Artisanal fishermen in the Niger Delta, affected by the Dec. 2011 Bonga oil spill, have urged the Federal Government to compel Shell to pay the $3.6 billion fine for the spill.
A water body in the Niger Delta polluted by crude oil
Rev Samuel Ayadi, Coordinator, Niger Delta zone, Artisana Fishermen Association of Nigeria, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on Tuesday, November 13, 2018.
Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of a Lagos Federal High Court, on June 20, upheld the $3.6 billion fine imposed on Shell by the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), dismissing Shell’s appeal.
Ayadi lamented that Shell Nigeria Production and Exploration Company (SNEPCO) was yet to comply with the court order, saying that the judgment was a lifeline to the fishermen.
Following the Dec. 20, 2011 spill, NOSDRA in March 2015 imposed a $3.6 billion fine on Shell for discharging 40,000 barrels of crude into the Atlantic Ocean.
The fine comprised $1.8 billion as compensation for the damage to the natural resources and consequential loss of income by the affected shoreline communities as well as a punitive damage of $1.8 billion.
The Chairman of NOSDRA board, Sen. Ayo Akinyerule, had urged SNEPCO to pay the fine to enable the agency to compensate the impacted fishermen and communities.
Ayadi said that the fishermen thrown out of business by the incident had patiently waited for the litigation processes to end.
“The Bonga oil spill was a heavy blow to us artisanal fishermen. Ironically the spill from the oilfield named after the local fish specie, Bonga, was what led to the near extinction of the specie.
“We can no longer see Bonga fish in our dishes because the spill wiped out generations of the specie.
“The chemical dispersant spread to dissolve the leaked crude is very toxic to fish and other marine creatures.
“We were directed by NOSDRA to pull out of fishing to avoid catching contaminated fish that would jeopardise public health.
“The income loss is in addition to the damage done by the contamination of our fishing gear, outboard engines and nets.
“Since the three months appeal window has lapsed, we call on President Muhammadu Buhari to prevail on SNEPCO to comply with the court judgment and pay the fine so that NOSDRA can compensate the victims.
“We are counting on the fatherly disposition of President Buhari to prevail on Shell to comply with the court’s judgment so that we shall return to our traditional fishing occupation.
“Our return to sea will also guarantee that we play our own part in ensuring food security and reducing our dependence on imported fish,” Ayadi said.
On Dec. 20, 2011, during loading of crude at Bonga fields within OML 118 situated 120 kilometres off the Atlantic coastline, the export line ruptured and discharged crude into the sea.
The export line, according to a joint investigation report by NOSDRA and SNEPCO, spewed about 40,000 barrels (6.4 million litres) of crude oil into the sea.
Whenever agricultural related stakeholders, particularly farmers, are invited to a workshop or forum, they attend in great anticipation – to get answers to all kinds of problems plaguing their activities.
Gershon Wordzra, the Central Regional Director of Agriculture, with one of the diseased oranges, which he said farmers could avoid by maintaining their farms
So, at one such forums in Cape Coast organised by the Ghana Chapter of the Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) in Africa, one farmer came with the hope of finding solutions to what he described as “a strange disease” plaguing his orange orchard. But at the end of the meeting, the experts made it clear that “biotechnology cannot resolve every farming associated problem.”
The purpose of the forum was to sensitise the stakeholders on biotechnology as one of the options for addressing some crop production related challenges. So, in the course of the discussion, when Farmer Joseph Amoah showed participants several diseased oranges, it was obvious he was expecting answers from the technology being talked about.
As a young teacher posted to Asuansi in the Abura Asebu Kwamangkese District of the Central Region, Mr. Amoah established an orange orchard in 1973 and has been having good harvests and enjoying the proceeds for many years. However, his joy over the fruitfulness of the orchard fizzled off after the trees started bearing diseased fruits about five years ago.
And, for an answer, he got a gentle rebuke, which was a solution in disguise from Gershon Wordzra, the Central Regional Director of Agriculture. He made it clear to Farmer Amoah that the disease afflicting his oranges was a fungi disease, which occurs as result of an un-kept farm environment.
