Some stakeholders in the environment sector on Thursday, October 3, 2024, in Ilorin, Kwara State, called for collaborative efforts in ensuring a clean and sustainable environment.
Volunteers cleaning up the environment in Ilorin on Thursday in commemoration of the World Clean-Up Day 2024
The stakeholders, who spoke during the “Clean-up Ilorin” exercise in commemoration of the World Clean-up Day 2024, said there was the need for sustainable waste management practices for a clean environment.
The event, which had “Arctic Cities and Marine Litter” as its theme was organised by SustyVibes Kwara.
It was aimed at raising awareness about global waste crisis and it advocated for sustainable waste management practices.
SustyVibes Kwara Community Manager, Mr Olaide Olawuwo, said the World Clean-up Day serves as a powerful reminder of the shared responsibility to create cleaner, more sustainable communities.
He said the programme aimed to highlight the environmental and economic impact of waste mismanagement.
Olawuwo said this prompted the organisation to mobilise community members to clean up public spaces and adopt sustainable practices.
“Building sustainable communities is everyone’s responsibility and we are trying to encourage civic responsibility and volunteerism in tackling waste issues.
“We are grateful to all volunteers and partners as this can only be achieved through collaboration,” he said.
Mr Abdulazeez Ishola, from the Office of the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), said government was proud to support youth-led initiatives like the exercise.
Ishola reiterated government’s support in advocating for a sustainable environment.
The Curator, of Ilorin Global Shapers, Salmah Abdulrahman, also commended the organisers and partners for walking the talk towards ensuring a clean and sustainable environment.
Perekosufa Obudah, Kwara NYSC SDGs’ CDS Ilorin President, said it was important to spread the lesson learnt to make a difference in the society.
The event involved a clean-up of 12 major roads in Ilorin, including locations such as Unity Road, Muritala Muhammed Way, Sulu Gambari Road and Maraba.
Volunteers were equipped with gloves, waste bags, rakes, brooms, reflective jackets, and SDG placards, provided by SustyVibes and partners.
They collected 40 waste bags (165 kg) filled with plastics, nylon, PET bottles, and papers.
Sensitisation efforts reached hundreds of Ilorin residents, fostering a greater understanding of environmental stewardship.
In addition to waste collection, participants engaged with community members, educating them on proper waste disposal practices and the importance of maintaining a clean environment.
There were over 100 volunteers from four Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Kwara.
The participants were drawn from organisations such as YALI Kwara, Ilorin Global Shapers, Kwara State Ministry of Environment and Kwara NYSC CDS, all working in partnership with SustyVibes.
The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, reiterated its commitment to environmental conservation and sustainability.
L-R Dr Joseph Onoja, DG of NCF; Mr Femi Agbaje, NCF NEC Member; and Mr Uchenna Achunine, Director, Business Development & Communications, NCF, at the 35th AGM of NCF on Wednesday in Lagos
NCF made the call at its 35th Annual General Meeting held in Lagos.
Speaking at the event, the President, Board of Trustees (BOT) of NCF, Izoma Philip Asiodu, urged the National Executive Council (NEC) of the foundation to work towards establishing offices in all the states of the federation.
Asiodu noted that the presence of the NCF at the subnational level would promote advocacy for nature conservation and sustainability at the grassroots.
He said that solving environmental problems require robust action and response at the local and global levels because conservation issues transcend borders.
The BOT president said that the foundation was able to plant 285, 000 trees through its Green Recovery Nigeria (GRN) programme in the year under review.
He noted that the GRN programme is a flagship project of NCF which seeks to recover and restore Nigeria’s forest cover from the current seven per cent to 25 per cent by 2047.
Also speaking, the Chairman, NEC of NCF, Justice Bukunola Adebiyi, said that the efforts of the foundation in protecting endangered species showed promising results in the year under review (2023).
Adebiyi said that beyond the amazing feat achieved by the foundation in 2023, NCF continue to face threats from illegal logging, poaching and climate change.
