Reaching the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of access to safely managed water and sanitation services by 2030 will require countries to spend $150 billion per year, says a new World Bank report.
Rachid Benmessaoud, World Bank Country Director in Nigeria
It suggests a drastic change is required in the way countries manage resources and provide key services, starting with better targeting to ensure they reach those most in need, and tackling inefficiencies to make sure public services are sustainable and effective.
Moreover, the report states that water, health, and nutrition interventions need to be coordinated to make substantive progress in the fight against childhood stunting and mortality. The World Bank says that while improving water and sanitation alone improves a child’s well being, the impacts on a child’s future are even greater when combined with health, and nutrition interventions.
“Millions are currently trapped in poverty by poor water supply and sanitation, which contributes to childhood stunting and debilitating diseases such as diarrhea,” said Guangzhe Chen, Senior Director of the Water Global Practice, World Bank. “To give everyone an equal chance at reaching their full potential, more resources, targeted to areas of high vulnerability and low access, are needed to close the gaps and improve poor water and sanitation services.”
The report, “Reducing Inequalities in Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene in the Era of the Sustainable Development Goals”, provides a roadmap for closing the gap. It includes a comprehensive analysis of water and sanitation indicators spanning 18 countries around the world and, for the first time, pinpoints specific geographic regions within countries that have inadequate WASH services. It sheds light on major disparities in water supply and sanitation services between rural and urban, poor and non-poor areas.
The report highlights that, in many countries, services do not reach the poor because of poor implementation, not poor policy – and that children are suffering as a result.
“Today, diarrhea is the second leading cause of death in children under five,” explained Rachid Benmessaoud, World Bank Country Director in Nigeria. “Poor children also suffer from intestinal diseases, which together with under-nutrition and infections contribute to stunting. We are risking the futures of our children: their potential is being stymied by unequal or uneven access to the services they require to thrive.”
On a day when a thick polluted haze enveloped the Delhi-NCR (National Capital Region) in India, the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) has directed governments to impose all conditions under the severe category of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
As Delhi’s pollution levels rise to severe, the EPCA has directed governments to impose all conditions under the Graded Response Action Plan under severe category
“This plan is an emergency plan, which cannot become a substitute for long term and decisive action to cut air pollution,” said EPCA chairperson, Bhure Lal.
Under the plan, the task force led by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has been monitoring air quality in NCR and also has forecasts for the coming days. A Sudhakar, Member Secretary, CPCB, explained the prevailing weather conditions as follows: “Currently, Delhi and its neighbouring region are seeing almost still conditions at the ground level, but in the upper atmosphere there are two wind masses – one from Punjab, which is bringing pollutants from crop burning and the other from eastern UP, which is bringing moisture. These are colliding at the higher altitude. This is leading to conditions where there is both moisture and pollution as well as no wind at the ground level.” He said that he expects conditions to remain severe over the next two days as per the forecast made available by IMD.
Given this advisory and the prevailing severe conditions, the EPCA has issued the following directions as listed under GRAP for measures to be put in place immediately. These directions are for governments of NCR, including Delhi.
Closure of all brick kiln, other than those that have been certified to have converted to zig zag. As of date, not a single brick kiln has been verified. All brick kilns in NCR will be shut.
Closure of all hot mix plants
Closure of all stone crushers
Immediately intensify public transport service, by ensuring there are more buses on road, which are run with reliable service.
Immediately increase frequency of service of Delhi Metro, including deploying more coaches and introduction of lower fares during off peak hours during this severe period.
All state pollution control boards to immediately impose fines on all road constructing agencies where there are inadequate dust control measures. Taking into account the provision of C&D rules, which allow for penalty of up to Rs 5 lakh for construction dust mismanagement, EPCA is directing for a fine of Rs 50,000 to be imposed as penalty per day per stretch for inadequate road dust control.
Intensification of mechanised road sweeping and sprinkling of water
Continuation of the ban on use of generator sets in Delhi, with exceptions only as defined by DPCC for essential services
Immediate enhancement of parking fee by four times and depositing additional funds in dedicated parking fund with municipalities
Immediately stop use of coal and firewood in hotels and eateries. Implement the Hon’ble Supreme Court order on pet coke and furnace oil.