“We always tell you to manage your orange farms well and clear them of weeds, especially once they start fruiting or else this disease will become a problem for you,” Mr. Wordzra said.
Known as Anthracnose of orange, the disease, according to a Michigan State University brochure, is very fatal for farmers because “Anthracnose can reduce a beautiful harvest into rotted waste in just a few days.”
Therefore, Mr. Wordzra stressed that farms needed to be tended for farmers to make the make gains of their investments. “Farms are like humans, they also need care and hygiene, crops are like our bodies so nourish them, take good care of them and you will be very happy,” Mr. Wordzra stated.
He observed that farmers are often reluctant to spend money to maintain their farms and urged them to make the needed sacrifices in order to get the most of their farms. Mr. Wordzra also reminded farmers that, “in citrus cultivation, sanitation and regular pruning are very important.”
Other resource persons at the meeting including Country Coordinator of the Programme for Biosafety Systems (PBS), Daniel Osei Fosu, who explained that the need for one to keep his or her farm has nothing to do with biotechnology. Thereby, establishing the point that “whether cultivated crops were from genetically modified seeds or conventional breeding, maintenance of one’s farm, was of essence.”
In an interview, Mr. Fosu said, “Biotechnology cannot resolve issues of diseases from un-kept farms, the technology is applied to resolve specific crop productivity issues including drought and pests that undermine food security.” Thus, biotechnology, genetic modification or engineering should not in any way be the magic wand to maintain one’s farm, he added.
The scenario appears to be a clear pointer to how biotechnology has become the agricultural scapegoat. For instance, during an interaction organised by Alliance for Science, Ghana with officials of the National Biosafety Authority, one participant stated that, based on his personal experience, biotechnology crops can never do well in Ghana and therefore must not be encouraged.
According to him, a relation who lives in Canada came home recently and brought with him orange seeds, which they sowed, and it never germinated. In his view, “the seeds did not grow because they were genetically modified and cannot do well on our soils.” Dr. Richard Ampadu Ameyaw of the Science Technology Policy and Research Institute (STEPRI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), who attended the meeting, responded that “so far oranges are not among the crops or plants that have been genetically modified across the world. What is available are improved varieties made possible through conventional breeding methods.”
Dr. Ameyaw explained that the “inability of the orange seeds to grow could be due to the unsuitability of the soil for that particular species of orange,” adding that, “some plants and crops tend to be endemic and once they are moved out of their native soils, can never do well in other soils and that could be case of those orange seeds.”
It is for this reason that improved crop varieties whether by conventional or through biotechnology methods are tested. In Ghana, the Biosafety Act, 2011 (Act 831) provides for intensive field trials to be conducted for genetically modified seeds. The essence is to ascertain the adaptability of a modified crop to the soil in terms of its ability to grow and manifest the traits for which it was engineered such as pest resistance or drought tolerant, and ultimately to produce good yields.
In Ghana, leading Ghanaian scientists are spearheading the process of field trials in genetically modified crops. They include Dr. Mumuni Abudulai of the Savannah Agricultural Research Institute of the CSIR. He is the Principal Investigator of the PBR Cowpea project in Ghana and attests that the PBR cowpea has successfully gone through all the various stages of field trials.
According to Dr. Abudulai, “the dossier for its final release are currently being analysed and what is good about this particular cowpea is that it offers an economically and ecologically sustainable way to combat pod bearers, for which they are no natural sources of resistance.”
He said the trial results demonstrates that the PBR cowpea “when adopted by farmers could reduce the frequency of insecticide sprays to two at the most for increased yields…result in important savings to the farmer from insecticide costs and … reduce the health hazards associated with insecticide sprays, resulting in improved health of farm families.”
From the Crop Research Institute of the CSIR, Dr. Maxwell Asante is leading trials of the NEWEST Rice (Nitrogen Use Efficient, Water Use Efficient and Salt Tolerant rice) Project in Ghana, for which field trials are still on-going. He says, “This rice has been modified to mitigate the effects of climate change on rice production among other things.”