According to her, the foundation in the years ahead will scale up conservation efforts, sustainable development, strengthen advocacy efforts to influence environmental policies and stronger legal framework for conservation.
In his report, the Director-General of NCF, Dr Joseph Onoja, said that 2023 marked the foundation’s third year of the implementation of its Strategic Action Plan (SAP 2021- 2025).
“Guided by the SAP, we became more focused and innovative and implemented impactful programmes and projects on environmental sustainability and nature conservation.
“We have made significant progress in our mission to preserve Nigeria’s biodiversity and promote sustainable development,” Onoja said.
The director-general listed other areas of intervention in the year under review as wetland conservation, wildlife conservation, research and monitoring, community-based conservation and education.
“As we celebrate 44 years of conservation excellence, let us renew our commitment to protecting our natural heritage for future generations,” Onoja said.
The AGM was attended by corporate and individual members of NCF, NEC members, members of BOT and students from various institutions.
The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has emphasised the importance of accountability and transparency in the nation’s energy sector.
A session at the Association of Energy Correspondents Annual Strategic International Conference on Thursday in Lagos
Its Executive Secretary, Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, said this at the Association of Energy Correspondents Annual Strategic International Conference on Thursday, October 3, 2024, in Lagos.
The theme of the 2024 conference is “Gas as Energy Transition Fuel: “Navigating Nigeria’s Trilemma of Finance, Energy Security, and International Politics”.
Orji, who was represented by Mr Taiwo Olasupo, South West Zonal Representative, NEITI Board, said that these principles were essential for attracting long-term investments necessary to harness Nigeria’s vast energy resources.
“Without these pillars, no serious investor will commit significant capital to our sector,” he stated, reinforcing the link between transparency and investor confidence.
Orji, who shared key findings from NEITI’s recently released 2022/2023 Oil and Gas Industry Reports, revealed that, as of June, over $6.071 billion and N66.4 billion in outstanding revenues were owed to the Federal Government.
He noted that unpaid royalties and gas flare penalties accounted for $6.049 billion and N65.9 billion due to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
“Additionally, outstanding taxes, including petroleum profit taxes, company income taxes, and VAT, totaled approximately $21.926 million and N492.8 million owed to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS),” Orji added.
He said that the NEITI report also provided insights into fuel importation and subsidy claims, noting that 23.54 billion liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) were imported in 2022, dropping to 20.28 billion litres.
Orji added, “In 2023, an overall 14 per cent decline was attributed to the removal of fuel subsidies.
“Over the period from 2006 to 2023, claims of under-recovery and price differentials reached an eye-watering N15.87 trillion, with N4.714 trillion claimed in 2022 alone.
“On crude oil production, the figures reflect a mixed bag: in 2022, production stood at 490.945 million barrels, marking an 11 per cent decrease from 2021.”
He, however, noted that 2023 saw a rebound with production rising to 537.571 million barrels, an increase of 9.5 per cent.
“Crude lifting mirrored this upward trend, reaching 534.159 million barrels in 2023, an 11 per cent increase from the previous year,” the executive secretary said.
Orji also said that the report highlighted significant progress in combating oil theft, with losses dropping dramatically from 36.69 million barrels in 2022 to just 7.68 million barrels in 2023, a 79 per cent reduction.
The NEITI boss said that revenue generation figures also showed a positive trajectory, adding that in 2022, material companies generated $15.549 billion.
This, he said, increased to $21.415 billion in 2023, accounting for 96 per cent and 95 per cent of total industry revenues, respectively.
Orji made clear that NEITI’s commitment to fighting corruption and building public trust is vital for the sector’s future.
He said that the organiaation’s regular audits and independent reports aim to ensure that revenue from the oil, gas, and solid minerals sectors benefits all Nigerians.
In an appeal to the media, Orji stressed the crucial role journalists play in promoting transparency and holding power accountable.
“Your stories and investigations can expose corruption and drive reform,” he stated, inviting energy correspondents and stakeholders to partner with NEITI in this vital mission.
Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) and its partners have petitioned the Nasarawa State Government to wade into the devastation of artisanal mining and the recalcitrance of the promoters to address the situation.
Philip Jakpor of RDI
RDI, Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN), Citizens Free Service Forum (CFSF) and Neighbourhood Environment Watch (NEW) Foundation, in the petition, are praying the House of Assembly to side with the impacted people of Abuni in their quest for environmental justice.
They asked the Assembly to, among others, visit Abuni community to investigate mining operations. Uke district should also be visited, carry out a comprehensive environmental audit of Abuni on their source of water and farm environment, and revoke the mining licence of Multiverse Mining Company if the investigation shows breach of Nigeria’s environmental laws.
At a Media Interactive on the State of Mining Communities in Nasarawa State on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, in Lagos, the Executive Director of RDI, Philip Jakpor, described mining impact in Nasarawa communities as a ticking time bomb that will eventually go off anytime if urgent steps are not taken to address it.
He told journalists: “The state of the environment, the exploitation of young girls as young as 13 years for sexual satisfaction of licensed and illegal miners, as well as the insecurity occasioned by the influx of foreigners in that community.”
Last April, RDI had raised the alarm on the state of the environment in Uke district, Karu Local Council of Nasarawa, following the commencement of extraction of gold and lithium there.
“Unfortunately, we are yet to hear of any positive change since our report was published. Instead, disturbingly, we have been able to document that the situation is even worse in Awe Local Council where locals allege that a Chinese firm, Multiverse Mining Company, is also impacting Abuni negatively,” he added.
Executive Director of CFSF, Sani Baba, described findings from mining communities of Nasarawa as disheartening, to say the least.
He added, “They confirm our long-held belief that in the quest for extraction of solid minerals, government at state and federal levels continue to look the other way while extractive firms ruin lands, create insecurity and rob us of our natural resources.”
According to him, CFSF is determined to work with RDI and other partners to see that justice is done in Nasarawa.
In his Intervention, the Executive Director of EDEN, Chima Williams, said the mistakes of oil were already happening in the solid minerals sector.
“It is for this reason that we advocated that Nigeria’s Mining Act should create crimes and punishments section that can be enforced either by the host communities or the Ministry of Mines and Solid Minerals. Clearly, what is happening in Awe and Uke fits perfectly into sanctionable acts because the environment, livelihoods and lives of the people are being systematically destroyed right under the nose of the state government.
“Mining inspectors that are a component of this initiative shall, without notice, visit any mining site to know whether or not the operators are operating within accepted standards, including use of personal protective gears,” he insisted.
New York City hosted the High-Level Forum on Global Climate Transparency last week, coinciding with the UN General Assembly. The event aimed to raise global awareness and support for the timely submission of Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs) by year’s end, while also announcing the COP29 Transparency Declaration, underscoring transparency’s crucial role in tracking climate progress.
UN General Assembly
Organised by the incoming COP29 Presidency in collaboration with UN Climate Change and other international partners, the forum built on previous events to encourage all Parties to the Paris Agreement to submit BTRs before the 31 December 2024 deadline.
Transparent reporting is a vital enabling tool for all governments – it provides crucial data to help make informed decisions, design stronger climate policies, attract climate finance and achieve broader development goals.
Regular climate reports, offering a comprehensive overview of each country’s climate actions, support, and progress toward climate commitments, will feed into a more robust global assessment of whether Parties collectively are on track to hold global warming below 1.5C.
Speakers highlighted the significance of BTRs in fostering trust and data-driven decision-making. Representatives from reporting countries and organisations providing technical assistance emphasised how these reports can enable more effective climate policies by building a stronger evidence base and highlighting financing needs and opportunities.
However, the Forum also acknowledged the challenges some countries face in preparing their BTRs on time. A lack of institutional capacity, data management challenges, and unfamiliarity with the new reporting methodologies and tools were cited as key obstacles.
In response, the incoming COP29 Presidency, UN Climate Change, UNDP and other partners highlighted available support, training and capacity-building initiatives. This includes the newly launched Baku Global Climate Transparency Platform (BTP), designed to streamline the various support channels.