Intensify traffic management in all hotspots and increase deployment of traffic police to avoid congestion.
Intensify the enforcement of non-destined goods traffic into Delhi by physically checking all vehicles and turning them back – also, putting out public announcements of the numbers that are turned back.
The EPCA is also monitoring the situation carefully in coordination with the CPCB task force. Given the prevailing conditions and the concern about the possible deterioration in weather conditions, it is possible that severe plus or emergency conditions would need to be imposed in the coming days. EPCA is, therefore, directing governments to ensure that all agencies are ready to implement tougher measures as laid down in GRAP.
In addition, the EPCA is also advising schools to stop all outdoor activities and to keep exposure to a minimum. This is also advice to all citizens of Delhi and NCR. Under severe conditions as prevailing today, the health advisory of MOEF&CC says that it may cause respiratory effects even on healthy people. Therefore, exposure and outdoor activities, including intense physical activities should be minimised.
It is clear that combatting air pollution requires drastic action, which is long term. Mr Lal said: “We have achieved some things – often in the face of enormous odds – and we have provided some solutions. So far, every solution that has been suggested has been contested and delayed. Today, weather conditions in Delhi-NCR are adverse, and the wind is bringing pollution from farm fires in Punjab and moisture from the east. In terms of air pollution, things are expected to get much worse in the coming days. We, therefore, need to act decisively.”
The EPCA has called for the following long-term actions, which are in the hands of government. Unless these steps are taken starting today, air pollution levels cannot be brought down:
Drastic action is needed to immediately ban pet coke and furnace oil in the entire NCR. We need stringent monitoring of emissions in industrial estates and as well as from illegal industries.
A massive switch-over to gas is needed in vehicles, power plants and industry. The region needs a second transition to natural gas and clean fuels. We must prioritise transition to electric vehicles, and ensure supply of reliable power to stop the use of gen-sets.
A massive augmentation of public transport within and inter-city is needed. Not a single bus has been procured in Delhi over the last three years. This will only add to the pollution crisis.
Cities need massive action to change garbage management system to stop the burning of garbage. In addition, strict enforcement is needed.
EPCA member and director general of Centre for Science and Environment Sunita Narain pointed out that unless this agenda is put in place, air quality cannot improve.
Community and grassroots leaders from the United States on Tuesday, November 7, 2017 in Bonn, Germany unveiled a platform at ongoing UN Climate Change Conference (COP23) called the “U.S. People’s Delegation” to counter the Trump Administration’s fossil fuel agenda and to hold US states, cities, businesses, and the public accountable to commitments to climate action.
Members of the U.S. People’s Delegation addressing a press conference at COP23
The platform includes youth, indigenous peoples, frontline communities, advocates, and policymakers who have come to Bonn with organisations from across the U.S. They have, according to them, come together to show what climate leadership should look like.
With the Trump Administration rolling back climate protections, expanding fossil fuel development, ramming through dirty infrastructure, and withdrawing the U.S. from its commitments to the Paris Climate Agreement, the People’s Delegation and the organisations involved are taking action to protect communities and isolate the Administration by demanding a fossil free future and real climate action on the local level.
Among the demands are:
A just and equitable transition to 100% renewable energy in all cities and states.
For U.S. elected officials to step up in meaningful ways to ensure bold climate action in the face of the current Administration’s rollback on climate protections, the persistence of ongoing climate disasters, and the impact of existing inequalities and governmental negligence on frontline and vulnerable communities.
A halt to all new fossil fuel projects, with the understanding that the fossil fuel industry continues to perpetuate the climate crisis and sow climate denial, creating a bleak future for generations to come.
A call for all nations to increase their ambition, not decrease it. The commitments countries put forward under the Paris Agreement were already too little, too late and would lead to at least 3.5 degrees of warming, not the 1.5° and 2° goals enshrined in the agreement. We can’t let the US be an excuse for other countries to dial back their action – especially since with cities and states doubling down, the US could be moving forward.