Prof. (Mrs.) Marian D. Quain is a Principal Research Scientist of CSIR’s Crop Research Institute and leader of the Biotechnology Research Group at the Institute. She is of the view that while “the technology is not a panacea for all our agricultural problems,” it is desirable because it is geared towards “alleviating poverty, hunger and malnutrition in the sub-Saharan region and will ultimately improve food production, enhance nutritional contents of crops and contribute to economic growth.”
Dr. Quinn said a survey conducted not too long indicates that “majority of respondents are in favor of introducing genetically engineered crops in Ghana.” She attributed the main challenges to the process to “the very fast rate at which the technology advances,” and the need for Ghana “to secure substantial investment in cutting edge technologies and human resource development.”
UN Deputy Secretary-General, Ms Amina Mohammed, says an estimated $157 billion is needed annually to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Sahel region.
Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed. Photo credit: African Union Commission
Mohammed stated this in her remarks to the Annual Session of the Peace building Commission with the theme: “Peace building and Sustaining Peace in the Sahel Region”.
The UN deputy chief said the Sahel offered enormous opportunities, adding that it is the most youthful region of the world.
Mohammed said: “It (Sahel) has abundant natural resources; it has great potential for renewable energy; and a rich cultural legacy.
“However, financial and human resources remain a challenge. The total needs to implement the SDGs for instance in the region are estimated at $140 billion this year, rising to $157 billion annually by 2022.
“It is therefore imperative that we increase our advocacy and resource mobilization efforts in a more joined-up manner.”
According to her, investment in this region is vital in order to prevent countries that are experiencing fragility today from becoming the failed states of tomorrow.
She said many of these countries were grappling with threats including terrorism and insecurity that originated beyond their borders, and with climate change that respects no borders.
The UN deputy scribe explained that she visited the Sahel earlier in the year with a joint UN-African Union delegation, joined by Sweden’s Foreign Minister, Margot Wallström.
Mohamed said: “We found the resilience of the Sahelian people not only inspiring but humbling.
“Their wish and hope for sustained peace and security was clear – as was the need to ensure women are meaningfully included in all initiatives and policies.
“We met women who had been terrorised by extremists and women who had been married off in childhood.
“We also spoke to women who were supporting extended families and helping to build community resilience, and women religious leaders working to end child marriage and prevent radicalisation and extremism.
“We met women peace builders and mediators, who were driving change and working for a more sustainable future.
“Their voices are essential in peace negotiations and decision-making processes. Their experience and their leadership are essential to building a new Sahel,” she said.
Mohammed said supporting transformative policies for stability and development in the Sahel was a matter of international solidarity and global security of a collective responsibility.
According o her, 41 million young people are in the Sahel, who are often portrayed either as victims, or as potential perpetrators of violence.
She, however, said that these stereotypes are completely wrong.
An agricultural firm, Value Seeds Ltd., has urged local farmers to cultivate Vitamin A fortified seeds to boost nutritious diet and food security in the country.
A corn field
Spokesperson for the firm, Ms Mercy Essien, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, November 13, 2018 in Lagos.
Essien said that the cultivation of hybrid seeds would help boost food security as they could be cultivated under any weather condition.
“We encourage local farmers to cultivate more of Vitamin A maize because it is more nutritious than the regular maize seeds.
“The regular maize seed does not contain Vitamin-A nutrient like the hybrid Vitamin-A fortified maize seeds.
“Vitamin A maize is a macro-nutrient crop that is very good for children’s consumption, it is good for children’s eyes, reduces stunting and wasting and helps control or eradicate night blindness in children,” she said.
Essien said that her company’s goal was aimed at sensitising local farmers to cultivate hybrid and Vitamin A fortified maize for better nutrition.
“Our vision is centred on the multiplication, production and distribution of seeds, both field crops and vegetable crops,’’ he said.
“We produce and distribute rice, soybeans, millet, sorghum; we have our vegetable seed as okra, carrots, watermelon, cabbage etc.
“We multiply hybrid seeds because it is more beneficial to cultivate than the open-pollinated seeds.
