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Pandemonium as windstorm leaves Ekuri forest in ruin

Michael Simire
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Pandemonium as windstorm leaves Ekuri forest in ruin

Residents of Ekuri Community in Akamkpa Local Government Area in Cross River State in Nigeria are grief-stricken. Reason: Penultimate Saturday, they lost about 10 square kilometers of biologically diverse forest when a windstorm hit the neighbourhood, destroying a considerable part of the famous community forest on the northerly axis contiguous with the Ukpon Forest Reserve.

Eyewitnesses say the storm left few trees standing as emergent and under-storey vines, rattans, bush mango, fruit trees and afang, among others, are left in ruins, “creating an open space of unimaginable distance except the hindrance of hills.”

The Ekuri Forest is believed to be the largest and best communally-managed forest in Nigeria.

Recounting the loss, the Village Head of New Ekuri, Chief Abel Egbe, laments: “The storm is the first of its kind in the history of Ekuri community. The destruction of this forest is unquantifiable, considering the economic, social, environmental, cultural and spiritual values of the affected area and is not a colossal loss to Ekuri people alone, but neighboring communities, Cross River State, Nigeria and the global community.”

Expressing gratitude to the Almighty the no lives were lost as no villager was in the forest when the storm struck as, according to him, gatherers of bush mango and other non-wood products had returned to the village the previous day to sell products after four nights in the forest.

Madam Margaret Ogar, one of the oldest women in Ekuri, wept inconsolably, lamenting the loss of the bush mango trees which the community members, particularly the women, are depended on for seasonal incomes that flows steadily into the pockets of individual households, contributing to improved livelihoods and poverty alleviation.

She says: “The affected area has the highest concentration of bush mango trees, achi seed trees and rattans that have sustained our livelihoods and their destruction is a calamity, an open invitation to poverty and weakening of social cohesion that knit the community together. What a devastating news I will bring to our ancestors when I pass away that their contributions in the conservation of our forest using indigenous knowledge and passed onto us  is no more!

“We are finished as our inheritance, culture, lifestyles, medicinal plants, fresh water, array of vegetables and fruits that have naturally made us healthy are destroyed.”

She adds that her children, grand and great grand children will suffer severely as it will take another 50 or more years for the affected forest to regenerate naturally before acquisition of capacity in the provision of goods and services.

Another community member, Chief Raphael Akamo, notes that the destruction of the forest habitat has apparently killed many animals including the endangered species, forcing the survivors to migrate to other forests. He said that buffalo inhabits this area and their forced migration to other forests is “a big blow to Ekuri community” as the area is already set aside for eco-tourism as in the land use plan of Ekuri community forest.

A retired headmaster, Innocent Agbor, submits: “The conservation of Ekuri forest by the Ekuri Initiative has enhanced generation of incomes from avalanche of non-timber forest products harvested by students during holidays to support their education. Now that the source of income generation is destroyed, then education will suffer, illiteracy, unemployment and poverty will increase in Ekuri community.”

A youth leader, Bernard Ogar: “Experience has shown that youth restiveness in other communities is largely attributed to unemployment and poverty. The effects of the destroyed forests will aggravate poverty for years; turn the tide against social cohesion in place of anti-social vices and the existing togetherness in Ekuri community is seriously threatened.”

One of the oldest men in the land, Pa Akwa Ambo: “We know that when you open the forest uncontrollably, you expose yourself to unnatural storm, hence one of the reasons for our community’s efforts and commitments to conserve our forest.  But for centuries, we have kept our forest relatively intact, then why the unnatural windstorm? The things we hear that happens in faraway places are here with us today and I am afraid of what the world will become tomorrow when communities that have conserved their environment suffer same like those that have destroyed theirs.”

Village Head of Old Ekuri, Chief Stephen Oji: “The expected revenues from the payment for ecosystems services from Ekuri Community forest under the Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) is eroded as the amount of metric tons of carbon in destroyed trees and other ecosystem services – biodiversity, water, landscape – cannot be accounted for to warrant payments later when the programme kicks off fully. I praise our distinctive efforts and commitments to conserve our forest but see how the best we have done is lost in a twinkle of an eye!”

Head (Technical), Ekuri Initiative, Edwin Ogar: “The Ekuri community calls on government of Cross River State, Federal Government of Nigeria, NGOs, international development agencies, corporate bodies and individuals to come to her aid to alleviate the long sufferings and hardships the people will face for years due to loss of livelihood sources as a result of this environmental disaster. This clarion call for supports is to stabilise the hardships, take off further pressures and boost conservation of remaining forest and regeneration so that the REDD+ earmarked for the Ekuri community is realised.”

The vanishing legacies of Okoroba

Michael Simire
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One would be more saddened by the faster decline of the environment and usual attractions of the neighbourhood of Okoroba, in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. Indeed, the reduction of the countryside would bring one to the similar mood of ‘The Sea Eats Our Land’, a timeless poem by ‘Kwesi Brew’. While the Brew’s dirge (a poem mourning the dead) laments the ‘death’ of Keita island, a village in his native Ghana, by the natural agents of a free sea-tide erosion, the unhappy situation of the Okoroba neighbourhood, is the steady destruction of its God-given environment, through unending oil pollutions, deforestation and acute poverty of its inhabitants, mainly by decades of oil exploration.