A demand to stop negotiating cap-and-trade, carbon offsets, carbon pricing, and other market schemes that avoid cutting pollution at the source.
At COP23, while the People’s Delegation is calling for meaningful climate action, the Trump Administration is pushing coal, natural gas and nuclear energy as an “answer” to climate change.
The organisations represented in the People’s Delegation include: SustainUS, Sunrise Movement, Indigenous Environmental Network, Global Grassroots Justice Alliance, and the Climate Justice Alliance as part of It Takes Roots, U.S Human Rights Network, Climate Generation, Our Children’s Trust, NextGen America, and 350.org.
Varshini Prakash of SustainUS and Sunrise Movement said, “I have seen climate change-fueled floods destroy lives and livelihoods where my family is from in India. In southern India, thousands of farmers have committed suicide because of drought. Within my lifetime, my home in the States could be underwater if we do nothing to stop climate change. No one should have to live in fear of losing the people that they love or the places that they come from. I’m going to COP23 as part of the People’s Delegation to show that the American people are still in, that we’re ready to fight back against Trump and his regressive policies, and that we refuse to let wealthy CEOs and oil barons lead us down the path of destruction.”
Dallas Goldtooth of Indigenous Environmental Network, part of the It Takes Roots delegation said,”We head to COP23 as part of Indigenous Environmental Network and with the U.S. People’s Delegation to continue the to rise up as Indigenous, Black, and Brown communities against extraction, colonialism and to call for real action from elected leaders who have pledged to address climate change.”
Kiran Ooman, a youth plaintiff with Our Children’s Trust, said, “Growing up in the Pacific Northwest of the United States I have witnessed the effects of climate change, from the steady increase in forest fire severity to unnaturally high pollen counts. However, my concern also includes the places where my family live, including India and Florida, where the fatal threat of storms are worsening each year.
“We are working to hold the Trump Administration accountable not only for their inaction but also for the actions they are taking, such as pushing through new fossil fuel infrastructure and cutting back on environmental regulations, which puts the climate and all people of the earth in danger. As young people, we face the consequences of these actions most acutely, and that’s why I’m I’m here at COP 23 with the U.S. People’s Delegation: To remind the international community that despite our youth we are fighting the unjust actions of the US Government, and we need your support in defending our futures.”
Katia R. Avilés Vázquez of Organización Boricuá, representing the It Takes Roots delegation said, “Puerto Rico has been the victim of a perfect storm of natural weather extremes, fiscal austerity measures, bad management and planning, combined with a colonial situation that prevents us from trading and learning from our sister islands in the Caribbean region. Along with the Caribbean, Puerto Rico was hit by two of the largest hurricanes in recorded history within two weeks of each other in the month of September. Organización Boricuá has been working on the frontlines under the most dire conditions of colonialism, corruption, and climate change. We demand a Just Transition.”
Dyanna Jaye, representing ICLEI U.S. Local Governments for Sustainability and Sunrise Movement, said, “Flooding is routine in my coastal Virginia home town; our lands are being slowly reclaimed by the Atlantic Ocean and communities have been forced to flee their homes. From monster hurricanes to the wildfires and deadly heatwaves in the American West, 2017 has shown that the threat of climate change is now. Yet, Trump has allied with fossil fuel CEOs who are dead set on profiting from pollution, including Exxon CEO turned Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson. They have no right to represent the American people. Though Trump and his billionaire friends may try to pull us backwards, we, everyday Americans, will keep moving our country forward and make sure our cities, universities, and states take the action we need to stop climate change and create good jobs in our communities.”
Ellen Anderson of Energy Transition Lab, with the Climate Generation delegation said, “We are here to let the world know that most Americans support action on climate change, despite what you hear from Washington. In our state of Minnesota,we are leading the way for the Heartland of America, showing that you can cut carbon, build out renewable energy, create thousands of good-paying jobs, and save money by shifting to a clean energy economy. Our Lt. Governor said to our delegation last week that our state is completely committed to this clean energy transition, and feels the sense of urgency to move forward faster. Our delegation represents academia, educators, and students along with civil society, youth, and indigenous communities, all standing together with the other nations of the world to support and learn from each other how to tackle this existential challenge.”
