Lagos State Cycling Association has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Cycling Lagos team to stage Cycling Lagos 2017, one of the biggest cycling events in Africa.
L-R: Olabamiji Adeleye, Managing Director/CEO, Addefort Limited; Soji Adeleye, Chairman Cycling Lagos; Dr Ajibola Keshinro, Chairman, Lagos State Cycling Association (LSCA); and Mr Sunday Moses, Secretary, LSCA, during the signing of the MoU for the Cycling Lagos 2017 event in Lagos
Cycling Lagos is an annual event designed for cycling enthusiast, professionals and corporate organisations in Nigeria. Beyond the central idea of encouraging healthy living through regular exercise among corporate executives, the event will champion healthy competition among individuals and corporate organisations. The organisations through their participations are to encourage the general public to engage in cycling in their various communities for healthy living.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Lagos, Mr. Soji Adeleye, Chairman, Cycling Lagos, described the signing as historical to the development of cycling as a sport and its potential to enhance tourism in Lagos and Nigeria.
“We are very excited about this MOU because it is historical; it is historical because of the potential of this event to not only promote tourism potential of Lagos but also enhance the development of cycling in Lagos and Nigeria,” Adeleye stated.
Chairman Lagos State Cycling Association, Dr Ajibola Keshinro said the association was committed to supporting relevant organisations in promoting cycling in Lagos.
According to him, “the event will be packaged to showcase the best of Lagos State to the world.”
He commended the Cycling Lagos team for the laudable initiative that will further help to develop cycling as a sport in Nigeria and create wealth in Lagos.
Robert Glasser, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, and Patricia Espinosa, executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, in this joint treatise stress that climate change is not the only driver of disaster risk but it is the joker in the pack as the world tries to understand how it combines with other key risk factors
Robert Glasser, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction (left), and Patricia Espinosa, executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
It’s a simple fact that as we continue to pump record levels of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere we are ramping up disaster risk around the globe now and for generations to come.
It goes with the sobering reality of warming and rising seas and widespread changes in the Earth’s systems that are influencing storms, winds and rainfall.
The toll this takes on human life, economies and government expenditures will be high on the agenda when world leaders gather in Mexico for the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in late May.
Latest figures show that disasters – 90% of which are classed as climate related – now cost the world economy $520 billion per year and push 26 million people into poverty every year.
In the 22 years that have passed since COP1, the first UN conference on climate change, we have seen greenhouse gas emissions reach critically high levels which bodes ill for those who already live in dry lands, on cyclone-exposed coastlines, flood plains, below unstable hillsides or in parts of the world dependent on glacier meltwater.
Over that time span we have also seen a doubling of weather and climate related disasters, which can further weaken least developed countries like Haiti which lost over 600 lives and around a third of its GDP when it was struck by Hurricane Matthew last October.
By some recent estimates the bill for Haiti’s recovery from that Category 4 hurricane comes to $2.8 billion, an extraordinary sum for a country where 60% of the population live in dire poverty.
The Philippines lost thousands of its citizens partly due to the slow passage of Typhoon Haiyan across the warming, rising waters of the Pacific Ocean in 2013. And again, the economic losses and the cost of building back better ran into billions.
Meanwhile the drylands of the Sahel and southern Africa already at high risk from rising temperatures, breached the limits of their capacity to sustain human life adequately in the last twelve months as country after country declared a state of national emergency and millions suffered the devastation of hunger and the loss of their livelihoods.
Just five years after the first famine of the 21st century was declared over, Somalia is again on the brink underlining the fact that 80% of the world’s hungry live in countries which are heavily prone to hydro-meteorological disasters.
Climate change, aggravated by phenomena like El Niño, is not the only driver of disaster risk but it is the joker in the pack as the world tries to understand how it combines with other key risk factors such as poor risk governance, rapid and unplanned urbanisation, poverty and environmental degradation.
Much of this understanding and better planning needs to be done now and at the local level. Adopting the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction two years ago, UN Member States agreed to substantially increase the number of national and local disaster risk reduction strategies in place by 2020.
These strategies will be the bedrock for decreasing disaster losses by 2030 through reducing mortality, economic losses and damage to critical infrastructure.
It is imperative that we break down any silos that exist between the exponents of disaster risk reduction whose remit extends beyond climate-related hazards, and those whose focus is on climate action.
The achievement of many of the Sustainable Development Goals including those related to poverty, hunger, climate action, sanitation and clean water depend on this.
Both of us recognise that reducing greenhouse gas emissions and keeping global temperature well below 2 degrees C is the greatest long-term contribution that governments, local governments and the private sector can make to disaster risk reduction.
Meanwhile local planning for improved disaster risk management helps create a grass-root, societal demand for action and ever rising ambition nationally and globally for climate action above and beyond existing pledges.
The outcome of this fifth Global Platform has the potential to bring the worlds of disaster risk and climate risk closer together and that can only be a good thing for resilience; people everywhere and the future stability of our world.
While it is the poor and the vulnerable that are in the firing line now, no country or continent will be immune if we don’t take responsibility and seize the opportunity to act today.
The Bill outlawing open grazing in Benue State has been signed by the Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, into law.