Okoroba

However, despite the reduction of its environment, the neighbourhood, particularly Okoroba town, has often been described by tourists as ‘serene destination’; ‘a tourist delight’; ‘a pearl in the creeks’; for its natural attractions. Okoroba town lies on Latitude 4.6, Longitude 6.4 and 9 metres above the sea level.

The ‘nature imbalance’ of the Okoroba habitat and the need to reverse it, has always been a nagging issue, especially in the echoing days of the early 1990s, when Ken Saro-Wiwa, the martyr environmentalist and social crusader, led few of his associates like Ledum Mittee, Oronto Douglas and Nnimmo Bassey etc., in a concerted effort to reduce the habitat destruction, and the poverty that became the unfortunate inheritance, not only of his (Saro-Wiwa) native people of Ogoni, but by the entire Niger Delta region.

Presently, the ‘Ogbia land’, as Okoroba and the adjoining communities are also called, has turned an environment and a living much more devastated than the horrible descriptions once carried by the late Saro- Wiwa, and his companions to the word view.

When undertaking the boat journeys to Ogbia land, either from the over three hours distance from Brass, in Rivers State, and the opposite two hours direction from Ogbia town, in Bayelsa the destruction of the habitation is always obvious.

Like the ornithologists (birdwatchers or bird lovers) would say, ‘Usually, Birds are the first pointer to a healthy or diminishing environment’.  And that the regular presence of Birds, in flocks and or in isolations, would portray a balanced habitat, while their shortfall or non-presence signifies the opposite.

Whatever happened to the lively flocks of the waver birds and the hornbills; the leggy storks and the migratory swallows; the kingfishers and others that used to slap the flowing rivers and search for prawns as food?

Where were the numerous troops of monkey that used to leap about its mangroves, which brought to the area; some useful studies like that of the West Africa Primate Group, guided by renowned primatologists (scientists of the study of monkeys) like Prof John Oates and Katty Gonda, with the drive to save the various species of the Okoroba Community Forest land for future generations?

Obviously in pains, George Ediegberi remarked that the usual oil spills have seriously damaged the once abundant natural fish stock and farmlands, which are the primary sources of livelihood to inhabitants of the area.  Ediegberi, a genetic expert from Nembe, also harped on his fears; ‘’If the plundering of our environment and livelihood goes unchecked, and part of the oil proceeds is not immediately invested in the very land that produces it, all the other oil producing communities in the area would have been doomed like Oloibiri.’’

On about midway distance between Ogbia and Nembe, is located Oloibiri town, bearer of the first oil well in the country. ‘’Today, Oloibiri is a disserted town, which, in spite of its huge oil wealth, has no presence of social amenities to show for it. Unfortunately, Oloibiri is now a mockery symbol of the neglect of oil-bearing communities of the Niger Delta region,” Ediegberi regretted.

Usually, in the area there is a very strong presence of oil spills, which the various respondents identified as the major cause of the losses.  All over the smell of oil infiltrates the air and could make one to suffocate out.  The top water of the main Ogbia River and its network of creeks were laced with oil paraffin, while the sideways and its plants were lined with thick layers of dark oil greases. Perhaps, it has not been cleared for a long time, and capable of causing great losses to livelihood and ‘biodiversity’ (a wide variety of plant and animal species living in their natural environment).

‘’The oil spills have not been cleaned or mopped for years, even though they occur now and then. The multinational oil companies, instead of cleaning off the spills, allowed them to gather and cause more harm. When attempts were seldom made by the oil firms to clear the mess, some unguided youths of the area would disrupt the process. In most cases it is the same oil firms that mastermind the restive youths to carry out the disorderly acts, as they hide under the guise, because they want to avoid paying the cost of cleaning up’’.  Lamented Stanley Amoda, from Nembe town.

In April, 2011 the frequent oil spills in the area, was said to again reach a highpoint, when the Environmental Rights Action (ERA) a frontline national NGO, received an SOS of a fresh oil spill and fire which ravaged the Okoroba community, with large farmlands and water-life loss along the Agip/Brass pipeline.

‘’When the spill took place in 2011 in our community, it disrupted our livelihood just as it disenfranchised us from casting our votes in the general election, which took place the same time all over the country. Since then, not much has been heard about clearing the oil toxic to bring back our farmlands and fish ponds. Either, no compensation was paid for the huge losses incurred’’; Madam Asokari, a peasant from Okoroba lamented, as she asked somewhat helplessly; ‘’Now, what legacies do we leave for our children?

The oil facilities in the community are said to be owned by two giant-oil multinationals; Shell Petroleum Development Company and the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, operating in the area.

From afar and near oil facilities in Ogbia land, like other oil bearing communities of the Niger Delta, gas flaring, the persistent menace, rule the airspaces.  It produces numerous dark burns spoiling the cloudless skyline in daylight, and the various tongues of flame that replace electricity at night. Known as a major cause of ‘global warming and climate change’, the uneasy heat from the burning furnaces, alone reduces the cooling effects which the body of water and vegetation will ordinarily give.

Unhappily, Agodi said again; ‘’In the Niger Delta region, one of the few and worst cases of gas flaring in the world, multinational oil companies and their agents still play the delay game with the deadly flare and its end date, whereas it has been banned, around the globe’’.