Thanu Yakupitiyage, U.S. Communications Manager and coordination of the U.S. People’s Delegation, said, “The U.S. People’s Delegation is at COP23 to share loud and clear the message that communities back home demand a fast and fair transition to a world free of fossil fuels with 100% renewable energy for all. 350.org is proud to be supporting the work of organisations who were already bringing delegations to COP23. Our work collectively as part of the U.S. People’s Delegation is aimed at amplifying the urgency of climate action, holding accountable elected officials who have said they will step up against the Trump Administration to ensure they turn their words into action, and sharing our stories and solutions from diverse communities. We do not have time to waste, we need real climate action now.”
The Secretariat of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) spearheaded a number of events at the 7th session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC CoSP7) to encourage Parties to both conventions to tackle the corruption associated with illicit wildlife trade.
African elephant poaching in conflict zones suggests that corruption, rather than conflict, is the primary enabler of elephant poaching
Holding in Vienna, Austria, the UNCAC CoSP7 commenced on Monday, November 6, 2017 and will come to a close on Friday, November 10.
There is an increasing recognition that, to curb the global surge in wildlife trafficking, the world’s governments must increase their efforts to fight the corrosive corruption that enables it. Corruption fuels and abets transnational organised crime, and is particularly rife in high-value wildlife trafficking, according to CITES and UNODC.
UNODC Executive Director, Yury Fedotov, said: “Corruption is multifaceted and can occur at every stage of the wildlife, forestry and fisheries value chain. It can include bribes for information on the movement of animals or patrols, or to obtain rights and quotas, or grease the wheels of shipments, to ensure that they are not inspected or seized. UNODC, as guardian of the UN conventions against corruption and transnational organised crime, is working with partners such as CITES to build understanding and ensure that wildlife, forest and fisheries agencies are trained and equipped to respond to corruption.”
Addressing the UNCAC plenary in the opening session, CITES Secretary-General, John E. Scanlon, said: “We cannot afford to turn a blind eye to this serious challenge. We have no option but to confront corruption head-on by fully deploying the international agreements created to combat corruption and to regulate wildlife trade in a coherent manner. The vast majority of officials are honest and committed and we salute them. Yet, we also see customs and police officials bribed, logging and hunting licences forged, and poachers and wildlife traffickers set free due to obstructed prosecutions. We must root out the ‘bad apples’ and deepen efforts to build and maintain properly paid, trained and equipped civil services. The ratification and implementation of the UNCAC is central to this work.”
Cooperation between UNCAC and CITES is said to be at an all-time high. Both CITES and UNODC have been encouraging Parties to both conventions to take steps to address this important issue and are working together to integrate the tools to prevent corruption, and to facilitate the prosecution and punishment of offenders, while enforcing the international rules set by CITES for trade in wildlife.
At CITES CoP17 held in Johannesburg, South Africa last year, CITES Parties adopted, for the first time, a dedicated resolution on corruption (Resolution 17.6 on Prohibiting, preventing and countering corruption, which facilitates activities conducted in violation of the Convention). Among other things, the resolution urges all Parties to CITES to adopt measures to counter instances of corruption and ensure that any corrupt practices associated with the administration, regulation, implementation or enforcement of CITES are punishable with appropriate penalties under national legislation.
Corruption is also addressed in the first ever World Wildlife Crime report, published by UNODC in 2016, with support from the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC). The report records more than 7,000 endangered species of wild animals and plants illegally traded across 120 countries, where corruption is one of the major facilitators of poaching and trafficking. The international illicit trade in live great apes would not be possible without corruption. African elephant poaching in conflict zones suggests that corruption, rather than conflict, is the primary enabler of elephant poaching.
It therefore remains essential that Parties to both conventions step up efforts to ensure that measures are in place to identify, prevent and address corruption. It is crucial that anti-corruption bodies and other relevant agencies get involved as the issue is too big to be dealt with by wildlife, forestry and fisheries management authorities alone.