COP29 President Designate, Mukhtar Babayev, stressed the importance of this year’s reporting cycle: “Parties will submit their first-ever BTRs, which will enable us to track progress, build trust and implement our commitments. They will also enable us to assess gaps and identify financial needs. We are expecting more than 100 countries to submit their BTRs before the end of this year, which marks strong progress.”
Babayev added: “We know that some countries are struggling to meet this deadline, so we are driving momentum forward – with workshops, training, and support, all coordinated under the BTP. We urge all countries to utilise and support this effort, and we aim to capture this commitment in a new Declaration on Transparency at COP29.”
Francesco Corvaro of Italy, one of the newly appointed High-Level Transparency Pair for COP29, echoed this message of solidarity: “You are not alone – we are here to support you. We are here to help speed up the work so that you can present your BTR as soon as possible.”
Parties attending the forum reiterated the importance of transparency in climate action, sharing their own efforts and challenges in preparing BTRs. They welcomed both the BTP and the forthcoming Transparency Declaration.
Looking ahead, countries also noted the upcoming technical expert review process, which will follow BTR submission, as well as the synthesis reports that will provide a global overview of climate progress. BTRs will serve as vital tools for countries to strengthen their next round of national climate plans (nationally determined contributions or NDCs) in early 2025.
Closing the event, UN Climate Change Senior Director, Daniele Violetti, encouraged all countries to view the preparation and submission of BTRs not just as a reporting requirement, but as a strategic opportunity to accelerate climate action: “By embracing transparency, we can collectively drive the ambitious climate action needed to safeguard our planet and its people.”
As global leaders focus on conserving biodiversity in the face of rapid development, the newly launched Nature Conservation Index (NCI) provides critical insights into the effectiveness of conservation efforts across 180 countries. Developed by BioDB.com in collaboration with the Goldman Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, the NCI uses 25 key indicators to evaluate protected area coverage, species at risk, conservation laws, and future trends.
The NCI is designed to help governments, researchers and organisations identify areas of concern and improve conservation policies for the protection of the environment and biodiversity. Photo credit: Gustavo-FrazaoShutterstock
The Nature Conservation Index is a data-driven analysis of each country’s progress in balancing conservation and development. The NCI is designed to help governments, researchers, and organisations identify areas of concern and improve conservation policies for long-term biodiversity protection.
“Severely overlooked by mass media and widely ignored on social media, I wondered how I could grab attention: how can I address the urgent issues of biodiversity loss, animal extinction, and climate change and reach the general public and policymakers?” said Assaf Levy, BioDB’s founder and CEO. “The key, I realised, is to simplify the hard scientific data into digestible, bite-sized informational nuggets.”
Key Findings from the Nature Conservation Index
The NCI evaluates conservation efforts using four pillars supported by 25 performance indicators spanning land management, threats to biodiversity, capacity and governance, and future trends. The land management pillar assesses how effectively countries conserve terrestrial and marine ecosystems through protected area coverage and habitat fragmentation measures. Threats to biodiversity are evaluated using nine indicators that examine the proportion of species at risk, the extent of habitat protection, and the impact of invasive species.
The capacity and governance pillar looks into countries’ resources, policies, and systems for managing conservation, including their participation in international agreements and levels of political stability. The future trends pillar offers a forward-looking assessment of countries’ abilities to meet long-term conservation challenges, incorporating metrics like the Environmental Performance Index (EPI).
Together, these pillars highlight the importance of strategic planning in biodiversity protection and emphasise the need for countries to align their conservation efforts with global sustainability goals.
NCI Highlights Global Biodiversity Conservation Challenges and Imperatives in Key Regions
The latest findings from the Nature Conservation Index (NCI) cast a stark spotlight on the intensifying biodiversity crisis engulfing critical regions across the globe. Despite concerted conservation efforts, these areas grapple with mounting challenges that threaten their rich ecological heritage and underscore an urgent need for action.
