UN-Habitat Executive Director Dr. Joan Clos last Wednesday in Naples, Italy, launched the State of World Cities Report 2012/2013.
Clos
Titled ‘The Prosperity of Cities’, the report recommends that those engaged in development work need to explore a more inclusive notion of prosperity and development. According to the lead author Mr. Eduardo Moreno, there was an urgent need for a shift in attention around the world in favour of a more robust notion of development.
“In this report, UN-Habitat advocates for a new type of city- the city of the 21st century- that is ‘good’, people centred city,” Dr. Clos, who was flanked by Mr. Moreno and other authors Mr. Oyebanji Oyeyinka and Goran M’boup during the launch, said. “The cities of the future should be ones that are capable of integrating the tangible and more intangible aspects of prosperity, in the process shedding off the inefficient, unsustainable forms and functionalities of the city of the previous century or so and becoming the engine rooms of growth and development.”
Speaking at the launch, Eduardo Moreno explained that the cities of the 21st century needed to be resilient and harmonious and explained UN-Habitat’s new City Prosperity Index which shows at a glance how a city is faring in terms of five key areas: productivity, infrastructure, equity, quality of life and environmental sustainability. This, argues the report, gives a more balanced picture of prosperity and helps to show how efforts in one areas can lead to growth in another.
Finally, the report argues, with proper and effective planning, cities could be used to solve the current global crises as long as authorities align activities and expenditure under local, regional and national level urban development policy.
The Finish and South African Government have committed their continued support to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development BioFISA Programme, as concrete achievements have been made in curing diseases, combating hunger and sustaining livestock. This follows a four-day meeting in Johannesburg to evaluate the impact of BioFISA, a NEPAD Programme supported by the two countries
“Using biosciences at its primary strategy, BioFISA effectively made progress in the past four years in HIV infection control, livestock disease control, bioinformatics and the development of plant genetic resources guidelines,” said Prof Luke Mumba, Director of the NEPAD Southern African Network for Bioscience (SANBio).
Prof Mumba also highlighted that BioFISA has grown and preserved mushroom production for small-scale farming, developed responsible fish farming, and promoted indigenous knowledge systems and scientific validation of traditional remedies.
Participation was drawn from South Africa’s Department of Science and Technology, the Finnish Government, development partners, and SADC member states who took stock of the achievements made by BioFISA since its establishment in 2009. The Programmes uses bioscience technology to improve health and food security; boost resilience to climate change and identifies environmentally sustainable ways of producing food in the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
In terms of concrete projects, NEPAD Senior Coordinator of the CEO’s Office, Mr Abdoul Salam Bello, said: “BioFISA has improved the lives of more than 600 small-scale mushroom growers in Malawi, Namibia and Swaziland. Further, more than 100 Agriculture extension officers and researchers from Angola, Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland and Zambia have been trained in mushroom farming. Through reliable methods for producing mushroom seed, training and marketing,mushroom production activities have improved in many communities in the region.”
He also cited a fish-pond farming project in Dowa District, Malawi, where farmers have acquired the technical know-how to effectively grow fish by using very simple techniques and which has been extended to cover others districts in Malawi.
Addressing the burden of HIV and AIDS in Southern Africa, participants recalled a traditional remedy project to treat HIV/AIDS which has shown to be effective in laboratory tests in South Africa and the United States, while research into plant-based microbicides is carried on.
“BioFISA has brought the region closer together, has funded relevant research for the region and has improved people’s lives through tangible results,” saidMr Aki Enkenberg, Counsellor at the Embassy of Finland in South Africa.
Closing the ceremony, NEPAD Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ibrahim Mayaki reiterated NEPAD’s commitment to prioritise BioFISA as it represents a perfect reflection of NEPAD’s mandate, to develop “sustainable African solutions” for African challenges. Dr Mayaki commended the Finish and South African government for their continued support.
“Now that we have started making use of the treasure in Africa, there is an imperative need to now focus on preserving, protecting and responsibly sharing indigenous knowledge within African communities to build synergies,” Prof Mumba added.
Going into the next phase, BioFISA will implement the guidelines developed in the first phase for African Union member states to conserve, protect and commercialise indigenous plants, crop varieties, knowledge and practices, and promote diversity to address climate change issues.
BioFISA currently covers eight research and development projects in 12 Southern African countries in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Seychelles, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Cameroon on Friday issued a fresh alert to several states in Nigeria, urging them to guard against any possible environmental and human disaster that could occur as a result of the release of water from Lagdo Dam any time from now.