A number of tools are currently being developed under the auspices of ICCWC, which is a collaborative effort of the CITES Secretariat, INTERPOL, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the World Bank and the World Customs Organisation. These tools include anti-corruption guidelines that could be used to promote adequate integrity policies and assist member States to mitigate the risks of corruption in the trade chain as it relates to CITES-listed specimens. ICCWC is also delivering a number of activities to support the implementation of national anti-corruption measures and strategies.
President Donald Trump’s decision to pull the United States from the Paris climate agreement has been met with strong criticism from African civil society, who want countries following in the American leader’s footsteps to declare their stand.
Donald Trump, US president
African civil society under the leadership of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) have called on countries “to make the ultimate choice either in support of people and planet or Donald Trump and profit”.
In a report titled: “CSO Demands to COP23”, the civil society organisation stated unequivocally that the time of action in support of people and planet is now and not later. It cautioned that silence or inaction by any party (country) will be synonymous to backing Donald Trump’s pull out decision.
“Inaction by any party is equivalent to alliance with Donald Trump,” the report stated.
They describe the pullout decision by Trump as an affront and travesty to climate justice, health of the planet and a threat to humanity in general and Africa in particular.
The report noted that Africa is feeling the pinch of climate change most with alarm bells ringing already on a number of issues, which are the cause of great concern among the African civil society and African people in general.
The failure to close the finance gap, the inadequate current pledges to stay below 2°C, the delay in addressing “orphan issues” under the Paris Agreement, the slow pace and ambiguity in sequencing of work on the Paris Agreement Rule Book were among short falls raised in the report.
The report hailed Fiji’s Presidency of COP23 which it said should be seen as symbolic, coming at a time island states have suffered enormously due to climate-related hurricanes and tornadoes.
The report also called on delegates to fulfill demands: pursuant to Article 2 of the Paris Agreement with pledges to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels, all parties to practically commit beyond their current level of emission target in their NDCs to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius this century and resubmit.
It should be noted that President Trump’s withdrawal has galvanised criticism even from US citizens and companies as well as the international community.
Like African civil society, several of the largest U.S. companies – such as Apple, Exxon Mobile and Ford Motor Company – have also pledged to either stick to the climate accord or continue cutting greenhouse gas emissions in the coming decades in clear departure from Trump’s position.
However, African civil society organisations are still calling on those sitting on the fence to come out publicly and declare their position. “We believe that Trump has silent allies who may not be candid enough to come out and publicly denounce globally agreed pact which offers hope for the people,” the report said.
According to PACJA’s Secretary General, Mithika Mwenda, the report is in line with the action plan of African civil society to drive national governments to action. “Civil society has an important role to play in ongoing climate talks, working in tandem to push national governments to action,” he said.
“Leaders have the liberty to make their own decisions but civil society represents the voice of the grass root communities and this is very important,” Mithika added.
The African position paper by the African civil society also wants development of mitigation mechanism to consider lessons and experience from the Joint Implementation mechanism and Clean Development mechanism.
“This should be backed by a centralised governance system of the mechanism for easy coordination, accountability and transparency,” the report says.
It also demands that adaptation be crucial to protecting and promoting development gains, particularly in Africa and for support to be expedited to the least developed countries and other developing country Parties for the formulation of national adaptation plans.
A pathologist at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (FETHA), Dr Dorothy Nweke, has advocated regular hand wash with soap or any approved liquid or solid detergent to maintain good personal hygiene.
Handwashing
Nweke told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, November 7, 2017 in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State that regular hand wash with running water and soap was vital to promoting quality personal hygiene and prevention of infectious diseases.
She said that many diseases were contracted or transmitted from person to person through hand contact with a person or eating with the contaminated hand.
According to her, regular hand wash will prevent any possible contamination of the hands with germs that could cause illness.
“We should make regular hand wash a habit and must practise it as often as the need arises.
“We should wash our hands with soap or any antiseptic liquid or solid detergent whenever we use the toilet, come back from any social function or at any other time we have engaged our hands in doing things that could generate sweat on the palms.