In Africa, a continent renowned for its unparalleled biodiversity, relentless deforestation, rampant pollution, and rapid urbanisation are eroding natural habitats at an alarming rate. While significant resources have been channeled into protected areas and wildlife preservation, these measures are struggling to keep pace with habitat fragmentation, industrial development, and a troubling decline in species populations. The urgency to safeguard Africa’s diverse ecosystems has never been more pronounced.
South and Central America, custodians of vital ecosystems like the Amazon rainforest, are confronting the peril of large-scale deforestation. This not only poses a severe threat to regional biodiversity but also jeopardises global climate stability. Illegal wildlife trade and unsustainable land-use practices further imperil these fragile ecosystems, rendering immediate and effective conservation strategies imperative.
In Southeast Asia, celebrated for its extraordinary array of flora and fauna, alarming rates of deforestation and illegal wildlife trade exert immense pressure on natural habitats. The region’s rapid urbanisation and industrial expansion contribute significantly to environmental degradation, threatening the intricate tapestry of its ecological diversity.
These regions also face persistent threats from poaching, habitat degradation, and escalating human-wildlife conflicts, necessitating strengthened protection strategies. Iconic species teeter on the brink of extinction due to deforestation and the devastating impacts of climate change, highlighting the critical need for more aggressive conservation measures.
Despite notable strides in certain areas, immense pressures from burgeoning tourism, habitat fragmentation, and pollution present ongoing challenges to environmental recovery. The NCI emphasises that aligning conservation efforts with global sustainability goals is not just beneficial but essential. It calls for strategic planning and international collaboration to address the biodiversity crisis effectively.
This compelling report serves as a clarion call to the global community: the time for decisive action is now. Protecting these key regions is not only vital for preserving their unique ecological identities but also for maintaining the planet’s overall environmental health and resilience.
Ahead of upcoming gubernatorial election in Ondo State, there are growing concerns over the choices that the electorate will likely make this time around. For the environmentalists and conservationists amongst us, their worries resonate squarely with the need to galvanise support for a climate-friendly candidate at the polls.
Dr Michael Terungwa David
This concern stems from the realisation that the gubernatorial election, which is held every four years, presents another pivotal moment in shaping the trajectory of Ondo State’s socio-economic and developmental policies, including environmental sustainability and climate change issues.
Moreover, pundits believe that massive mobilisation and support from the electorate for candidates with a proven commitment to environmental sustainability can sway election outcomes, adding that this should be the priority for the generality of all registered voters across the state as the election draws closer by the day.
Notably, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the electoral body which oversees elections in Nigeria, has scheduled the off-cycle governorship election in the state for Saturday, November 16, 2024. The commission said 17 political parties are fielding candidates for the election, noting that the campaigns have also been officially flagged off.
“As parties commence this critical phase of the election, the commission once again reminds candidates, agents and their supporters of the provision of the law and the commission’s guidelines governing such activity.
“For emphasis, parties shall conduct their campaigns with civility and decorum devoid of inciting language, violence, voter inducement and other infractions in accordance with the provisions of Section 92-97 of the Electoral Act 2022,” INEC said in its message to all the parties and their candidates.
Why climate issues matter to Ondo voters in this year’s governorship election
As a state that is geographically situated along Nigeria’s coastline which runs through seven Southern States of the Federation, Ondo State has been grappling with a myriad of devastating and destructive climate and weather phenomena, over the years.
Within the last three decades, the state which has 75 kilometers of Atlantic coastline, making it the longest unbroken seashore in the country, has experienced unprecedented coastline recession, coastal erosion, tidal floods, sea incursion, rising sea and its concomitant effects, the loss of land caused by the removal of protective bedrock from the shoreline, as well as other related astronomically generated offsets caused by geomorphological forces.