“We encourage local farmers to plant more of hybrid seeds because of the changing environmental conditions in the country.
“Hybrid seeds have earlier maturity than the open pollinated seeds and may not need favourable weather conditions to grow well.
“We want to shift the idea of just cultivating open pollinated seeds to cultivating hybrid seeds.
“We are sensitising local farmers on the importance of cultivating these hybrid Vitamin A fortified maize seeds and some of them are already adopting it,” she said.
NAN reports that open-pollination of seeds occurs by insects, birds, wind, humans or other natural mechanism, while hybridisation is a controlled method of pollination in which the pollen of two different species or varieties is crossed by human intervention.
The Federal Government says it is committed to addressing the sanitation challenges including ending open defecation in the country and ensuring proper management of excreta.
Ibrahim Usman Jibril, Minister of State for Environment
Alhaji Ibrahim Jibril, the Minister of State for Environment, said this at the 2018 World Toilet Day Ministerial Press Briefing on Tuesday, November 13, 2018 in Abuja.
The minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Leon Aliboh, said that the commitment was demonstrated by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent declaration of state of emergency on water, sanitation and hygiene in the country.
He said that the celebration, with the theme: “When Nature Calls’,’ was quite apt as it drew attention to the fact that “you and I cannot avoid or ignore the call of nature and the environmental health challenges associated with poor management of toilet, faeces and sewage.’’
“It focuses on the reawakening of societal consciousness on the importance of having eco-friendly sanitary facilities in every household and ensuring proper management of sewage.
“This year’s commemoration focuses on toilet and nature, raising awareness and inspiring action to tackle global sanitation crisis.
“It also aims to promote access to toilets for everyone everywhere, end open defecation and ensure that toilet construction, operation, use and management are ecosystem friendly,’’ he said.
Jibril noted that access to sanitary facilities remained a mirage to a vast majority of Nigeria’s citizens.
“Today, 4.5 billion people in the world live without safe toilet and 892 million people still practice open defecation, as many people still use the bush and water bodies as their regular means for excreta disposal.
“Many institutions do not have sanitary facilities and where they exist, they are either not functioning well or are misused.’’
He said that one of the major consequences of poor excreta disposal was the high rate of diarrhea disease being the cause of the second highest rate of morbidity and mortality among children under the age of five.
“The persistent re-occurrence of annual incidences of cholera outbreak in some of our states and the occurrence and re-occurrence of other excreta related diseases are also manifestations of inadequate toilet facilities.
“Yet this could also be prevented through safe excreta disposal by every individual.
“I therefore challenge all stakeholders on environment, particularly sanitation at national, state and local government levels, to not only talk, but take practical steps and actions as agents of change to ensure everyone has access to eco-friendly sanitary facilities.’’
He said that the ministry in collaboration with other stakeholders had put together series of activities to mark the 2018 World Toilet Day.
“We have school pupils sensitisation (competition and education through game and artwork), sanitary inspection of Federal Government premises, community awareness campaign and sanitary inspection of markets and motor parks,’’ he said.
The theme of the World Toilet Day is: “When nature calls, please think healthy and safe environment’’.
Nov. 19 of every year is marked as World Toilet Day as declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2013.
Dr Domnic Abonyi, the Registrar, Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON), said safe toilet must follow some criteria.
“For toilet to be safe and sound, the criteria to solve the purpose of toilet must include, it should not be unsightly, should not have access to flies, fresh faeces should not be handled and should be devoid of odour.
“Individual should provide for themselves, family and community any type of toilet suitable to their finances provided that the ecstatic criteria are considered.
“The basic thing for those who cannot afford the most standard toilet can dig the site they want for the toilet, void the faecal matter and cover it.
“This should be done in a way that flies cannot get access to it, nobody will see it and you cannot remove or handle with your hand,’’ he said.
He said that emphasis was on individuals and families to get a toilet system they could operate and maintain.
“Basically, the need is for us to avoid seeing bigger matter like cholera that could be avoided,’’ he said.
