DRIVERS OF CHANGE: THE ENVIRONMENT (2)
DRIVERS OF CHANGE: THE ENVIRONMENT (2)
CHIBU NDUBUISI 30/10/2017
Peace be upon you.
In continuation of our analysis on the Drivers of Change, I will explore the environment via climate changes, natural resources and how they influence change either for good or bad.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines the environment as the sum of all external conditions affecting the life, development and survival of an organism.
We are told that nine (9) countries share the River Nile, eight (8) countries share the River Zambezi, ten (10) countries Share the River Niger. Imagine when there is an environmental problem that changes the quality or quantity of water needed what happens? In September 2015 the Vanguard Newspaper reported that water released from Kiri dam in Guyuk major dam in Madagali Lagdo dam from Cameroon made rivers overflow and submerged about 116 villages and towns in Nigeria.
Climate changes on the other hand are the depletion of the ozone layer, desertification, deforestation, the loss of bio diversity, trans- boundary movement of hazardous waste and chemicals that touch all nations. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC) was adopted in 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janerio and entered in to force on 21st march 1994 was ratified by 196 states which constituted the Conference Of Parties (COP) to chat a way forward on how to curtail the anthropogenic (Human induced) causes of climatic change.
Lately, we are witnessing unusual climate conditions, high rate of melting permafrost, receding glaciers, rising seas, eroded shoreline, diminished snow cover and irregular weather conditions. Kebbi state in Nigeria once reported that crops worth 3 billion naira were destroyed by floods.
Apart from war refugees, we are witnessing climate refugees who have been displaced by rising sea level or eroded shoreline. The pressure of overpopulation on shirking resources can equally be a source of change occasioned by eco-violence.
The natural resources for some African countries has led to what is called “paradox of plenty” or resource curse a situation where natural resources has led to underdevelopment. The “Blood Diamond” of Liberia is a case in point and the “Oil Curse” in Nigeria and many more countries witnessing the “Paradox of Plenty”.
Senator Al Gore in his 1992 book identified, categorized and differentiated environmental threats according to their presumed reach and impact. He divided the threats in to three; the Local, the Regional and the Strategic. The Locals are air pollution, water pollution, illegal waste dumping. The regional are acid rain, contamination of underground aquifers and large oil spills. The Strategic are global warming, ozone layer depletion.
The threats of climate change are ; conflict over resources, economic damage and risk to coastal cities and critical infrastructures, loss of territory and border dispute, environmentally induced migration, situations of fragility and radicalization, tension over energy supply and pressure on international governance.
In December 1992, the United Nations Security Council responded to the crisis in Somalia in which drought was a factor with the resolution authorizing operation “Restore Hope”.
Climate change has no respect for boundaries. So many international conventions and protocols have been adopted to know how to make man treat the environment more reasonably. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Changes (UNFCCC) Kyoto protocol on global warming, the Vienna Convention for the protection of the ozone layer(1987) the Montreal Protocol on substance that deplete the Ozone Layer are all case in point. Concepts used in international environmental laws are polluters pays ( like the cleanup in Ogoni Land), Nations taking Precautionary approach, sustainable development practices, Environmental Impact Assessments(EIA).
Nigeria has equally domesticated some of these initiatives. Nigeria enacted its own Environmental Impact Assessment with decree no 86 1992. Harmful waste Special Criminal Provision Act 1(1988)(HWSCP). The Federal Environmental Protection Act (1988) was repealed and the National Environmental standards Regulation and Enforcement Agency Act (2007). The National Oil Spill Detection Agency (NOSDRA) 2006 Hydro Carbon pollution Restoration Programme (HYPREP) set up in 2012.
All these initiatives are all geared towards making us live peacefully with our environments.
Peace be with you.
for more articles visit www.chibundubuisi.blogspot.com.ng
CHIBU NDUBUISI 30/10/2017
Peace be upon you.
In continuation of our analysis on the Drivers of Change, I will explore the environment via climate changes, natural resources and how they influence change either for good or bad.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines the environment as the sum of all external conditions affecting the life, development and survival of an organism.
We are told that nine (9) countries share the River Nile, eight (8) countries share the River Zambezi, ten (10) countries Share the River Niger. Imagine when there is an environmental problem that changes the quality or quantity of water needed what happens? In September 2015 the Vanguard Newspaper reported that water released from Kiri dam in Guyuk major dam in Madagali Lagdo dam from Cameroon made rivers overflow and submerged about 116 villages and towns in Nigeria.
Climate changes on the other hand are the depletion of the ozone layer, desertification, deforestation, the loss of bio diversity, trans- boundary movement of hazardous waste and chemicals that touch all nations. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC) was adopted in 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janerio and entered in to force on 21st march 1994 was ratified by 196 states which constituted the Conference Of Parties (COP) to chat a way forward on how to curtail the anthropogenic (Human induced) causes of climatic change.
Lately, we are witnessing unusual climate conditions, high rate of melting permafrost, receding glaciers, rising seas, eroded shoreline, diminished snow cover and irregular weather conditions. Kebbi state in Nigeria once reported that crops worth 3 billion naira were destroyed by floods.
Apart from war refugees, we are witnessing climate refugees who have been displaced by rising sea level or eroded shoreline. The pressure of overpopulation on shirking resources can equally be a source of change occasioned by eco-violence.
The natural resources for some African countries has led to what is called “paradox of plenty” or resource curse a situation where natural resources has led to underdevelopment. The “Blood Diamond” of Liberia is a case in point and the “Oil Curse” in Nigeria and many more countries witnessing the “Paradox of Plenty”.
Senator Al Gore in his 1992 book identified, categorized and differentiated environmental threats according to their presumed reach and impact. He divided the threats in to three; the Local, the Regional and the Strategic. The Locals are air pollution, water pollution, illegal waste dumping. The regional are acid rain, contamination of underground aquifers and large oil spills. The Strategic are global warming, ozone layer depletion.
The threats of climate change are ; conflict over resources, economic damage and risk to coastal cities and critical infrastructures, loss of territory and border dispute, environmentally induced migration, situations of fragility and radicalization, tension over energy supply and pressure on international governance.
In December 1992, the United Nations Security Council responded to the crisis in Somalia in which drought was a factor with the resolution authorizing operation “Restore Hope”.
Climate change has no respect for boundaries. So many international conventions and protocols have been adopted to know how to make man treat the environment more reasonably. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Changes (UNFCCC) Kyoto protocol on global warming, the Vienna Convention for the protection of the ozone layer(1987) the Montreal Protocol on substance that deplete the Ozone Layer are all case in point. Concepts used in international environmental laws are polluters pays ( like the cleanup in Ogoni Land), Nations taking Precautionary approach, sustainable development practices, Environmental Impact Assessments(EIA).
Nigeria has equally domesticated some of these initiatives. Nigeria enacted its own Environmental Impact Assessment with decree no 86 1992. Harmful waste Special Criminal Provision Act 1(1988)(HWSCP). The Federal Environmental Protection Act (1988) was repealed and the National Environmental standards Regulation and Enforcement Agency Act (2007). The National Oil Spill Detection Agency (NOSDRA) 2006 Hydro Carbon pollution Restoration Programme (HYPREP) set up in 2012.
All these initiatives are all geared towards making us live peacefully with our environments.
Peace be with you.
for more articles visit www.chibundubuisi.blogspot.com.ng
Comments
Post a Comment