The Lagdo Dam
According to the Cameroonians, the water has to be released because the Lagdo Dam is almost overflowing it banks due to excess rainfall.
The Lagdo Dam is located on the River Benue’s axis of the Cameroun Republic.
The Cameroonians stated that the essence of the information is to alert Nigerians, particularly the communities that reside in and around the River Benue trough which is contiguous to the Republic of Cameroon, to take proactive measures in order to forestall the envisaged disaster.
The warning this time around has been extended to Cross River State, whose Commissioner for Information, Chief Akin Ricketts, warned residents: “Chairmen of Local Government Areas, in whose domains such communities situate, particularly Obanliku, Boki, Etung, Akamkpa, Bakassi and Akpabuyo; officials of the State Emergency Management Agency, Opinion Leaders and other people of goodwill, are by this public information, requested to educate people within the aforementioned communities and advise evacuation where necessary.
“It is important for all those concerned to work in unison and prevent any avoidable danger or disaster from manifesting. Finally, we appeal to members of the public, particularly those residing around the threatened zones to report any threat to the relevant agencies of Government for prompt response. Please treat as important and urgent.”
The last time water was released from the dam on Saturday, 24th August, 2012, it caused extensive flooding in Adamawa and Taraba states in Nigeria, affecting 10,524 persons in 10 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Adamawa State and leaving 15 people dead.
As representatives of governments and city authorities of over 100 countries discuss the future of the world’s urban centres in the Italian city of Naples (between 1 and 7 September 2012), Amnesty International has called on all government delegates at the Sixth World Urban Forum (WUF6) to respect the right to housing and stop forced evictions.
Demolition of homes at the Abonnema Wharf Waterfront, Port Harcourt, River State, Nigeria
Officials of the organisation are attending the WUF6 to raise awareness about, according to them, the injustice of forced evictions as well as the obligations of national and local authorities to uphold the right to adequate housing.
In a related development, the United Nations Human Setllements Programme (UN-Habitat), organiser of the WUF6, having signed to the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI), is resolving to publish all its project and programme information openly online in 2012.
The portal is tagged “Open UN-Habitat” and the WUF6 transparency project was launched on Tuesday.
The IATI aims to standardise IATI open aid data reporting and is the internationally recognised standard with over 70 publishers, including UN agencies, national governments and the World Bank.
The Open UN-Habitat website uses mapping tools and a search engine to make project information easily accessible and has been built using open source technology.
The launch showcased a number of pilot projects, but the full project portfolio will not be available until year’s end.
Amnesty International has expressed concerns over planned forced eviction at the Deep Sea slum (Nairobi, Kenya) and forced eviction at the Abonnema Wharf Waterfront (Port Harcourt, Nigeria).
A prominent African climate change negotiator has alleged that developed nations did not, in reality, mean to commit to the Bali Action Plan (BAP), which was endorsed in 2007 at the close of the COP 13 in Bali, Indonesia.
Victor Fodeke, who used to be Nigeria’s climate chief, stated that, since 2007, subsequent actions by the advanced world were surreptitiously tailored to reverse the provisions of the BAP, which seemed to favour developing nations.
He said: “The Bali Action Plan (BAP) appears to have been ‘mistakenly’ endorsed by the developed world in Bali in 2007. These countries, who are responsible for over 90 percent of the greenhouse gases (GHGs) that is causing the warming of our planet and are now responsible for the extreme weather and disasters that have run riot in many countries, are now bent on rewriting the convention for the second commitment period.”
According to him, processes aimed at redressing the “mistake” began with the Copenhagen Accord in 2009.
His words: “Penultimate to COP15, two of the members of the COP15, during a visit did not know when the ‘cat was let out of the bag’ by stating: ‘How on earth did we agree to BAP in COP13?’ The Cancun COP16 endorsed the Copenhagen Accord, while COP17 was their next plan to operationalise it.
“Now is the time for the continent to wake up and truly strategise, act and negotiate with one voice though political, diplomatic and economic tactics. The tactic of dangling $100 billion through the proposed Green Climate Fund for 2020 is still a mirage.
“While we are yet to see the fast start fund that is not really clear now which is ODA and which is ‘new’ and ‘additional’ as in the negotiated texts. We should guide against any trick to tinker us to remove or ‘renovate’the firewalls. Africa by present records is contributing less that 4 percent GHG.”
The COP 18 holds in Doha, Qatar later in the year.
A weeklong cleaning of parts of the restive Lagos coastline will commence on Monday, September 24 2012. The forum will incorporate a series of awareness raising activities on issues bordering on the impact of pollutants, especially marine debris in coastal areas.