Coastal areas are low-lying, fragile and very fascinating ambience endowed with a lot of lucrative economic activities and diverse ecosystem. In fact, most communities in the Western Niger Delta area of Ondo State have been actively engaged in the available socio-economic activities in the area. For some local people, this has been a source of livelihood and revenue generation for them for many decades. Unfortunately, as a threat multiplier, the impacts of climate change have apparently changed the narrative somehow, for the wrong reasons.
For instance, Ayotoro community in Ilaje Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, which used to be one of the premier fishing towns along the Ondo coastline, currently lies below the sea level, a hot spot of sea surges that are evidently induced by climate change. The town, according to a resident, is almost becoming a ghost of itself due to the sea incursion that has become a constant occurrence.
Sadly, two-thirds of Ayetoro community has been claimed by coastal flooding due to the rise in the sea levels.
“Where we are is a new settlement, the old Ayetoro has been taken away by the sea and if you look where the sea is now, that is the end of the former Ayetoro,” another eye witness lamented.
Experts say the melting glacier contributes to the rising sea level, which led to the devastating coastal flooding experienced in Ayetoro.
According to a flood risk specialist, Ogunwumi Taiwo, the industrial activities of the oil-producing companies lead to CO2 emissions, which destroy the ozone layer and further lead to rising temperatures, increasing evaporation and glacier melting.
“What is happening in Ayetoro show that climate change is real,” a native of the community stressed.
Similarly, those whose major source of revenue is fishing have been struggling with what some experts have referred to as the ‘Fish Extinction Syndrome’, which started over a decade ago in some of the coastal communities. Lending credence to this development, Prof. Chioma Nzeh of the Department Zoology at the University of Ilorin said the situation has been exacerbated by climate change.
In a related development, a recent study conducted to determine the trend of cocoa yield and climatic variables and assessment of the impact of climate change on the future yield of cocoa in Ondo State, showed that yield decreased monotonically at the rate of 492.18 tonnes yearly.
By and large, the ecological and environmental problems bedeviling the state, are indeed enormous. In its prediction for the 2023 fiscal year, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) listed Ondo, which is also known as the “Sunshine State” as one of the states predicted to witness flooding due to heavy rain. Behold! That prediction was fully manifested across the state during the course of the year.
It is also pertinent to mention here that some local government areas in the state have been listed for ecological intervention by the World Bank. On its part, the state government through its Ministry of Environment and other relevant agencies, are also bracing up to the challenge within the available resources.
Interestingly, the state currently has a functional full-fledged department saddled with the responsibility of coordinating all climate change related activities in line with best global practices. The department deals with the weather predictions, and the impacts of different weather and climate conditions.
Though it has not done much due to inadequate funding, yet it has successfully drafted the state Climate Change action plan completed for stakeholder review. The department has equally facilitated the establishment of Climate Change Desk offices in all relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and LGAs in the state.
Bringing climate to the electioneering table
As the electioneering for the November governorship polls gathers momentum, the need for the electorate to massively support and vote for environmentally conscious candidate has become increasingly paramount. This is so important because of the urgency that is needed to address climate change, which is already permeating and creating grave impacts on the various aspects of life in the society and this is taking its toll on the citizens of the state.
Against this backdrop, it is imperative for the candidates and their respective political parties to not only prioritise climate action in their electoral agendas and manifestos but to also talk about it extensively during their campaigns, rallies, townhall meetings and debates. The voters need to know how any candidate vying for the office of the governor intend to tackle the multidimensional ecological and environmental challenges, as well as minimise the existential threats posed by climate change to the state.
In other words, whoever aspires to be the next governor of Ondo State should, as a matter of necessity, unveil his party’s blueprint for environmental sustainability for the state during this crucial phase of the electioneering process This will go a long way in raising more awareness and enriching the campaign and give more insights to the electorate on the subject matter.
On their part, the electorate should ensure that they demand answers for the mind-boggling climate-related questions from candidates and representatives of the political parties that are in the race to lead the state. They must speak out and let the candidates know how dear environmental and climate issues are to their heart as a people.