The Federal Government on Tuesday, November 13, 2018 said the completion of all abandoned water projects in the country was paramount to the overall goal of improving access to potable water in the country.
Suleiman Adamu Kazaure, Water Resources Minister
Mr Suleiman Adamu, the Minister of Water Resources, said this at the opening of the 2018 Media Week to highlight achievements of the administration in the last three years.
According to him, the ministry is focused on working in line with the National Water Resources Master Plan, which targets deriving optimum benefits for Nigerians.
He said that the ministry had in the last three years embarked on only two projects of Kazaure Water Supply Project and the Dukku Regional Water Supply project in Jigawa and Gombe states respectively.
“We are committed to completing all ongoing viable projects in the ministry to derive optimum benefits from government’s investments.
“It is instructive to note that since the inception of administration, my ministry has initiated only two projects, this underscores the emphasis on completion of the numerous ongoing abandoned projects inherited from past administration,” he said.
Adamu said that the ministry had initiated the National Irrigation Development programme to aid economic diversification, promote food security and employment creation.
He said that this programme would establish additional 100,000 hectares of irrigated farmland by 2020 and 500,000 hectares by 2030.
He noted that the ministry was working with private sector and state governments to complement governments’ efforts to deliver 41, 000 hectares of irrigated agriculture by 2019.
The minister added that the ministry was also implementing the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria programme in partnership with the World Bank to the tune of $495 million.
“The project involves the rehabilitation and expansion of about 42,000 hectares of irrigation land under the first phase to be completed by 2022.”
He said that Bakolori, Hadeija, Kano River, Dadin Kowa, Middle Rima Irrigation projects were ongoing with the overall goal of poverty reduction and sustainable agriculture production.
The minister however lamented that only 1,930 megawatts out of the 12, 220 megawatts of hydro power potential was being developed at Kainji, Jebba and Shiroro Dams, noting that efforts were on to concession some of them to become more beneficial to the populace.
Earlier, Alhaji Aliyu Pategi, the Chairman, House Committee on Water Resources, commended the ministry on implementation of the Songhai model of agriculture, urging all river basins to adopt the same model to improve lives of Nigerians.
Pategi noted the challenges of poor capacity building of river basins needed to be corrected at the ongoing National Council of Water Resources meeting and pledged the commitment of the legislature to promote all programmes to reposition the water sector.
An academic, Prof. Olubunmi Omotesho, on Tuesday, November 13, 2018 said the problems of agriculture in Nigeria and Africa could be attributed mainly to climate change.
Youths involved in farming. Photo credit: smeonline.biz
Omotesho, who is of the University of Ilorin, made this known at a two-day Policy Dialogue on Crop/Livestock Integration, organised by Synergos Nigeria, in collaboration with other stakeholders in Abuja.
He said that climate change, which resulted in desertification and harsh weather, had increased problems such diseases, pests, loss of pastures, reduction of soil nutrient and fertility, among others.
He said that the mitigation strategy to be used include irrigation practices, land tenure system policy, increase in agricultural research and development, women and youth empowerment among others.
“If we can integrate, it will increase our production of grain, beef, milks and fibre.
“And we will have higher turnover of several segments of local economy, the potential for partnership with more benefits and increase soil cover from crops and pasture residual will be the outcome,” he said.
Ms Victoria Fajemileyin, the Policy Advisor to Synergos Nigeria, called for review of government policies to effectively implement and resolve the unending farmers and pastoralists conflicts in parts of the country.
Fajemileyin made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the Policy Dialogue on Crop/Livestock Integration.
“We are connected to crops and livestock production both at national and state levels.
“The Land Act of 1972 says local government areas oversee giving right to occupancy for farming and grazing.
“ECOWAS also provided a law that says for anybody to lead the herd, he has to be 18 years, but the law is not actually working here.
“The law is only concerned with the nomadic life of herdsmen and people above 18, it did not provide solutions to address gaps like the challenges of cattle rustling and kidnapping among others.
“Some people do not really know about any policy, it means that we are consciously incompetent to adhere to it, since we do not know about the policy and how it will address such challenges.