The fast and awkward logging taking place in the once normal Community Forests of Okoroba, in the former Edoma National Forest reserve, could be apparent from the frequent heaps of logs and sawn wood, found along the boat routes, waiting to be ferried away. The original ecosystem of the Ogbia zone, once came into limelight, as it was gazetted by Rebecca Kormos, as part of a global Conservation Action Plan, by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and other conservation bodies. The Community Forests of Okoroba is enclosed in the vast Niger Delta mangrove, known as one of the world largest and richest in biodiversity composition.

One would have been afraid that ‘Angala’, could go out of existence like some of the key trees of the mangrove that are daily threatened.  Although she faces harmful threats by the continuous oil spills, which hangs on to its base, making her to shed the leaves, it large population, however, makes brighter her chances of surviving the menace.   The biological name of ‘Angala’ cannot be now recalled, but it is an Ijaw name for the visible mangrove tree which has many roots above the ground, like the human walking stilts. Because of its adorable and passionate name that sounds like ‘Angela’, the common name of a girl, ‘Angala’, the common mangrove tree of high medicinal and economic importance, was preferably picked as a flagship name for the now-rested environmental magazine, jointly published by Pro-Natura International and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF).

‘Angala’, a cartoon magazine, which increased conservation awareness in Nigerian schools, was anchored by Ronnie Siakor, a Liberian-American illustrator, Nick Ashton-Jones and Sir Phillip Hall (notable British conservationists), Oronto Douglas and this writer.

Commenting on the way out of the fast decline of the environment and its adverse effects on the unlucky Niger Delta people, Mr Ossain Azibalua, a national youth leader, called on the indigenes ‘’to always apply non-violence and the rule of constructive engagement, instead of the violent approach’’. This, he said, ‘’is the style of some of our leaders of note, like the late Saro-Wiwa and Oronto Douglas’’.

 

By Tony Erha 

Water finance, resource protection challenge in West Africa

Michael Simire
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Water finance, resource protection challenge in West Africa

As the clock ticks towards 2015 when United Nations member states are expected to reduce by half the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), there are still regional deficiencies in coordination, governance, legislation and financing of the water sector due to pressure of population growth weights on the resource, in spite of recent efforts by some of the countries within the West Africa sub-region.

It is against this background that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Global Water Partnership for West Africa (GWP/WA) recently organised a five-day workshop for journalists in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, to stimulate stakeholder interest on the issue.

The development of an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) both at national and regional levels was identified as a tool to assist countries in the area of water management and resource protection particularly in West African sub-region. The IWRM is a process which promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources, in order to maximise the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystem.

Although some of the countries in the region are well advanced in the IWRM initiative, some are still lagging behind particularly in meeting up with the MDG target. In some of the countries where the initiative has been developed, there is still the challenge of how to finance water and protect the resources.

At the moment, some of the countries are already on track to meet the MDG target on water and sanitation while some are completely off the track.

For instance, Ghana is said to be 82 percent ready in terms of water supply, a level which is slightly above the MDG target for the country. Similarly, Ivory Coast, according to government officials, is currently at 66 percent, even as it strives to reach 82 percent by 2016 going by the current investment in the sector.

In Senegal, water supply at the urban centres is said to adequate while the rural areas are said to be facing some challenges. Mauritania, on the hand, is said to be far at the moment from the target while Burkina Faso is also close to the target.

In Nigeria, water and sanitation coverage is presently among the lowest in the world. According to a 2008 World Health Organisation report, Nigeria is in the bottom 25 lowest worldwide in terms of water and sanitation coverage.

According to the World Bank, in 2011 water production facilities in Nigeria were rarely operated to capacity due to breakdown of equipment or lack of power or fuel for pumping. At the current rates of progress, Nigeria is predicted to meet the MDG target in 27 years but may meet the sanitation MDG in 124 years’ time.

The annual investment in water and sanitation projects at the federal level in Nigeria was N71 billion or $455 million in 2012 and N113 billion or $724 million based on the 2013 proposed budget. This leaves a funding gap of N319 billion or $2.04 billion based on the MDG estimates or N554 billion or N356 billion based on the AMCOW estimates for the year 2012, while the funding gap for 2013 based on the proposed budget would be N277 billion.

Nigeria’s MDG national targets in water and sanitation are 82 per cent for water and 65 per cent for sanitation. Estimated investment required to meet the MDG target in water and sanitation ranges from $2.5 billion to $4 billion annually, according to the MDG office.

Out of the required amount, only about $550 million is being injected by the government due to limited resources and competing needs, leaving a huge investment gap to achieve the targets.

In most of these countries however, while governments and donor bodies pay much attention to finance provision of clean potable water, little or no attention is being paid to the management of the resource for future use. Human activities, to a large extent, have contributed to the pollution of most of the water resource.

At the opening ceremony of the five-day workshop, themed: “Financing water and the protection of the resource in West Africa,” Ndri Koffi of GWP/WA Ivory Coast, stressed that good water management necessitates funding and resource management.

He explained that water is very important in life for the its various uses which requires that everybody must be responsible for its protection. “If water is life, protecting it is a responsibility for everyone.”

