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Deforestation: N/East youths advocate building of biogas plant

Deforestation: N/East youths advocate building of biogas plant
By Cecilia Ologunagba
Biogas
Abuja, Sept. 2, 2019 (NAN) Some youths from the North-East have advocated building of biogas plant to reduce deforestation and mitigate the impact of climate change in the region.
The youths made the call in a communiqué issued by Mr Seyifunmi Adebote, a Coordinator of the just concluded two-day Climate Change Innovation Hub in Gombe.
The hub was organised by the Ministry of Environment in partnership with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and coordinated by three Non- Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in the six geo-political zones concurrently.
The NGOs are the International Climate Change Development Initiative (ICCDI), Talentplus Initiative and Health of Mother Earth Foundation.
The youths said developing biogas plant would help to reduce deforestation, aid safe cooking methods and reduce the amount of waste emitted daily.
They also proposed the use of egg shells and establishment of green environment climate club to reduce the impact of climate change.
“Egg shells will be used to produce organic manure to aid proper food farming that will immensely help cut down the use of chemical substances for farming.
“The creation of school clubs will enhance environmental awareness among students and help develop environmental ethics in every child.
“Also, small scale water turbines will help create electricity by using the kinetic energy provided by water and also serve as substitute for fossil fuel,’’ they said.
According to them, institution of climate change subject in schools will help improve environmental literacy in school.
In addition, they recommended creation of irrigation pump machines to help sustainable agriculture processes and reduce carbon emission level.
The youths also observed that the problem of Boko Haram insurgency which had destroyed a large amount of land and property contributed to low standard of living.
They said the use of firewood and charcoal for cooking had contributed largely to deforestation and carbon emission.
In addition, they said flooding had not only reduced agricultural yield but had also contributed to water contamination.
Besides, they observed that open bush burning caused by poor waste management system had reduced the healthy lifestyle of both urban and rural residents.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the purpose of the conference was to establish Youth Regional Climate Change Innovation Hub that would serve as a platform for continuous interface for the young people.
The organisers harvested and collated innovations and ideas from about 65 participants in the zone consisting of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe States.
The three best ideas would be presented alongside other ideas from the other five geopolitical zones for a Youth National Climate Innovation hub in Abuja later in the month.
The best overall idea would be showcased at the UN Climate Action Summit within the month. (NAN)
CIA/IAA/MST
Edited by Isaac Aregbesola/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Foreign

Climate Change: Don urges Nigerians to plant 4 trees to place 1

 

Trees
By Tosin Kolade
Amsterdam (Netherlands), Feb. 19, 2019  (NAN) Prof. Haruna Ayuba, the Professor of Environmental Science, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, has called on Nigerians to plant minimum of four trees to replace one, to manage the impact of climate change.

 

Ayuba made this call on the sidelines of the Planetary Security Conference at The Hague, Netherlands on Tuesday.

 

He said that issues of climate change were evident with Lake Chad receding, in addition to environmental degradation and drought among others, while urging the Nigerian government to begin to take local solutions on climate change.

 

According to him, everyone has a huge role to play in ending the environmental impact of climate change, saying people ought to learn to plant trees whenever they have a reason to cut one.

 

“Environmental issues in Nigeria started when the country started talking about the Lake Chad recession from 25,000 square kilometers to less than 3,000 square kilometers.

 

“Anytime it comes to climate change, we are asked to think globally but act locally so at the local level, it can start with the individuals and when it comes to environmental problems, every person has a part to play.

 

“If you cut a tree, why can’t you plant four for instance, that is one way, because the trees and our forests serve as carbon sink, they absolve the atmospheric carbon-dioxide, that is what they feed on and they give us oxygen.’’

 

He said that Nigerian government could upscale that by implementing afforestation programmes and commended efforts of the government in its Great Green Wall initiative.

 

According to him, the initiative, if backed up with commitment, will go a long way to promoting  environmental sustainability.

 

He stressed that the need for investment in bio-fuels and renewable energy, saying Nigeria could  no longer depend on Kainji Dam for its electricity, adding that the water level had reduced extensively.

 

“Countries of the world are moving into smart solutions into technologies that are renewable, we have solar, wind, and all of these can be harnessed to provide energy for our population in Nigeria.’’

 

Ayuba also called on the Federal Government to step up its game by moving away from paying lip service through unending meetings and workshops in translating them into development.

 

The professor said in the 70s, Nigeria introduced large scale dams which led to loss of water, saying countries like Israel which had very little water around the Maghreb, had only 20 millimeters of rainfalls and it is managed.

 

“The food they are producing in the Maghreb, we cannot produce them in the Lake Chad, even though we have 600 millimeters of rainfall, “it is a big challenge’’.

 

“The little one we have, we mismanaged them through large scale dams, even small holder farmers have begun to buy generators to pump these water and the result is that the lake has receded and the water level is so low, now you have serious humanitarian crises, coupled with the terrorism that we have experienced over the last decade.’’

 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the high level conference is organised by the Planetary Security Initiative, supported by Free Press Unlimited and the Clingendael Institute.

 

The conference thematic focus includes contribution of land and climate policies to peace, urban risks and instability, geopolitics of energy transition.

 

The Lake Chad, Mali, Iraq, and the Caribbean Small Island Developing States will be the spotlight during the conference to illustrate possible ways forward in addressing the themes. (NAN)
TAK/GY
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Edited by Grace Yussuf