By Saheed Ibrahim
& Tolulope Atanniyi
|
In order to prevent further environmental degradation and economic loss, experts have called on the Federal Government to properly implement the Climate Change Act signed into law in 2021.
President Muhammadu Buhari signed the act in 2021 the Climate Change.
The Climate Change Act will provide for, among other things, the establishment of National Council on Climate Change and the mainstream of climate change actions.
The experts also advocated for transition to green energy, afforestation and sustainable waste management system.
Recall few days ago, it was revealed that climate change will cost Nigeria $100 billion per annum and $460 billion by 2050 if no preventive measures are put in place.
It was further revealed that the northern part of the country currently battles desertification, flood in the West, erosion in the East and deforestation in the South.
Reacting to the ugly development, a crop and climate expert at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Prof. Samuel Agele attributed the damage of the climate to bush burning, use of fossil fuel, carbon emotion, tree felling, mining activities, use of fertilizers and agro chemicals.
Agele added that many waterways and wetlands have been converted to residential and industrial areas and these have led to incessant flooding and pollution of the water system.
As solutions, he recommended that the highlighted causes of environmental degradation must be promptly addressed.
Also speaking, the Founder of Elomgreen Organization, Kayode Ojelola who said that many businesses engage in environmental damaging activities to make profit without considering the negative effects on the environment, identified indiscriminate dumping of waste and industrial gasses as contributory factors.
As recommendations, the environmentalist suggested that there must be proper implementation of climate change policy in Nigeria.
He noted that the implementation of the Climate Change Act will push each state to begin awareness about the Act and there will be visible changes in the environment.
Ojelola also admonished the general public to support CSOs in their programmes to safeguard the environment through funding to advocate the impact of climate change in the environment.
Also speaking, an environmental scientist, Olumide Orenolu suggested that Nigeria must join the rest of the world to advocate and implement climate change policies that will protect the environment.
