise and prevent such catastrophes that we have experienced in our sensitive eco-systems.”

According to Ezeilo, he has gotten the endorsements of International Centre for Energy, Environment & Development (ICEED), Building Nigeria’s Response to Climate Change/Nigeria Environmental Study/Action Team (BNRCC/NEST), the Enugu State Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN).

“I believe that together with our friends in the environment community we can help raise the profile of the cause and generate a real national discourse on climate change, energy use and environmental sustainability. The Planet Heroes Project will be part of a real-time documentary I will be filming during the Antarctica expedition.

“Nigerian celebrities are not left out as I have gotten Naeto C to endorse the initiative (Planet Heroes) and he will be willing to say a few words on behalf of it. I think this is vital because all along my major drive and focus is to inspire a generation that would take positive action on climate change and sustainable development,” Ezeilo explained.

The expedition will commence in Ushuaia, Argentina, and the expedition team will explore the Antarctic Peninsula and seek to gain firsthand knowledge of the continent’s fragile ecosystem, experience its unique wildlife and observe the magnificent landscape of Antarctica, all while learning about climate change and can be done to protect the last great wilderness on Earth.

The Antarctic continent is one of the most remote, inhospitable environments on earth. Harsh and inaccessible, covered by over 5 million square miles of solid ice, it is the world’s highest, driest coldest and windswept continent. The lowest recorded temperature in Antarctica was -89 Celsius (Volstok Station). No place on earth provides a more demanding environment to face the ultimate leadership challenge. Here the Inspire Antarctic Expedition (IAE) programme focuses on leadership, teamwork and personal development.

Swan and the 2041 team will lead an international team of corporate leaders, environmentalists, entrepreneurs, teachers and young people on a journey through the Antarctic Peninsula, visiting incredible locations and sharing his insights and personal experiences of this unique continent along the way.

Working with a group of on-board experts, IAE team members will take time to truly become inspired by the unique experience that is Antarctica. Team members will not only enjoy an ideal setting for personal development, but they will also be uniquely positioned to share their experiences and knowledge gained with their colleagues, friends and families back home.

Concern over possible Hurricane Sandy fallout in Lagos

Michael Simire
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Comments credited to the Lagos State Commissioner for Waterfront, Development and Infrastructure, Adesegun Oniru, that a fallout of Hurricane Sandy (that recently battered parts of the United States of America) might affect Lagos and cripple the coast lines, are beginning to generate reactions.

Ocean surge by Kuramo Beach, Lagos

Oniru advised Lagosians that, between seven and 14 days from now, the city might begin to feel the ripple effects of Sandy on the shores and hence they should evacuate and also notify the relevant government agencies of rising waves of sea-water coming ashore.

But a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Fight Against Desert Encroachment (FADE), has remarked that the commissioner’s submission, though not unexpected, should not just end with calls for evacuation, but rather concrete actions regarding ways to response to the development. Consequently, the group came up with several measures in that regard.

Founder of FADE, Dr. Newton Jibunoh, said: “As an organisation, which has been at the forefront of promoting advocacy for over 10 years on mitigating the effects of climate change especially in Nigeria while also proffering adaptation measures to be taken should a natural disaster of this nature fall on us, this does not come as a surprise. The discussion on the possibility of such disaster happening might be one for another day but the issues of how the state government and in effect the Federal Government would react is of high importance.

“FADE has frequently spoken about the changes occurring in the weather situations and warned about the increased wind speed especially in Victoria Island and Lekki Peninsula. Presently, the sea level has risen dramatically and the ocean is warmer as we speak. We therefore as of urgent necessity present the following as part of mitigation and adaptive measures for both the long-term and short-term purposes.

“Firstly, it is glaringly obvious that Nigeria needs proper satellite-based weather monitoring systems to alert people and also ensure there is a close probability range in forecasting weather conditions. Just stating that a state might be affected and asking the people who live along the coastal lines to report anything unusual is not sufficient. We believe that at that point panic will set in and such people will not even think of contacting a government official presuming they actually know who to call in the first instance.

“Secondly, Lagos State should start making arrangements for public shelters to hold people from low lying areas that need to evacuate to higher grounds.

“Thirdly, such arrangements should be made at Teslim Balogun Stadium and the National Stadium in Surulere, which are both on higher grounds in conjunction with the Red Cross and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). They should start planning for tents, mattresses, blankets, clothes, water, food, etc for the evacuees.

“Fourthly, as part of having a coordinated approach to responding to the emergency situation, effective transportation is necessary. Lagos State should arrange for buses to be called in on short notice to evacuate people to the provided public shelters. Emergency services and personnel should be put on the alert now and be drilled on what to expect. Mobilise transport owners associations and the state owned BRT buses to be part of the adaptation provision with round-the-clock access.

“Fifthly, adequate health facilities around the provided public shelters and neighbouring hospitals have to be made available and empowered to receive and cater for affected persons. Provisions must be by Lagos State to get the General Hospitals ready to treat people. Mini health units can be provided within the public shelters.

“Lastly but most importantly, effective information dissemination has to be employed by Lagos State to ensure persons across the length and breadth of the state are aware of the possibility of the occurrence of this
natural disaster using all forms of media: electronic, social networks, print and radio carried out on a large scale. It is very important that this is done without creating panic among the people as panic could lead to more casualties than the effect of the disaster.

“These are some of the preparations that need to be put in place if Lagos State believes we are in danger of this ripple effect.”

According to him, FADE will continue to issue warnings based on past experiences and the monitoring of global occurrences. “Our primary areas of concern still remain Victoria Island, Lekki, Ikoyi and Banana Island. Merely asking people to call on some numbers when they see the waves appearing as put out by the Commissioner will lead to a monumental human disaster,” Jibunoh submitted.

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