“The best and cheapest way to prevent contraction of common diseases and promote better personal hygiene is through observing regular quality hand wash,” Nweke said.
She noted that the campaign on importance of regular hand wash was one of the effective measures that were adopted in checking the spread of the deadly Ebola disease outbreak.
She regretted that the consciousness had died down since the defeat of the Ebola scourge in Nigeria.
She called on relevant health care providers and other agencies of government to reawaken the people’s consciousness on importance of practicing regular hand wash through campaigns and educational seminars.
“We fought the Ebola scourge through intensified campaign on importance of regular hand wash and we visited schools across the state to teach our pupils and students the need to regularly wash their hands with soaps and running water.
“The fear of losing loved ones or our own lives made everyone to imbibe the consciousness; but the defeat of the Ebola has made the people to relax and to lose focus on the need to wash their hands regularly.
“The outbreak of Monkey Pox has posed another health challenge to the people and we must adopt the same strategy of regular hand wash to deal with the situation,” she said.
The medical expert further enjoined the people to regularly check their health status at approved government or private hospitals for early detection of diseases.
“I want to use this medium to advise that people should avoid self medication and that they should regularly check on their health status for early detection and treatment of diseases especially anytime they suspect abnormal body function.
“People especially those who have attained 40 years should imbibe habit of undergoing regular medical check at least once a month.
“Many sudden and premature deaths are caused by ailments caused by undetected diseases harboured in our systems for long.
“It is important that we give attention to our health by maintaining good and healthy lifestyle, avoid self medication and always visit hospitals whenever we suspect any dysfunction in the body, ” Nweke added.
Pollution levels on Tuesday, November 7, 2017 hit alarmingly high levels in New Delhi, India with authorities considering emergency measures such as closing schools and top ministers likening the city to a “gas chamber.”
New Delhi is ranked as among the most polluted cities in the world
With an estimated population of 19 million, New Delhi is ranked as among the most polluted cities in the world, but plans to tackle the worsening ambient air quality do not appear to have worked so far.
Residents of the city woke up to a morning shrouded by thick smog as doctors warned of a health crisis and advised people not to venture outdoors unless absolutely necessary.
The levels of suspended particles smaller than 2.5 micrometres (PM2.5) hovered between 400 and 900 microgrammes per cubic metre from Tuesday morning, several times higher than the safe limit.
Report says the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that people are not exposed to PM2.5 levels above 10 microgrammes averaged over a year or 25 microgrammes in any 24-hour period.
WHO said the small particles can get deep into the lungs and even the blood stream.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said Delhi had become a gas chamber.
“Every year this happens during this part of the year.
“Considering high level of pollution, I have asked Education Minister Manish Sisodia to consider closing schools for a few days,’’ Kejriwal said, reacting to the high pollution.
Officials said that extra measures, such as a four-time hike in parking fees and limiting vehicle numbers, may kick in if the situation does not improve.
Weather analysts suggested the smog could be caused by a complete absence of wind, with moisture trapping emissions from the ground.
Zonal Director, National Oil Spill Detection and Remediation Agency (NOSDRA), Mr Cyrus Nkangwung, has expressed the agency’s readiness to continue to combat oil spill in the Niger Delta.
Ibuu Creek polluted by an oil spill, in Okwuzi Community in Rivers State. Photo credit: Dandy Mgbenwa
Nkangwung made the assertion at the maiden Obolo Achievers Award organised by the group on Monday, November 6, 2017 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
He appealed to communities to complain about oil spill to the agency rather than drag companies operating in their areas to court.
Nkangwung applauded the recent complaint by the Ataba community in Andoni Local Government Council area which was affected by the Bodo (Gokana) oil spill.
The zonal director promised that the agency would soon adopt a quick measure to clean up the Ataba community.
Also, Mr Nkpon Ijonama, President, Andoni Youth Leaders and Stakeholders said that the youth of Obolo extraction in Rivers and Akwa Ibom needed to embrace peace to attract investments to their area.
Ijonama said they should emulate the recipients and strive toward the betterment of Obolo.
Ijonama said the group resolved to honour indegines/corporate organisations that performed meritoriously in the area with the award as part of efforts to reawaken youths of Obolo to the need for peace and development.
