Patrick Osadebamwen
World Environment Day has directed global attention on the preservation of bio-diversity which has proved to be of significant wealth for mankind. The attention resulted from the threat of extinction observed around the globe on bio-diversity from activities of constructions etc.
Amongst the endemic species are drill monkey and birds. They are among the hundreds of animals on the redlist of globally threatened species. Although they are not extinct but there is a serious concern for their exticntion if necessary actions are not taken by relevant authorities and stakeholders to avert this crisis which at the moment can be resolved through disciplined observance of environmentally friendly processes.
Many species of flora and fauna are today endangered. This informed this year’s theme for World Environment Day, WED, Celebration: “Many Spacies, One Planet, One Future. The theme does not only encapsulate the interest of the United Nations on the preservation of the biodiversity of the planet alone. It also stress the threatening habits of man in his environment leading to near or total extinction of some of the species of plants and animals.
Celebrating WED in Nigeria, the Minister of Environment John Ogar Odey, pointed to the issue of lost of biodiversity in the country. “We are faced with bio-diversity loss despite mounting efforts over the past 20 years” Odey said. Efforts have been geared towards pushing for public awareness on the need to preserve every existing specie of animals in the land as they hold a unique importance in the balance of nature and contribute to the rich bio-diversity asset base of the country and the world at large.
Already the country has been identified as global hotspot for its primate species of great diversity. This is owing to its unique geographical position in Africa and the variability in its climatic and geographical features which facilitated her endowment as one of the world’s richest bio-diversity on the continent. Cross River state reserves these assets for the country in the Gulf of Guinea which the country shares.
However, reports of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on the global assets of bio-diverity have indicated high loss of important specie across the globe. Nigeria is inclusive on the list of country experiencing this dearth of some if its primate bio-diversity. Nigeria has 148 and 146 animals and plants respectively that are on the globally endangered list of thee (IUCN) amongst these 26 animals and 18 planta are classified as endangered.
Biodiversity also supports a number of natural ecosystem processes and services that benefit society like air quality climate both global and local CO2 sequestration), water purification, pollination, and prevention of erosion.
Autorities have said that there is continued global concern that the period since the emergence of humans is part of a mass reduction in biodiversity, the Holocene extinction, caused primarily by the impact humans are having on the environment, particularly the destruction of plant and animal habitats.
Odey believes that the challenge of poaching by local hunters for meat and other activities that negates the doctrine of environmental preservation can be conquered through adequate awareness amongst the people who are often victim of their own actions, though carried out ignorantly.
Experts noted that biodiversity is not distributed evenly on earth, but is consistently rich in the tropics and in specific localized regions. Nigeria enjoys this rare privilege of nature. It was this fact that made the minster to say that WED celebration in Nigeria was part of efforts to reduce the awareness gap amongs the Nigerian population and highlighting that the environment has its economic advantage. This is even more important as the resources are naturally richly entrusted to some places like Nigeria which place the onus on us to protect the local assets with world interests that stretches into our future.
“Protecting the environment is an economic policy which involve everyone, provides for all species and plan for our future. We are therfore on this occasion to create awareness and enhance the inclulcation of environmentally friendly habits and lifestyles in the populace so as to ensure that all nations and people enjoy a safer and more prosperous future,” Odey observed.
He noted that human actions in the areas of deforestation, habitat destructions over-haresting and pollution as well as other natural and man-made threats. While this ha form part of our cultivating habits it was important that we reverse them to suit environmental friendly manner. As a responsible country and signatory to various treaties on the conservation and preservation of the environment the country remains committed to these conventions.
Pursuance to this commitemet to a safer environment, conservation and sustainable utilization of bodiversity and natural resources, the federal governement has put in place a number of policies which include: National Erosion and Flood Control Policy; National Environmental Sanitation Policy and the National Forestry policy. The others are National Drought and Desertification Policy and National policy on E-waste Control and Management.
According to Odey, one major step which the government took in protecting our natural resources is the extensive Presidential reafforestation and afforestation programme. The project includes community based wood lots, control of fuel wood extraction from the reserves and the development of a more efficient wood stoves.
He said the afforestaton programme is a mitigation measure against the impact of climate change through Carbon sequestration. “The programme focuses on combating the problem of desertification, empowering rural communities economically and creating millions of green jobs among our youth.” This development also helps to conserve the biodiversity in these areas.
As the world celebrates the Many species in one planet to secure the future it is important that the drive for a more environmentally friendly practices be adopted for the benefit of all both in our time and the future.