Ndri added that the theme of the workshop was apt, particularly when most of the countries in the region are financing water through the IWRM.

In his view, coordinator, Poverty Reduction and Environmental Management (PREMI) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Maxime Somda, posited that natural resources an play important role in the economy of West Africa.

Somda noted that, among all the resources, water is the important part in the lives of the people, but that the resource is being affected by pressure of population, human action and the climate change phenomenon.

He added that water as a social resource needs to be protected, saying that stakeholders should realise the economic importance of water so as to protect it. “This is why we need to use need approach to pay for it”.

A lecturer at University of Abidjan, Prof. A. B Goula, explained that water has resource and use. According to him, the use is everything related to the clean water while the resource is the one we have as natural resources where everybody can go and use.

Goula added that no country in the region has been paying much attention to the protection of water resources.

Communications Officer, GWP/ WA, Sidi Coulibaly, stressed that in the last five years the organisation has been helping countries in the region to develop their national IWRM which, he said, has been partly completed.

He added that it is clear that some of the countries may not meet up with the MDG target on water supply in their countries.

IUCN/PACO representative, Marcelo Rocca, explained that there are lot of financing in water management but not enough for protection of water resources. “If we do not protect water, it will be impossible to get in the future,” he warned.

He explained that that this why IUCN felt the need to pay attention to water resource management.

Experts have opined that water should finance water. They hinged the position on the principle of Payment for Environment Services (PES), which stipulates that users of environmental services should pay for it.

This principle, which excludes domestic consumption of water, targets people who use water for irrigational purposes, dam construction, mining activities and construction work, among others. In addition to this is the Polluters Pay Principle.

Mapping climate change impact in Lagos

Michael Simire
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Mapping climate change impact in Lagos

The impact of climate change in Nigeria is associated with weather-related disasters, which have become more frequent in recent decades. The nation’s natural and agricultural ecosystems are susceptible to the effects of climate change and these vulnerability factors underline the need to respond to the challenges of climate change in a comprehensive and systematic manner, while addressing broader development priorities.

Babatunde Fashola, Governor of Lagos State

Consequently, the Policy Advocacy Project Partnership on Climate Change (PAPPCC) undertook a Climate Change Mapping exercise in 10 constituencies from five local government areas (LGAs) in Lagos State. The venture is regarded as a response to climate change adaptation employed to provide information about potential impacts from temperature variability, flooding, storm surges and irregular rainfall on some selected prone areas in the state.

The LGAs are Badagry, Epe, Eti-Osa, Ibeju-Lekki and Ikorodu, and their selection was based on the researchers’ engagement with the members of the Environment Committee of the Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA). Findings show that increasing temperature is the most worrying climate change challenge in most of the communities being studied, with flooding, storm and irregular rainfall following in that order.

The survey reveals that a lot of awareness is needed at the community level as many people see changes in their environment as “an act of God” and so nothing can be done about them. It also reveals that while there are still some scientific gaps in knowledge about climate change, current evidences about the reality of the problem are enough for policy makers to take decisions.

Evidences, it adds, show that while various sectors of local economies are susceptible, climate change impacts human rights, including the right to life and physical safety, health, food, water, means of subsistence, property, housing and shelter, development, culture and a healthy environment.

While tree planting was observed in some communities, gender is considered an important factor in determining people’s vulnerability to climate change, which impacts agricultural productivity and results in food insecurity.

Similarly, climate change affects water availability, quality and quantity of potable water in most of the communities, even as temperature variability impacts were reported as posing the most worrying climate change issue in all constituencies.

Further, the study observes that climate change: contributes greatly to increasing health problems; manifests in flooding in low lying coastal areas; and affects infrastructures. Additionally, deforestation and other forms of environmental degradation are widespread in the constituencies, therefore reducing the role of ecosystem in moderating carbon cycle.

Typically, many residents depend on electricity generators for cooling which is also an adaptation option to effects of high temperature. Rain-fed agriculture is widely practiced in the communities.

The study wants the authorities to put in place a climate change adaptation communication and outreach strategy with the objective of enabling a level of understanding that will allow all stakeholders to participate actively in climate change adaptation.

It likewise recommends that government should strengthen the adaptive capacity of communities by providing information and technical know-how, facilitating access to micro-credit and other measures.

The need to enhance decision makers’ responsiveness to increase sensitivity towards environmental and social changes was underscored. It was recommended that civil society organisations (CSOs) should be empowered to carry out research that will deepen the understanding of communities’ awareness and vulnerability and the status of community adaptation to climate change, and run training programmes on climate change adaptation for communities.

The research underlined the need: for LGAs to develop practical approaches to community-based adaptation to climate change; to include climate change in all local decision making, day-day operations, planning and development, financial systems and human resource allocations; to strengthen health care delivery system at all levels to cope with emergencies; to promote food production, improve food hygiene and water supply at the local levels; to establish flexible institutions to enable quick adjustment to environmental changes; to support communication on climate change across all sectors and levels; for more research based on current observations of weather-related changes in population health; to raise awareness and build capacities by training officials on the implications of climate change for the water sector and adaptation options; and, to promote skills development for the green economy transition.