Waste products dumped by the Lagos Bar Beach
Clean Coast Nigeria (CCN), in collaboration with Ocean Conservancy, is organising the exercise, which is the second in the series. According to officials of the CCN, the event will produce and entertain a variety of events highlighting coastal and marine pollution.
They added that, during this programme, friends of the CCN will offer information and inspirational solutions to the public about the increasingly alarming environmental challenge.
“With rising waters due to climate change and global warming, there is evidence to show that, in the event of an ocean surge, what is usually left on our shores and land when the waters recede is marine debris. Comprising of different thrash, they litter the environment, entangle and kill fish and other marine organisms as well as poison them. This debris is in most cases made up of plastic materials, computers, car parts and logs of wood. How do you think local people get rid of these thrash? They burn them. This burning adds to gases that affect the world’s climate,” said Lt. Renner Kofi Omare, a research officer with the Nigerian Institute For Oceanography and Marine Research in Lagos.
He pointed out that the event, which has “Marine Debris and Me” as its theme, aims as encouraging local communities, corporate entities and government covering school children, and environmental stakeholders to speak about marine debris and how it affects Nigeria.
Omare went on: “Clean Coast Nigeria is taking this initiative from its mother body Ocean Conservancy, in line with Lagos State Government’s drive to reduce and protect our environment as seen by the presence of LAWMA and other state officials who make an attempt to keep our beaches clean. This Campaign aims to protect our environment from the harmful intrusions and damage caused by the effects of waste indiscriminately dumped along our coastal waters and posing avoidable serious health issues and environmental hazards to our communities. The beach cleanup event will take place on Saturday, September 29, 2012, and is aimed at promoting awareness-raising initiatives among all levels of society, from government, industry and educational institutions, to community-led initiatives, grassroots organisations, and the decisions of individual households and consumers.”
Scientists have said that, in order to sustain Nigeria’s global position as a major oil and gas exporter, there is need for the authorities to turn to inland basin exploration.
A scientist, Prof Chukwuemeka Ekweozor, believes that, as the Niger Delta oil province gradually matures. Its petroleum production would decline as, according to him, is evident in the case of the North Sea and other basins worldwide that were once prolific.
“Therefore petroleum systems in the inland basin need to be investigated as part of strategic and pro-active national policy because therein lie the fossil fuel source of the future,” he declared
Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), Prof. Abubakar Sambo, underlined the importance of petroleum (oil and gas) to the nation’s economy, saying that it accounts for up to 95 percent of the country’s foreign earning.
“The oil and gas reserves in the Niger Delta are projected to last for less than 50 years as at present production rate. So it is imperative for the nation to continue to search for oil and gas to add to our reserves, increase foreign earnings and meet up with our vision 20:2020 aspiration and in line with Mr. President’s Transformation Agenda, he submitted.
According to him, the opening up of the inland basins will no doubt result in new reserve discoveries and afford interested entrepreneurs – both local and foreign – a room to grow, collaborate and engage in profitable business alliances, and economic empowerment and diversify petroleum sources for national development.
Science and Technology Minister, Prof. Bassey Ewa, said that government is commitment to exploring oil and gas inland.
The Nigerian government has embarked on an initiative to tackle the harmful effects of Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) in order to improve public health and environmental quality by preventing the release of the harmful chemical compound into the atmosphere.
Minister of Environment, Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia, who launched the project in Abuja on Monday, stated that it would ensure sound management and ultimate safe disposal of the poisonous pollutants from active and decomposed electrical equipment in PHCN (Power Holding Company of Nigeria) facilities, and from other private sector players such as oil refineries, airports, and textile mills.
She said that the PCBs are a class of organic compounds found to be fire resistant, stable, non-conductive to electricity and has a low volatility under normal conditions. These characteristics have made them ideal for industrial application and most used for as dielectric fluid in electrical equipment, from large transformers to small capacitors in lighting fixtures, she added.
Further, she noted that PCBs are extensively used as heat transfer fluids and as coolants for high temperature processes.
Nigeria has never been known to produce PCBs but has imported the product severally between the 1940s and early 1980s. The imported products were PCB-containing equipment such as transformers, capacitors and ballasts, as well as hydraulic fluid additives.