Going forward
For this ideal aspiration to become a reality, the gubernatorial candidates and the voters should have it at the back of their mind that the need to protect and preserve the environment from adverse effects of climate change and other cornucopia of ecological problems is not negotiable. It is a collective responsibility and a necessity for the survival of our planet and future generations.
Therefore, to help protect the state’s environment better, the electorate must vote for a candidate that has what it takes to strengthen the MDAs in charge of environmental matters, particularly the Department of Climate Change in order to enable it carry out its mandate effectively.
In all honesty, Ondo cannot afford to have a governor who cannot take a decisive action on climate change, build climate-resilient infrastructure and seek partnership and collaboration with international organisations, especially within the global climate finance ecosystem.
The good people of Ondo State must therefore vote wisely in order to elect a pro-environment, climate-minded and eco-friendly governor who will courageously tackle the problems head-on. This is will surely make Ondo a beautiful and lovely Sunshine State indeed.
By Dr Michael Terungwa David, a Vote4ClimateNG advocate and the Team Lead of Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP)
Very heavy rainfall experienced in Central Europe in mid-September, which broke local and national rainfall records over the period of four days, was twice as likely due to human-induced climate change, according to a study by the World Weather Attribution (WWA).
General view taken by drone of a flooded area by Nysa Klodzka River in Nysa, Poland September 16, 2024. Photo credit: Kacper Pempel/Reuters
Almost two million people in a large region in Central Europe including Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Romania, Hungary, Germany and Slovakia were directly affected by flooding caused by extreme rainfall.
Analysis from WWA, which uses weather observations and climate models to understand how climate change influences the intensity and likelihood of extreme weather events such as extreme rainfall, heat waves and droughts, found that the rain was caused by a Vb depression, which forms when cold polar air flows from the north over the Alps, meeting very warm air in Southern Europe. Vb depressions are rare, but usually associated with heavy rain over Central Europe.
In today’s climate, which is 1.3°C above pre-industrial levels, a rainfall event of this magnitude is a very rare event expected to occur about once every 100 to 300 years, according to the WWA. Heavy four-day rainfall events have become about twice as likely and 20% more intense since the pre-industrial era at the regional-scale assessed.
The WWA’s assessment to quantify the role of human-induced climate change on this increase show roughly a doubling in likelihood and a 7% increase in intensity, although they note these are conservative results.
The findings also warn that in a scenario where the global temperature is 2°C higher than pre-industrial levels, four-day rainfall events will be even heavier, with a further expected increase of around 5% in rainfall intensity and a further 50% increase in likelihood compared to present day.
“Our study has found the fingerprints of climate change in the blasts of rainfall that flooded central Europe,” said Joyce Kimutai, a researcher at Imperial College London and one of the contributors to the report by World Weather Attribution. “Yet again, these floods highlight the devastating results of fossil fuel-driven warming.”
The Acting Director, FCT Agricultural Development Project (ADP), Mr. Jeofery Ukwuoke, has dismissed the propaganda that the hybrid Tela maize is harmful and not good for consumption.
The Deputy Head, Crop and Seed, FCT ADP, Mr Bulus Garba, with some farmers inspecting the farm during the green field day
Ukwuoke said this during the ADP Green Field Day on Tela maize, organised by the Crop and Seed component of Technical Services Sub-programme on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, in Gwagwalada, FCT Abuja.
He said that speculations by some Nigerians on the effectiveness of Tela maize prompted ADP to embark on farm demonstration research to ascertain the truth about the maize.
“What prompted this farm demonstration is for farmers to see for themselves.
“What we do in demonstration is to impact knowledge, and with what they have seen today, they will be able to compare the yield from this farm and other maize farms.
“We have done it on our own farm and next year we will replant the same seed we got from this farm to know if it will germinate against the speculation that the seed cannot be replanted.
“If by next planting season we replant and it germinates, we will know we have completed our research and we will go ahead to tell farmers to get the seed from us,” he said.
The Deputy Head, Crop and Seed, FCT ADP, Mr. Bulus Garba, said that the Institute of Agricultural Research, Zaria, collaborated with the Tela project and came up with this research and named it Tela maize.