The study, which is being rounded up, concludes that climate change is a global problem but its impacts are localised and are felt mostly by the vulnerable people residing in the rural areas of the state. It states that viable solutions require the active participation of local communities in formulating and implementing policies, and that adaptive capacity at the local level have worked for centuries and need to be adopted into new policies and strategies that will be put in place to respond to the needs as well as enhance the resilience of the most vulnerable groups in society at that level.

“We realised that inadequate institutional support and inappropriate policies are the major constraint to adaptation, which limit access to much-needed natural resources by communities dependent on such resources for both survival and adaptation to environmental change and climate variability. These policies and programmes should be designed to include local knowledge and inclusiveness as the rural dweller seemed so very remote from the local government,” discloses one of the researchers involved in the project.

Nigeria, others to phase out inefficient incandescent lamps

Michael Simire
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Nigeria and other government representatives from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have successfully established a regionally-coordinated framework to transition to energy efficient lighting. The strategy identifies the complete phase-out of inefficient incandescent lamps by 2020, the latest. The Ministry of Energy and Mines of the Republic of Senegal agreed to sponsor all events of efficient lighting initiative, at the request of the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) in order to rally other ECOWAS member states.

The announcement comes on the heels of a workshop for the development of a regional strategy for Energy Efficient lighting held from July 2-3, 2013 in Dakar, Senegal, hosted by the ECREEE and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) en.lighten initiative, with support of the Club of National Agencies and Structures in Charge of Rural Electrification (Club-ER).

The workshop raised awareness and built consensus on the various technical options available at regional and international levels for the development of a concrete regional efficient lighting strategy. Addressing gender issues was also on the agenda, as women are both the proponents and beneficiaries of positive changes in the energy sector.

“The achievement of a permanent and sustainable transition to efficient lighting in ECOWAS countries is dependent on the development and implementation of national and regional efficient lighting strategies with an integrated policy approach, which incorporates global best practices,” said Mahama Kappiah, Executive Director of ECREEE. “We are pleased to partner with UNEP’s en.lighten initiative in the task of accelerating global market transformation to environmentally sustainable lighting technologies.”

A transition away from general service incandescent lamps to more efficient lighting would save the region an estimated $220 million each year in energy costs. West African nations together could save a total of 2.4 terawatt hours of electricity, which is equivalent 6.7 percent of the total yearly energy consumption. The savings would be enough to power over 1.2 million households.

ECREEE, as the leading organisation in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency in West Africa, launched the initiative on energy efficient lighting, as one of its priority programs as part of the ECOWAS Policy on Energy Efficiency adopted in Accra, Ghana in October 2012. The use of energy was identified as a fundamental component of achieving the UN Secretary-General’s “Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL)” objectives in the ECOWAS region.

The UNEP en lighten initiative seeks to address the challenges of accelerating global market transformation to environmentally sustainable lighting technologies by providing technical support for the phase-out of inefficient lighting. The ECOWAS efficient lighting initiative with en.lighten is part of the overall development goal for West Africa to improve access to modern, reliable and affordable energy services, energy security as well as the reduction of negative impacts on the energy system.

“To achieve a permanent and sustainable transition to energy efficient lighting, regional efficient lighting strategies need to follow an integrated policy approach and incorporate global best practices,” said Gustavo Manez, Project Manager for the en.lighten intiative.  “We are pleased to see that consensus has been reached in the ECOWAS region for pertinent policy aspects such as minimum energy performance standards, supporting policies, monitoring, verification and enforcement activities, and the environmentally sound management of lighting products.”

The meeting in Dakar follows a launch workshop held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in April of this year, attended by delegates from the ECOWAS Ministries of Energy as well as representatives from standards organizations, and international lighting experts. Here, participants agreed on a roadmap for the development of the regional efficient lighting strategy.

The en.lighten initiative was established to accelerate global market transformation to environmentally sustainable lighting technologies by developing a coordinated global strategy and providing technical support for the phase-out of inefficient lighting. It is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in partnership with leading global lighting manufacturers, Philips and OSRAM, and the National Lighting Test Center (China).

Few actions could reduce carbon emissions as inexpensively and easily as the phase-out of inefficient lighting, making it one of the most effective and economically advantageous ways to mitigate climate change. The initiative has set a target date of 2016 for the global phase-out of inefficient incandescent lamps.

ECREEE’s mandate is aligned with the broader strategic goals of ECOWAS Vision 2020. It seeks to realise directly two of the components of this vision, namely: “A region that anchors its development on sustainable development, including agricultural and mineral resource development strategy, and on planned agricultural and industrial strategies; a region that develops its infrastructure and makes services accessible to its citizens and enterprises.”; and “A region that conserves its environment and resources, promotes modes of equitable and sustainable development in economic, social and environmental fields; a region which brings its contribution to bear on resolution of the common problems and challenges confronting the planet.”

ECREEE is assisting the 15 ECOWAS member states in the development, adoption and implementation of national renewable energy; energy efficiency policies; and targets, regulatory frameworks, standards, as well as incentives and financial mechanisms.

Video: World population day

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Video: World population day

Global Ocean Commission seeks to tighten high seas security loophole

Michael Simire
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Global Ocean Commission seeks to tighten high seas security loophole

All vessels on the high seas should carry identification numbers and be trackable using satellite or other technology, says the Global Ocean Commission (GOC), an independent high-level initiative on the future of the ocean.