According to him, subsequent editions of the award would be held after every five years.
Ijonama said the award, including post-humous and honorary for individuals and corporate organisations, was initiated to encourage peaceful and productive cooperation among them and youths of the area.
He, however, condemned the recent security traits which had ravaged the economy of area and urged parties involved in any form of criminality to turn a new lease of life.
The youth leader also urged youth in the area to shun war and learn to settle disputes through dialogue.
Some of the recipients are Prof. Alice Nte (a Pediatrician), the late Maj. Samuel Ogotnte, Chief Davies Ikanya, Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante and Mr Sampson Ngerebara an engineer.
Others are Dr Silas Eneyo, Mr Jonah Gogo, Mr Anthony Nted, Mr Ikpong Etteh Verokebi Enterprises Nigeria Ltd.
The award recipients thanked the organisers and pledged their cooperation toward the development of the area.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Fund for Agricultural Development on Climate Change Adaptation and Agri-Business Support Programme (IFAD-CASP).
Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, Prof. Sani Marshi
A statement by Mr Muntari Ibrahim, General Manager, Public Relations Unit, on Monday, November 6, 2017 in Abuja, said the MoU has a renewable life span of four years.
The statement noted that Prof. Sani Mashi, Director-General, NiMet, said the MoU was aimed at improving yields, mitigating the vagaries associated with climate change, and reducing the risk of crop failure.
“The key components of the MoU include prediction of rainfall establishment, rainfall variability, dry spells and length of raining season for sustainable agriculture
“Another component, is the installation of NiMet applications to CASP smart phones for real-time climate and weather information in the designated programme areas,’’ the statement said.
Mashi added that the MoU would also cover the development of crop calendars in line with the value chain crops adopted by the selected communities.
“It also included training of Extension Workers, Climate Change Officers and Community development associations in the analysis and interpretation of the Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) in selected CASP states.
“The programmes of IFAD are in tandem with NiMet’s core mandate, which are geared toward poverty reduction, increase in food security and accelerated economic growth on a sustainable basis,” Mashi said.
Mashi said that the collaboration was designed to improve crop yields and farming systems through adaptation to climate change in core northern savannah states adjudged to be most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
He listed the states as Katsina, Borno, Sokoto, Yobe, Kebbi, Zamfara and Jigawa.
“These states are to benefit from the IFAD/NiMet symbiotic relationship, which will reduce the losses incurred by farmers in the states over the years as a result of climate change and weather uncertainties.”
The National Programme Coordinator, CASP, Muhammad Idah, said the synergy between the two organisations across the aforementioned northern states would be downscaled to cover 104 local government areas and 727 villages.
Idah said the synergy would enable the agencies to provide climate change adaptation and resilience information to the farmers to manage and coordinate their farming practice.
The programme, according to him, was aimed at promoting climate smart agricultural production.
He commended NiMet for the recent training of CASP field climate change officers and extension agents.
According to him, the officers can confidently predict rainfall through the help of the rain gauges presented to them by NiMet.
“An action plan is to be developed to periodically assess the level of impact of the collaboration on farmers of the targeted seven Northern states,” he said.
Delegates from about 196 countries have gathered in Bonn, Germany for what has become a semblance of a yearly ritual – the 23rd conference of parties (COP23) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Nigeria’s ambassador to Germany, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (left); Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Dr Shehu Ahmed (right); and Director, Department of Climate Change in the Federal Ministry of Environment, Dr Peter Tarfa (behind), during the opening ceremony of COP23 on Monday, November 6, 2017 in Bonn, Germany
The conference holds from November 6 to 17, 2017 under the leadership of Fiji, which is the first small island developing state to hold this role.
The COP is coming at a time extreme weather events like floods, hurricanes and fires have destabilised millions of people in Africa Asia, the Americas and the Caribbean. COP 23 therefore aspires to propel the world towards the next level of ambition needed to tackle global warming and put the world on a safer and more prosperous development path.