Garba said that its original name was Sammaz, which are in four varieties that includes Sammaz 72T, 73T, 74T and 75T.
He said that what ADP planted was Sammaz 75T.
“It is our experienced researchers that carefully crossbreed the parent line and came out with this Tela maize. What they did was to introduce some traits resistance to insects into the Tela maize.
“These traits have made the Tela maize drought-tolerant and insects-resistant. We have problem of pest such as fall armyworms and stem borers in maize but with these traits in Tela maize, it will not affect it.
“The fear is when you use terminator two technology, but the researchers did not use terminator technology in their research.
“The maize seed is viable, it can be replanted, it is eatable and safe to consume,” he said.
He said that with the Tela maize, farmers were sure of more yield, adding that insects reduces yield by about 50 per cent.
Garba said that the Tela maize, under good management, could yield five to six metric tons per hectare, which automatically increases the farmer’s yield.
On his part, the Head of Technical Service, FCT ADP, Mr. Sunday Idowu, said that the Tela maize with its three in one benefit to farmers was more efficient and always results to higher yield.
Idowu said that ADP planted its Tela maize on July 15 and 80 days after planting, they had a field day with massive yield.
He called on farmers to embrace the idea, saying that there was nothing killing or harmful about the seed.
He advised farmers to always use the correct spacing method, especially when embarking on monocropping such as maize for greater yield.
“Our farmers do not understand correct spacing, I know some of them practice mix cropping, the spacing we used on this project was practically for monocropping.
“Because they do not do monocropping, they will not be able to do standard spacing that is required.
“The standard spacing for maize is 75cm between row, and either 25cm when you are planting one seed or 50cm when you are planting two seeds within row.
“This will give you maximum yield per hectare,” Idowu said.
He called on Nigerians to embrace the effort that the government was making to ensure that they overcome the problem of hunger in the country.
Mr. David Ninyio, a farmer, said that he was happy to see that the Tela maize was good, against the negative stories making the rounds about the seed.
According to Ninyio, by God’s grace, next farming season I plant the Tela maize.
He advised farmers to do same in order to help fight food scarcity in the country.
The Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) says Nigeria requires $410 billion to deliver energy transition plan by 2060.
Director-General, ECN, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi
Director-General, ECN, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, made this known in a statement on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, in Abuja.
Abdullahi, who spoke at the 7th Energy Transition Working Group (ETWG) Meeting, holding in Foz do Iguacu, Brazil, said that Nigeria was the first African country to officially launch a detailed Energy Transition Plan.
The two-day meeting is tagged: “Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet”.
Abdullahi said that the plan would address problems of energy poverty, climate change, and deliver universal access to affordable energy (SDG7) by 2030 and net-zero by 2060.
He said that modern, affordable, reliable and sustainable energy was critical for economic growth.
He also said that the provision of access to modern energy would contribute greatly to improved health care, better education and economic growth in both urban and rural areas in Africa.
“We need significantly more energy because energy access is essential to reducing poverty, preventing disease, and for supply of clean water for essential hygiene.
“One of the conclusions of the COP28 Summit held in Dubai in 2023 was the commitment of the participating countries to transition away from fossil fuels to renewable fuels.
“This will help to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 globally,” he said.
He said that Nigeria had set up a policy target of domestication and localisation of Green Energy with the mining and processing of lithium for batteries, and solar PV assembly plant factories.
The DG, who heads the Nigerian delegation at G20 ETWG, said that finance was key to a clean energy transition, and it is currently inaccessible by developing nations that need it most particularly in Africa.
“Africa is one of the most affected regions by climate change, and the present funding for climate financing in African countries is inadequate.
“According to the African countries nationally determined contributions, the continent reportedly requires about $53 billion per year between 2020 and 2035.
“To achieve a just energy transition, each African country should plan its own energy transition that is specific to its energy scenario policy, and not a general one size fits all model,” he said.
The ETWG brought together energy ministers, leaders, and experts worldwide to discuss and consider energy transition policies.