Commissioners Obiageli Ezekwesili (left) and Cristina Narbona at the meeting in New York

Currently, passenger ships and large merchant vessels have to carry unique and unchangeable International Maritime Organisation (IMO) numbers, and to operate equipment allowing real-time tracking.

But other craft on the high seas – the international waters that make up nearly half of the planet’s surface – do not. The UN has previously noted that this facilitates trafficking of people, drugs and weapons, and illegal fishing.

“In the 21st Century, when governments are doing so much to make their borders and their citizens secure, it seems extraordinary that they’ve left a loophole big enough to sail a trawler full of explosives through,” said former Costa Rican President José María Figueres, who jointly chairs the Global Ocean Commission with Trevor Manuel, Minister in the South African Presidency and David Miliband, the former UK Foreign Secretary and incoming President of the International Rescue Committee.

“There are details to be worked through, such as the cost of tracking systems, although from evidence we’ve heard so far we don’t think that will be an obstacle.

‘But in principle, for the security of citizens around the world, it seems clear that it’s time to close the loophole,” Figueres added.

Following the Mumbai bombing in 2008, which used a fishing vessel hijacked on the high seas, Indian authorities made tracking equipment mandatory on fishing vessels and other craft in their national waters. Many other countries are also implementing its use.

“Governments are well aware of the security issue, and many of them are taking steps to combat it in their own waters,” said Manuel. “But when we get to the high seas, it’s a different matter; there’s been very little progress, despite clear evidence of criminal activity including piracy, drug smuggling and illegal fishing. When merchant ships have to be identifiable and trackable, there’s no reason we can see why other types of vessel should get a free ride.”

Mandatory vessel ID and tracking would also benefit human rights and sustainable fishing, observed Miliband. “It seems pretty obvious that if authorities know who owns a vessel, where it is and where it’s sailing to, then the owners of the vessel are much more likely to stay within the law,” he said.

“Mandatory vessel ID and tracking would reward those who play by the rules and penalise those who don’t – it would create economic opportunities for the ‘good guys’, and improve the social conditions of seafarers.”

In 2011, a UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report on illegal fishing documented cases where … “fishers are held as de facto prisoners of the sea… a particularly disturbing facet of this form of exploitation is the frequency of child trafficking in the fishing industry”.

Vessels engaged in crime are known to change their name and flag States (where they are legally based) regularly to avoid detection. Carrying a unique and unchangeable IMO number makes this impossible.

The UNODC report also noted that vessels engaged in criminal activities are more likely to be involved in illegal, unreported and unregistered (IUU) fishing. IUU vessels are thought to account for about one fifth of the global fish catch, and by definition operate outside of all regulations, making sustainable management impossible in areas where they are rife.

The IMO is currently debating whether to remove the exemption given to fishing vessels from the regulations concerning identification numbers. But even if the exemption is removed, vessels would be encouraged, not mandated, to carry them.

The Global Ocean Commission issued its vessel monitoring call at the conclusion of a meeting in New York on 5th-6th July.

The IMO has a well-established system for numbering vessels. In the same way that cars might have a number etched into the engine block that cannot be removed except by obvious tampering, IMO numbers are unique and unchangeable. If a vessel changes owners or flags, the number stays with it. In many countries, port authorities regularly inspect vessels’ numbers and, if they suspect unauthorised changes have been made, can prevent the vessel sailing or even impound it.

Under the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention, which came into force in 1996, IMO numbers are mandatory for passenger ships above 100 gross tons and merchant ships above 300 gross tons. Other types of vessel are exempt, including pleasure yachts, wooden ships, fishing vessels, warships and a few specialist categories such as hydrofoils. However, many of these vessels will have an IMO number as well, either because it is mandated by the home government or as good practice (such as, improving safety at sea).

The IMO is currently reviewing the exemptions and may make a decision at its annual session this November. However, this would result in a voluntary numbering system, not a mandatory one.

Vessels use a number of electronic systems for identification and communication. Among the most common is the Automatic Identification System (AIS). This is a short-distance (tens of km) system working on VHF radio. Vessels broadcast short bursts of information including IMO number, position, course and speed. Other information can be carried as well.

Because of the short range, AIS signals are typically detected and used when vessels are near shore or near other vessels. However, satellites in near-Earth orbit can also detect AIS signals, which give global coverage. At least 20 governments invest in buying satellite AIS information for a range of purposes including search and rescue, fisheries management, collision avoidance and maritime security. There are estimated to be a few hundred thousand vessels on the global ocean fitted with AIS. In the wake of the 2008 attacks in Mumbai, India mandated their use on all fishing vessels over 20m long. Other countries such as China are mandating tracking and identification systems in their national waters.

IMO regulations mandate AIS systems on all passenger vessels and on merchant ships above 300 gross tons. These vessels are also required to use Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) systems, which principally use satellites for two-way transmission of information.

Another system in operation for fishing vessels in some jurisdictions is VMS – Vessel Monitoring Systems. The technical details vary from country to country but the intention is to provide governments with a record of which vessels are fishing at what times in which places, so that regulations can be enforced. VMS systems are mandated by some governments in their waters, and by some Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) on the high seas.