Africa and the COP Process
At the beginning of COP 22 in Marrakech, Morocco, November 2016, the Paris Agreement era had been ushered in. Countries of the world had demonstrated commitment and the Agreement had come into force faster than anticipated. Due to this reality, COP 22 then focused on how to make Paris agreement work by setting up mechanisms and structures that would facilitate its implementation.
A year later and with with over 33 African countries ratifying the Paris Agreement, Africans are heading to Bonn with a bag full of expectations for the continent and the world.
As the region with least contribution to green house gas emissions and the most affected in terms of climate disasters, African delegates are not happy with the failure of the COP process to close the finance gap; inadequacy in pledges; delay in addressing ‘orphan issues’ under the Paris Agreement especially common time-frames for NDCs, and adjustment of existing NDCs. Others are recognition of developing countries’ adaptation efforts; guidance related to finance; and the slow pace and ambiguity in sequencing of work on the Paris Agreement Rule Book thus creating roadblocks in advancing the its formulation.
African demands
Prof Seth Osafo of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) believes that the slow progress by developed country parties towards reaching the US$100 billion goal of joint annual mobilisation by 2020 is not in Africa’s interest. Speaking at the African civil society Pre-COP workshop in Bonn, Prof Osafo said Africa’s interest lies in developed countries providing financial support to developing countries and positioning the Paris Committee on Capacity Building (PCCB) to provide support to developing countries in finance, technology and capacity building.
At the Pre-COP workshop organised by African civil society actors including farmers, pastoralists, youth and gender groups under the umbrella of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), non-state actors from the region expressed their desire for loss and damage concerns to be fully taken into consideration as the Warsaw International Mechanism (WIM) shifts to serve the Paris Agreement after 2020.
According to Mithika Mwenda, Secretary General of the alliance, parties should establish a globally supported insurance mechanism (especially for agriculture and infrastructure sectors) in line with the objectives of the WIM for Loss & Damage by 2020. “We call on Parties to establish a framework, preferably outside but complimentary to UNFCCC, for addressing liability or compensation due to losses and damages in developing countries by extreme weather events and severe impacts of climate change,” he added.
Pre-2020 commitments
Heading into the 23rd session of the Conference of Parties this year, one of the issues that have emerged as key expectation for African Parties to this year’s climate talks is progress on pre-2020 commitments.
African groups want COP23 to provide an opportunity for rich countries to revisit their commitment to undertake pre-2020 actions. The deliverables could be the concrete progress or signal with regards to the ratification of the Doha Amendment of the Kyoto Protocol (KP) to enable the entry into force of the second commitment period (for emissions reductions by developed countries under the KP) and the operationalisation of the $100 billion per year from 2020 and other resources for developing countries.
The implementation of pre-2020 commitments which cover actions to be taken before the Paris Agreement comes into force are of high importance to safeguard the future of the climate.
Rule book for Paris Agreement
Another issue of urgent African importance at this COP is progress on the work programme to implement the Paris Agreement. Negotiations on the Paris Rule Book will be critical to ensuring that the promises made in the Paris Agreement are met. Some of these promises include the commitment of governments to respect, protect and take into consideration existing human rights obligations.
To enhance the likelihood that the Paris Agreement is effectively implemented, when developing the Paris Rule Book, parties are expected to integrate human rights and the social and environmental principles reaffirmed in the agreement’s preamble, including the rights of indigenous peoples, public participation, gender equality, safeguarding food security and ending hunger, a just transition, and ecosystem integrity.
Facilitative Dialogue 2018
According to the agreement reached in Paris, a facilitative dialogue (FD 2018) is to be convened to take stock of the collective efforts of Parties in relation to progress towards the long-term goal of the Paris Agreement and to inform the preparation of nationally determined contributions (NDCs).
The Facilitative Dialogue is expected to ensure the linkage between policies, actions and means of implementation. It will also be instrumental to maintaining the political momentum of the Paris Agreement and its long-term goal and the need to be informed by what science indicates as necessary for climate actions and ambition for next 15 years.
The design of the dialogue as an overall feature together with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) special report on 1.5°C, the work of the climate champions and work of non-state actors, are critical for this purpose.