She stated that with the financial support from the World Bank’s executed Canadian POP’s Trust Fund, government carried out PCB inventory in the electric power generating, transmitting and distributing facilities spread across 10 states of the federation. She said that the project captured 10 percent of potentially contaminated electrical equipment in the power sector; the total amount of PCB- contaminated waste was estimated to be 3,400 tons. As a follow up, the Canadian Trust Fund on POP financed another study in 2009 called the ‘Location and Assessment of the status of PCB-contaminated equipment’ in all PHCN facilities. It reveals that an estimated conservation amount of 421tons PCB oil and 1,061 tons of PCB contaminated equipment are prevalent.
The minister disclosed that the ministry in collaboration with the World Bank established a project management unit (PMU), and concluded the appointment of qualified personnel to the various positions in September 2011. She stated that an inter-ministerial steering committee (already inaugurated) would provide overall guidance and direction for the project implementation.
According to her, the project hopes to increase awareness among key stakeholders and the general public, increase regulations and enhance physical facilities for the management of PCB containing equipment. It likewise hopes to improve national capacity to manage PCBs in an efficient and environmentally sound manner.
She added that the project wouldbe implemented in four components in order to achieve the stated objectives.
World Bank country’s Director , Ms. Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly, who was represented by Badrul Haque, said that PCB project wouldbe implemented over four years period to December 2015 and the project is jointly financed by GEF to the tune of $6.2 million. Nigeria will provide additional matching fund of $12.2 million to eliminate environmental and health risks in the country posed by PCBs.
She stated that the ongoing $300 million Nigerian Energy and Gas improvement (NEGIP) project would benefit from the design of the PCB project.
Marie Francoise assured that the project would draw on the Bank’s world wide experience in projects conducted in a variety of sector in which environmental health concerns have been steadily mainstreamed include mining, industry, energy, solid waste management, agriculture, health care and transport. Further, the bank focus is to address development of programme to phase out the production and use of toxic chemicals, identification of alternative technologies, and encourage safe disposal of existing toxic stockpiles.
She emphasised that the project is targeted to safely dispose 3,000 tons of PCB oils and 5,000 tons of PCB contaminated equipment to reduce drastically the dangers posed by these chemicals on the environment and humans.
Coordinated action by governments and industry is urgently needed to reduce the growing risks to human health and the environment posed by the unsustainable management of chemicals worldwide, according to a new report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Steiner
These risks are compounded by the steady shift in the production, use and disposal of chemical products from developed countries to emerging and developing economies, where safeguards and regulations are often weaker, says the report.
UNEP’s Global Chemicals Outlook, released today, highlights the major economic burden caused by chemical hazards, particularly in developing countries.
The report reveals that the estimated costs of poisonings from pesticides in sub-Saharan Africa now exceeds the total annual overseas development aid given to the region for basic health services, excluding HIV/AIDS.
Between 2005 and 2020, the accumulated cost of illness and injury linked to pesticides in small scale farming in sub-Saharan Africa could reach USD $90 billion.
Sound chemicals management can reduce these financial and health burdens, while improving livelihoods, supporting ecosystems, reducing pollution and developing green technology, says the study.
The release of the report – the first comprehensive assessment of its kind – follows renewed commitments by countries at the Rio+20 summit in June to prevent the illegal dumping of toxic wastes, develop safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals in products, and increase the recycling of waste, among other measures.
By examining global chemicals trends and their economic implications, the UNEP report maps out the most effective approaches for decision-makers to deliver on these commitments.
“Communities worldwide – particularly those in emerging and developing countries – are increasingly dependent on chemical products, from fertilizers and petrochemicals to electronics and plastics, for economic development and improving livelihoods,” said UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director, Achim Steiner.
“But the gains that chemicals can provide must not come at the expense of human health and the environment. Pollution and disease related to the unsustainable use, production and disposal of chemicals can, in fact, hinder progress towards key development targets by affecting water supplies, food security, well-being or worker productivity. Reducing hazards and improving chemicals management – at all stages of the supply chain – is, thus, an essential component of the transition to a low carbon, resource efficient and inclusive Green Economy,” added Steiner.
At the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in 2002, UN member states set a target that by 2020, chemicals should be produced and used in ways that lead to the minimization of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment.
“The economic analysis presented in the Global Chemicals Outlook demonstrates that sound chemicals management is as valid an area as education, transport, infrastructure, direct health care services and other essential public services. This could foster the creation of many green, decent and healthy jobs and livelihoods for developed and developing countries,” said Dr. Maria Neira, WHO Director for Public Health and Environment.
“Effective long-term management of chemicals and wastes lays the foundations for a thriving Green Economy, for ensuring a healthier environment, and for a fairer distribution of development benefits across society,” added Neira.