Port authorities, especially in busy shipping areas, typically use Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) to regulate traffic and avoid collisions. These collate information from a variety of sources including radar, AIS and CCTV.

There are websites and smartphone apps that, drawing on professional and amateur AIS detectors, show the positions of vessels close to port in real time. In 2004, the IMO argued that the free publication of this data ‘could be detrimental to the safety and security of ships and port authorities’, as it could help facilitate hijacks or other forms of attack.

Many governments retain and safeguard data they receive from AIS, VMS and other monitoring systems, sometimes releasing it after a delay, to prevent unwanted usage.

The Global Ocean Commission is an independent initiative aiming to halt and reverse degradation of the global ocean, and restore it to full ecological health. The Commission will publish its final report and recommendations in the first half of 2014, and feed them into processes and institutions that can generate change.

The Global Ocean Commission originated as an initiative of the Pew Charitable Trusts, in partnership with Somerville College at the University of Oxford, Adessium Foundation and Oceans 5. It is supported by Pew, Adessium Foundation and Oceans 5, but is independent of all. It is hosted by Somerville College.

The Commission launched in February 2013, and held its first formal meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, in March.

There are two African commissioners who are part of the Commission. Obiageli Ezekwesili is a former Vice President of the World Bank for Africa, a former Nigerian Education Minister and co-founder of Transparency International.

Trevor Manuel is the co-chair of the Commission, and was one of South Africa’s longest serving Ministers of Finance. He is now Minister in the Presidency and head of the National Planning Commission.

Other commissioners are: Paul Martin (Canada), John Podesta (USA), Jose Maria Figueres (co-chair, Costa Rica), Luiz Furlan (Brazil), Andres Velasco (Chile), David Miliband (co-chair, Britain), Pascal Lamy (France), Cristina Narbona (Spain), Vladmir Golitsyn (Russia), Ratan Tata (India), Sri Malyant Indrawati (Indonesia), Foua Toloa (Tokelau), Robert Hill (Australia) and Yoriko Kawaguchi (Japan).

Remediation of lead-poisoned Bagega completed

Michael Simire
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Remediation of lead-poisoned Bagega completed

The remediation (environmental clean-up) of Bagega, a community affected by lead poisoning, is rounding up. Located in Zamfara, Northern Nigeria, Bagega has a population of about 7,535, with about 1,500 children awaiting urgent treatment for lead poisoning.

Lawal

“The people of Bagega are quite happy remediation is turning out successful, thus allowing hundreds of children to get screened for lead poisoning,” said Hamzat Lawal, an official of the Follow the Money (FTM), a not-for-profit initiative of Connected Development (CODE) that advocated, tracked and visualised funds for remediation, health sustainability strategy and implementation of safer mining practice in Bagega.

“The Remediation of Bagega which started March 5, 2013 is 99 percent complete, while the 1 percent remaining is the covering of the landfills. This remaining part is critical for the end of remediation. To avoid re-contamination, all landfills must be closed up and we are hopeful that, by Friday, July 5, 2013, all landfills must have been closed,” said Simba Tirima of TerraGraphics Foundation, the major consulting partner for the remediation of Bagega.

It will be recalled that on January 28, 2013, the Federal Government of Nigeria approved the release of about N850 million from the Ecological Funds to be distributed amongst the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Mines and Steel Development for the remediation of communities affected by lead poisoning in Zamfara State.

“Since April 22, 2013, 981 children are being screened, 941 children in Bagega are to be admitted into the lead poisoning programme, while 181 are undergoing lead chelation therapy already,” affirmed Michelle Chouinard, Head of Mission of Doctors Without Borders in Nigeria.

Lawal sated, “The FTM team, Bagega enjoins all stakeholders and civil society organizations (CSOs) to shift advocacy towards institutionalising safer mining in all mining communities in Zamfara.”

“Remediation is only a temporary intervention, the only long term sustainable solution to preventing such epidemic again is creating a local, workable, safer mining plan, one that benefits both artisanal miners and the government,” said Oludotun Babayemi, co-founder of CODE.

Lighting up a low carbon future for Nigeria

Michael Simire
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UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director, Achim Steiner, and Executive Director of ECOWAS’ Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), Mahama Kappiah, examine Nigeria’s low carbon potential

 

Steiner

The lights are going on all over Africa, home to some of the fastest growing economies in the world.

Overall, that is great news. Children can study at night without breathing harmful or environmentally damaging kerosene fumes; the sense of security in poor communities, where people live in fear when night falls, is hugely increased; productivity for businesses improves as they can stay open later; and commonplace fires, caused by fallen candles or spilt fuels, become rare.

However, unless energy efficient lighting is adopted, carbon emissions from an expected increase in electricity consumption of between 60-70 per cent by 2030 could lead to disastrous effects on efforts to fight climate change globally.

Few actions could reduce carbon emissions as inexpensively and easily as the phase-out of inefficient lighting and making sure that any new lighting uses environmentally sustainable technology.

West Africa has become the latest region to drive efforts to promote energy efficient lighting. A complete transition in that area could produce annual energy savings of 2.4 terawatt hours, approximately 6.75 per cent of total electricity consumption. The savings would be enough to supply the total annual electricity needs of at least 1.2 million households.