“At end of the programme, we are going to have a communiqué that every stakeholder will go back to their states with and adopt and think of how to implement it,’’ she said.
Earlier, Mr Victor Adejoh, the Senior Field Manager, Synergos Nigeria, said that the dialogue was to map out ways of integrating livestock and crops production using systemic approach.
“Our goal is to look at existence policy at different levels and see how we can bring an alignment in terms of research work we have done.
“We have seen some of the existing policy implemented on the level of intervention for government and we believe it will solve a lot of issues in the sector.’’
Mr Mawuli Sablah, the Nutrition and Food Systems Expert, of Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), commended Synergos for bringing all the stakeholders in animal and crop sector together to dialogue.
“This is a very important dialogue because it takes it into account issues of farmers and herders, their challenges and conflicts.
“FAO has food systems approach where we make sure that food security comprises nutritional value to promote optimal national wellbeing.
“It is very important for us to have this integrated approach of having crops and livestock working effectively together so we can have more synergy in these agricultural sub-sectors to work closely to advance towards agricultural policy of Nigeria.
“We cannot achieve this without dialogue because we believe dialogue is very important to advance cooperation and to ensure farmers and herders work in harmony for optimal peace to reign in Nigeria,’’ he said.
No fewer than 70 stakeholders from federal and states ministries and private sector organisations attended the meeting, which will end on Nov. 14.
An official of the Cross River State Government, Dr Edu Effiom, on Tuesday, November 13, 2018 commended communities that voluntarily donated lands for the establishment of woodlots in the state.
Gov Ben Ayade of Cross River State
Effiom, the state’s Focal Person for the Project, made the commendation while conducting the project’s Steering Committee round some of the plantations in Calabar Municipality.
Wikipedia defines a woodlot as a parcel of a woodland or forest capable of small-scale production of forest products (such as wood fuel, sap for maple syrup, sawlogs, and pulpwood).
It also has recreational uses like bird watching, bushwalking and wildflower appreciation.
Effiom said that the committee was set up to ensure adherence to sustainable fuel-wood management across the state.
He said that some communities had donated lands for the project and planted gmelina and teak seedlings (using 3-by-3 metre spacing) with the technical assistance of the State Forestry Commission.
According to the state official, the communities that donated lands included Esuk-Utan in Ikot Ansa community in Calabar Municipality, Igwo community in Obudu and Bateriko community in Boki Local Government Areas.
“Ikot Ansa community donated three hectares, Igwo community four hectares and Bateriko community donated three hectares of land respectively.
“This makes it a total of 10 hectares of land developed as woodlots in Cross River State,’’ Effiom said.
The Leader of the steering committee, Engr. Okon Ekpenyong, expressed satisfaction with the commitment and passion of the communities and thanked them for embracing the project.
Ekpenyong said that the benefits of the project were numerous, adding that it would impact positively on the environment for the benefit of the larger society.
Responding on behalf of the communities, Mr Patrick Adorable, Chairman, Forest Management Committee, Igwo community, said they were pleased to be part of the project.
Adorable appealed for material and financial assistance to enable the communities to maintain the established woodlots.
They also expressed their readiness to partner the state in other areas of the project.
Director General, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Dr Lawrence Anukam, says the agency is working together with other stakeholders to proffer solutions to waste management challenges in the country.
Dr. Lawrence Anukam, Director-General, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Agency (NESREA)
He disclosed this on Monday, November 12, 2018 in Abuja at the ongoing 8th Edition of National Regulatory Dialogue 2018.
According to him, the agency has the responsibility to develop regulations and enforce them.
“The agency has 34 regulations and these regulations are specifically on healthcare and waste management.
“We have been experiencing indiscriminate disposal of waste from the healthcare system and hospitals, which has negative impact on both humans and the environments,” he said.
Anukam added that the agency was working together with various stakeholders at state and federal levels to proffer solutions to the poor waste management system in the country.
“The agency was facing a lot of challenges and one way to overcome those challenges is to work together with both private sector and state government agencies.
