FG, UN canvass prevention of the earth

ON the occasion of making this year’s World Environment Day (WED), the Federal Government has called on Nigerians to adopt more sustainable lifestyles and become change agents to protect and preserve the earth and its resources from further deterioration and destruction.

Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Environment, Mrs. Nana Fatima Mede, who made the call last week in Abuja, during 2015 WED’s day, said Nigerians should adopt lifestyle friendly with the environment.

Speaking on the theme, “Seven Billion Dreams: One Planet”, Mede said there was mounting evidence that humanity is consuming more natural resources than the planet can sustainably provide and this puts the future of humanity at risk.

She noted that by 2050 if current consumption and production pattern remain the same and with a rising global population expected to reach 9.6billion, we will need three planets to sustain our ways of living and consumption.

Mede who stressed the need to consider and take action to change course, observed that the signs of unsustainable consumption and production such as land degradation, deforestation, indiscriminate land clearing, various forms of pollution, flooding, erosion, global warming and climate change and unsustainable mining among others are evident in the country, adding that, these are the result of mismanagement and over exploitation of various natural resources.

The government official pointed out that how we handle these issues, address the emerging problems and proffer solutions would help in ensuring that the country is on the right path for sustainable development.

She said, “Specific actions must be taken by every one of us at various levels to ensure that we change from unsustainable patterns of production and consumption. We must endeavour to reduce carbon footprints and enhance biodiversity, we must minimize the amount of waste we generate at home and in work place and we must come up with innovative ways to produce and consume with care.

If we all genuinely commit ourselves to doing what is right to achieve sustainable development and environmental protection, we will go a long way to making this planet a safer and healthier place for our present and future generations.”

Mede noted that the theme of the celebration is very apt at this time in the history of humanity adding that the event aims to raise awareness on patterns of consumption with a view of changing peoples behavior and encouraging them to adopt more sustainable lifestyles and become change agents to protect and preserve the earth and its resources from further deterioration and destruction.

The Permanent Secretary reiterated government’s commitment to implementing relevant actions to achieve sustainable development and environmental protection adding that government has established relevant policies and action plans including the National Policy on Environment, Forestry Policy, Drought and Desertification Action Plans and the National Adaptation Plan of Action on Climate Change.