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Tag Environmental pollution

Foreign

Berlin to impose partial diesel driving bans from October 

 

Pollution

Berlin, Aug. 15, 2019 (dpa/NAN) Driving bans imposed on older diesel-powered vehicles are to go into effect on certain heavily polluted streets in two districts of Berlin from the beginning of October, officials said on Thursday.

Eight stretches of road where the courts have imposed restrictions lie within the borders of Mitte, the central district, and Neukoelln in the south-east.

Along these stretches, only diesels meeting the Euro 6 emission standard, which went into effect in 2015, will be permitted, local officials told dpa.

Older vehicles up to Euro 5 will be banned. Exceptions will apply for residents, delivery and emergency services and for tradespeople.

The bans, imposed after environmental organisations took municipalities to court for failing to meet European Union air quality standards, are aimed in particular at cutting emissions of oxides of nitrogen.

Similar bans have been imposed in Hamburg, Frankfurt, Cologne, Bonn, Essen and Stuttgart, while other cities have been ordered by the courts to investigate the imposition of bans. (dpa/NAN)

YEE

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(Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)

Environment

NESREA will enforce all environmental laws on air pollution — DG

 

Enforcement

By Peter Uwumarogie

Gombe, April 29, 2019 (NAN) The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) said it would enforce all environmental laws to check the increasing rate of air pollution in the country.

The Director General of the agency, Prof. Aliyu Jauro, who was on a working visit to the NEAREA’s Northeast zonal office in Gombe, told newsmen in Gombe on Monday that the increasing global concerns over the damaging effect of air pollution on the environment were an indication of the need for meaningful action against pollution.

He said that the action was necessary to ensure that the quality of air available for human existence was enhanced.

According to him, with the amendment of the act establishing NESREA in 2018, the agency is poised to address and enforce all laws to protect the environment for posterity.

“With the amendment of the act establishing NESREA, the agency is set to address all environmental issues relating to air pollution which is a major cause of global warming today.

“Air pollution is a serious environmental issue and we have started taking advantage of the act that was recently amended to combat environmental hazards that reduce the quality of air.

“The enforcement has since commenced. Only last week, we sealed some facilities in Enugu State where they were producing charcoal by cutting down trees and polluting the air.

“If we don’t enforce laws to bring down the rate at which the air is being polluted and encourage tree planting in the country, we will be in serious danger of not getting quality air for living,’’ he said.

According to Jauro, the agency will review its vehicular emission control programme, which only operates in some pilot states with a view to covering all states of the federation.

He said that the emission of toxic substances into the air from faulty vehicles and power generating sets would be controlled to check pollution.

Commenting on his visit to the agaency’s zonal office in Gombe, the NESREA director general, who expressed satisfaction with the level of commitment of staff, assured them that he would address the challenges they were faced with.

He promised to carry out periodic visits to the agency’s offices nationwide until each one of them was reached.

Jauro appealed to Nigerians to see tree-planting as a collective task that would help to salvage the environment from pollution and desertification.

The DG assured Nigerians of the agency’s resolve to make the environment healthy for living.

Mr Daniel Wuave, the state’s Coordinator for the agency, commended the director general for visiting and the promises he had made to address their challenges.

He said that such move by the DG would motivate the staff of the agency to do more to safeguard the environment. (NAN)

UP/DE/YEE
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Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Emmanuel Yashim

Environment

AUDIO ATTACHED: Pollution: NESREA urges individuals, coys to obey environmental laws

NAN-AE-8

Prosecution

By Vivian Emoni

Abuja, June 15, 2017 (NAN) The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESRAE) has urged individuals and corporate organisations to obey the country’s environmental laws.

 

The Director-General of the agency, Dr Lawrence Anukam, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.

 

Anukam said compliance with such law would protect the environment from pollution.

 

Cue in audio (Anukam)

 

“We have sanctioned quite a number in different sectors including telecoms and industries generally.

 

“And we will keep on doing it as we receive reports from the point of our officers when they go for their compliance, monitoring and enforcement.

 

“It is a process; we don’t just sanction them overnight and seal their facility.

 

“They must be warned first, then we serve compliance letter, then compliance/confirmation letter.

 

“It is a process; those we’ve sanctioned have tried as much as possible to correct the problem.

 

“We want to encourage them to focus on prevention. We also want to encourage them to go more on voluntary compliance.

 

“They shouldn’t wait till the last moment.

 

“When they degrade or pollute the environment, it takes a long time to put it back.

 

“So the best way possible is as much as possible, avoid or prevent that pollution or harm to the environment from happening instead of waiting until it is done before they start looking for remedial measures.’’

 

Cue out audio

 

Anukam stated that the agency is working closely with relevant organisations to achieve its mandates.

 

“The efforts will help build an environmentally conscious society for the achievement of sustainable development in the country.’’

 

He said the agency would soon inaugurate its Vehicular Emission Control programme

to ensure that all vehicles coming into the country had installed emission reduction mechanisms.

 

According to him, the idea is to ensure that all vehicles plying the road meet the emission standard contained in the agency’s regulation.

 

“Nigeria should not be left out as other developed world has been in this business for years.

 

“This very laudable project is what all should welcome with open hands because visible result will be achieved which will draw out tremendous applause.

 

“The programme is also expected to enhance the quality of vehicles that ply our roads, promote air quality and the quality of life of Nigerians, smoky vehicles will be a thing of the past.

 

“We are working finally to start up a pilot phase in Abuja after the launching of the programme and then we will extend it to other parts of Nigeria.’’ (NAN)

VOE/LAB/YEE
Edited by Lydia Beshel/Emmanuel Yashim

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