“To make sure that there is better level of awareness creation, Nigeria is a big country, so all hands must be on deck to create awareness on the laws of the land.”
He also called on corporate international organisations operating in Nigeria to obey the law of the land by setting good examples in proper waste management.
“The management of waste is everybody responsibility, if we don’t get it right, it becomes a problem, we can do a lot better even from our homes.”
He, however, advised Nigerians to make sure they protect their environment and ensure good hygiene within their homes, workplace and social setting to ensure a safe and sound environment.
Following the recent landmark report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) saying that it is still possible to limit climate change to 1.5°C, the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) will hold two meetings exploring resilience in climate-vulnerable areas. These are Africa’s Sahel region (which has seen higher temperature, recurrent droughts and severe land degradation) and the Caribbean (which was pummeled by a pair of severe hurricanes in 2017).
A view of the aftermath of Hurricane Irma on Sint Maarten Dutch part of Saint Martin island in the Caribbean, Sept. 6, 2017.
Climate change is seen as a threat multiplier – it exacerbates and amplifies existing problems and challenges. And while the climate change contribution to any specific condition or event is still being closely studied, the interlinkages between climate change and conflict are considered by many to be increasingly evident in many parts of the world, including in Africa’s Sahel region, one of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable regions, says the UN.
“We are all seeing the consequences of climate change through more extreme weather, rising sea levels and diminishing Arctic sea ice,” said Rhonda King, ECOSOC President. “The increase and intensity of climate-related disasters is worrying. And the human cost is significant – people losing their lives, livelihoods and being displaced.”
ECOSOC, together with the UN Peacebuilding Commission, will look at the interlinkages between climate change and sustaining peace in the Sahel region where temperature increases are projected to be 1.5 times higher than in the rest of the world, and where 90 per cent of its economy is reliant on agriculture and pastoralism. Droughts in the region have had devastating impacts on people who have little resilience and few coping strategies.
In the Sahel, the effects of climate change are compounded by persistent governance and security challenges that further contribute to the Sahel’s dire humanitarian situation. More than four million people in the Lake Chad Basin area have faced food insecurity in 2018, along with ongoing conflict and insecurity. Shortages of land, pasture and water have led to the forced migration of pastoralist communities in Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and the Niger, putting 2.5 million people at risk of a livelihood crisis in 2018 in the affected areas. The number of displaced people across the Lake Chad basin region was 2.3 million, including 1.7 million internally.
Hurricane Recovery in the Caribbean
Hurricane Maria, a colossal category 5 hurricane with winds of over 160 mph (257 kph), hit the Caribbean island nation of Dominica on 18 September, devastating critical infrastructure, including electrical lines, houses, and public buildings such as government offices, schools and hospitals. More than 90 per cent of roofs were damaged or destroyed and 57,000 people (around 80 percent of the total population) were directly affected.
Climate change has exacerbated the vulnerabilities faced by Small Island Developing States – countries where one natural disaster can erode a generation of development gains, such as in Dominica in 2017 with Hurricane Maria. Because most of the hurricane and cyclone-affected countries were categorised as middle income – based on GDP per capita – they were therefore ineligible for concessional development financing from multilateral financial institutions.
About 90 per cent of financing for disaster risk reduction worldwide is still directed at emergency response and reconstruction and rehabilitation, while only 10 per cent is for preparedness and resilience. While $106 trillion are available through different funds worldwide, only 1.6% is invested in infrastructure and even less in initiatives to increase resilience.
A pledging conference for the Caribbean islands in 2017 mobilised over $1.6 billion in grant pledges plus $1.6 billion loans including debt relief. According to assessments, the principal economic sectors of tourism and agriculture were significantly impacted. Recovery costs were estimated to surpass $5 billion. For some countries such as Dominica, the impact was 3.5 times their Gross Domestic Product.
The ECOSOC meeting will look at the measures and practices by countries that helped manage and respond to the hurricanes in the Caribbean; take stock of progress made in terms of disbursements and results achieved as well as remaining gaps and challenges; and explore new and innovative approaches to financing climate resilience.