This decision came after Ministers representing the 15 countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) meeting in Ghana last October adopted a regional energy efficiency policy on the occasion of the ECOWAS High Level Energy Forum of the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) Initiative.

The ECOWAS member states agreed to eliminate inefficient incandescent lamps and adopt more efficient lighting, a move that would save the region an estimated US$220 million per year in energy costs. Lighting currently represents 20 per cent of electricity usage.

They are supported by en.lighten, a global project established to accelerate worldwide market transformation to environmentally sustainable lighting technologies. This initiative is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in partnership with leading global lighting manufacturers, Philips and OSRAM, and the National Lighting Test Center (China).

ECOWAS was designated as a pilot region for en.lighten’s Global Efficient Lighting Partnership Programme – an unparalleled voluntary initiative, now backed by 48 countries, providing support for policies and actions aimed at a coordinated phase-out of inefficient lighting. The Programme supports the global phase-out of inefficient incandescent lamps by 2016.

For West Africa, the strategy is being formulated in collaboration with ECOWAS’ Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) as part of ECOWAS initiative on efficient lighting.

Around 60 per cent of the population in ECOWAS countries does not have access to electricity.  Replacing the millions of kerosene lamps, candles and flashlights used in countries in the region with modern solar lighting would provide an increasingly low-cost solution to reducing carbon emissions, indoor air pollution and health risks, and boost green jobs.

It is a further contribution to the UN Secretary-General’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative and a way for developing countries to demonstrate in practical terms their commitment to a new universal UN climate agreement by 2015.

The transition is underway, the challenge now is to maintain that momentum so that as the lights go on across Africa they go on in a way that builds another foundation towards a Green Economy and significant step towards the future we want and the future we need.

Nigeria alone could realize savings of over US$ 1.4 billion per year if a full transition to energy efficient lighting took place.  For on-grid lighting, the shift to energy-saving replacement products for all of the major lamp types in the residential, commercial, industrial and outdoor sectors would result in a savings of 1.4 terawatt hours in annual electricity consumption which is equivalent to the electricity consumption of over 690,000 households. It would save 7 per cent of total national electricity consumption each year, equal to the power output of 2 medium (100 MW) power plants.

For off-grid lighting, Nigeria could avoid 2.3 litres of kerosene, 1.3 billion candles and 314 million batteries used for flashlights with a transition to energy efficient solar LED light sources.  This is equivalent to over 17 million barrels of crude oil energy equivalent every year.

Between off-grid and on-grid lighting, the transition to energy efficient lighting for all applications in Nigeria would lead to a reduction of over 6.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.

These significant carbon emissions could be reduced with the phase-out of inefficient lighting, as one of the most effective and economically advantageous ways to mitigate climate change for the country and for the world.

Energy Commission, ICEED collaborate on clean cookstoves

Michael Simire
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The Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) has joined hands with the International Centre for Energy, Environment & Development (ICEED) to build Nigeria’s capacity to provide scientific testing of stoves. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) to that effect was signed on Thursday in Abuja, even as ICEED made a commitment to support the establishment of the National Clean Cookstoves Development and Testing Laboratory at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State.

Eleri

The collaboration will: develop technical standards for stoves manufactured or imported into Nigeria; provide testing and certification services related to stove technical quality, indoor air pollution, and energy efficiency; assist stove developers in improving skills for local stove design and construction methods; conduct research and development in collaboration with Nigerian and international research institutes and laboratories; and establish and strengthen linkages between the laboratory and the stove industry.

The joint initiative will likewise: maintain appropriate liaison with relevant regulatory and statutory agencies; support capacity building of other national research and development institutions in stove design and production; serve as a national demonstration center for clean cooking technologies; and carry out public awareness campaigns.

Head of ICEED, Ewah Eleri, disclosed in a statement that his outfit would support the ECN by providing equipment to enhance the capacity of the laboratory, as well as provide training and capacity building to enhance skills for ECN personnel and other relevant stakeholders.

He stated: “ICEED will also contribute to hosting workshops and knowledge sharing, as well as support ECN in strengthening its international partnerships.

“Together with the ECN and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, ICEED has supported the setting up of a National Committee on Technical Standards for Clean Cookstoves and Clean Cooking Energy. This is a demonstration of our commitment to ensure that only stoves of good standard are sold in the Nigerian market. And by hosting and leading the Nigerian Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, we are working with Nigerian and international partners to end cooking energy poverty in Nigeria.

“The long-standing relationship between ICEED and ECN is strong. We are very pleased with the forward looking leadership provided by Professor E.J. Bala, Director General/CEO of the ECN and the management and staff of the commission. Together, we can make energy services available, accessible and affordable to all Nigerians.”

According to Eleri, over 95,000 Nigerians die annually from smoke from cooking wood, described as the nation’s highest killer after Malaria and HIV/AIDS, with most of the victims being women and children.

“Clean cookstoves and fuels save lives, money and our forests. The sustainable use of wood makes the poor part of the solution to climate change. However, lack of quality standards and testing of imported and Nigerian-made stoves stymie the country’s efforts to expand the market for clean cookstoves and fuels in Nigeria. Other barriers include access to finance, an enabling policy environment and public awareness,” he added.

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