In recent years, international conventions, governments and corporations have taken significant steps in developing national and international capacities for managing chemicals safely and soundly.
A team of four Nigerian experts that went on a fact-finding mission to the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon has been denied access to the facilities by local officials.
Lagdo Dam
On an instruction to obtain relevant information and hydrological data with respect to releases from the dam that led to the death of about 15 persons and the submersion of some 250 villages, the four-man team from the Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority (UBRBDA) and Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA) however met a brick-wall in the course of its assignment.
The team comprised Abubakar Mu’azu (Deputy Director, Operations at UBRBDA), John Shialsuk (Deputy Director, Hydrology & Hydrogeology at NIHSA), Ahmed Jalingo (Principal Technical Officer, Hydrology at UBRBDA) and Ahmed Isa Mbamba (Information Officer at UBRBDA).
Penultimate Sunday on its way to Cameroon, the team observed extensive flooding at Garoua along the River Benue, but it was denied access to the dam and other relevant information. The dam manager attributed the development to the fact that he had no authority to allow access to the facility or give any technical information. River Benue is the second largest river in Nigeria, second to the Niger.
He, however, disclosed that there was no rainfall during the past five days; that the two spillway gates of the dam were opened as well as the fact that power generation was in progress; that Garoua and Lagdo towns (located downstream of the dam) were extensively flooded; and that only a third of the dam inflow was being released.
The Nigerian team was told to, in the future, observe proper diplomatic procedure before being granted access to the dam facilities as well as other relevant technical information.
According to the foursome, the level of devastation at Garou by the flood is more severe than the Nigerian side of the border. Measurements taken on Monday, August 27, 2012 showed the water level at Jimeta Bridge at 163.486 m.a.s.l. (or metres above mean sea level).
“Moreover, the flood level so far is far below the 1070 incident when Lagdo was not in existence. In view of the foregoing, the Nigerian community should expect progressive increase in water levels,” disclosed the team.
Besides the immediate evacuation of residential settlements (and eventually their permanent relocation) along the River Benue flood plains, the team suggested further collaboration by Nigerian authorities with the Cameroon government to fashion out ways of forestalling future occurrence.
The Lagdo Dam is located on the Adamawa Plateau of the Northern Province of Cameroon, which shares border with the north-eastern Nigerian states of Borno, Adamawa and Taraba.
The dam’s primary outflow is River Benue, which takes its source from Adamawa Plateau (in Cameroon) and flows through the lowland elevations of Adamawa, Taraba and Benue states before meeting River Niger in Lokoja, Kogi State.
The steep elevation of the plateau apparently enhanced the flow of the released water from the dam, inundating lowland communities of north-eastern Nigeria especially those located within the River Niger drainage basin.
Indeed, the cascading waters from the reservoir snuffed out lives, disrupted socio-economic activities, led to environmental degradation as well as large scale ecological dislocation.
The Cameroonian High Commission in Nigeria has warned that if the trend of heavy rainfall experienced this year continues in the next few weeks, more water will be released from the reservoir till October.
Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has disclosed that officials at its North East Zonal Office are on ground and working with the respective State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) to compile assessment reports, establish Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, and provide necessary relief materials and first aid in collaboration with NEMA humanitarian partners.
Head of NEMA, Mohammed Sani-Sidi, said: “Reports reaching us from Adamawa State have confirmed that, out of the 10,524 affected persons in 10 Local Government Areas, 15 people have lost their lives.
“Based on assessment reports so far received, approval has been granted for further delivery relief intervention while the agency will soon commence working with the relevant authorities for the rehabilitation of affected communities.”
Chairman, Adamawa State Flood Disaster Committee, Kobis Ari, called on the government of Nigeria to enter into a bilateral agreement with the Cameroonian government on how to avert the yearly disaster caused by Lagdo Dam to the people of the state.
He said: “We received a letter from Cameroun Republic last Friday to notify us of their intention to release water from the Lado Dam which is located at the upper end of River Benue. A day after the water was released, the Cameroun Republic did not give us enough time to communicate with our people to vacate the flood-prone areas.”
Ari added: “Since the 1958 flood disaster that killed many people, this is the worst that has happened in Adamawa State. Many schools, hospitals, government buildings and over 250 villages have been submerged by the flood.”
To avoid an outbreak of disease as a result of the flood, he said that medical workers have been deployed to all the affected areas to provide free medical services to the victims.
“The state Emergency Management Agency have also deployed its workers to various areas affected by the flood to provide the victims with food, blankets and other things they need to survive before the Federal Government arrive with its assistance,” he stated.