Herdsmen grazing their cattle
Governor Ortom, who assented to the bill at a stakeholders’ meeting at the Benue People’s House, Makurdi, on Monday, May 22, 2017 described the development as a right step taken in a right direction.
According to Ortom, his administration would do all it could to protect the state from intruders and criminals.
While thanking those who sponsored the bill, the governor urged them to continue to support his government’s vision of making Benue a great state.
It will be recalled that the Benue State House of Assembly on Thursday, May 4 passed the bill prohibiting Open Rearing and Grazing into law.
The law states: “Nobody will be permitted to carryout open grazing outside the permitted ranches.
“Any person who contravene this act shall be guilty and upon conviction be sentenced to five years’ imprisonment with a fine of N1 million.
“Where damage is done to the crops the farm will be evaluated and the manager of the livestock be compelled to pay.
“Movement of livestock on foot within the state is hereby prohibited. Any person who contravenes this shall pay be sentenced to one year imprisonment or pay a fine of N500,000.
“Any livestock owner or manager who carries fire arms shall be treated under the penal code. All ranchers shall engage the services of security agencies.
“Any person who rustles cattle shall be sentenced to five years imprisonment or pay a fine of N100,000 per cow. Any livestock wandering shall be impounded by the department of livestock.
“Any livestock impounded and the owner not found shall be auctioned to the public and the proceeds be deposited into the state consolidated revenue account.
“There shall be established a special open prohibition Task Force and they shall enforce this laws as stipulated.”
In the light of the global celebrations of the International Day for Biological Diversity on Monday, May 22, 2017 under the theme: “Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism”, the world has been examining the positive but also potentially negative impacts that tourism can have on biodiversity.
Cancun, Mexico: A popular tourist destination
Tourism is said to represent one of the world’s fastest growing industries. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, the tourism sector grew by 3.9 per cent in 2016.
Many tourist destinations are centred on places of natural beauty and rich natural assets where people can enjoy outdoor activities, or simply relax. This provides millions of jobs, and income for local communities. For example, about 40 million people are drawn every year to the Caribbean’s beautiful beaches and marine life, providing $25 billion of revenue annually – and nearly 50 per cent of the region’s total income.
Dr. Cristiana Pașca Palmer, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, said: “As we celebrate the 16th edition of the International Biodiversity Day let us all remember that by celebrating and protecting biodiversity we respect and give consideration to all forms of life that exist on this beautiful planet and that support the very existence of humans.”
Countries are already engaging in activities that support sustainable tourism and biodiversity. Protected areas, such as national parks, are popular tourism destinations. For example, some 1.4 million people visit Australian parks annually to experience their natural landscapes and culture. This contributes $23 billion to the economy.
Ecotourism is another option that promotes responsible travel to natural areas that conserve the environment and improves the wellbeing of local people. Ecotourism can provide livelihoods for indigenous peoples and local communities, as they are often the stewards of biodiversity-rich areas.
Dr. Pașca Palmer said: “Many conventional businesses, such as hotels and tourism operators, have taken steps to ensure that they adhere to sustainable tourism principles and best practices in their day to day operations.
“This is important, as countless travellers are now making choices based on whether good practices are followed by operators at their destinations.”
The Secretariat of the Biodiversity Convention works with governments on their tourism policies, with partners as they train protected area managers, as well as developing awareness-raising tools for tourists and tourism professionals.
At long last, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) have now been provided with a model to deal with the nagging issue of properly managing liquid and solid waste. The model processes faecal sludge (including human faeces), food waste and sawdust into compost manure, thereby redeeming what has now become a nationwide menace into a national asset.
Dignitaries during the inaugural ceremony in Accra of the Fortifier Compost Plant on the high table look on while the Nungua Mantse Nii Odai Welentsi presents his statement
This has been demonstrated by the establishment of a compost plant to produce and supply organic fertiliser known as Fortifer to local farmers to enhance crop yields.
Fortifier is a pathogen-free, faecal sludge organic based fertiliser. In other words, all poisonous substances in Fortifier have been destroyed, making the product toxic free, so it cannot pollute food crops or contaminate water bodies or the soil and therefore has no human-related, health-associated risks, according to the expects working on the project.
Named “JVL Fortifer Compost Plant,” it is aimed at boosting the country’s liquid and solid waste management efforts, by addressing the problem of dumping or dislodging of liquid waste in water bodies and open drains, and at inappropriate open places that pose public health risks, and affect the quality of freshwater resources.
Located at Borteyman near Nungua Farms in Accra, the construction and operationalisation of the plant is the result of a Public Private Partnership (PPP) involving the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), Jekora Ventures Limited and Trends, a WASH related NGO. It is funded by Bill and Miranda Gates Foundation, Grand Challenges Canada and DFID.
It was inaugurated on the site on Thursday, May 11th, 2017, at a ceremony during which, Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Joseph Kofi Adda, stated that “addressing the sanitation challenge of the country is a priority of the Akufo-Addo government.” He said his Ministry was revising the Environmental Sanitation Policy to make it more responsive to the needs of the people.
Mr. Adda also announced that “plans are underway, to establish a National Sanitation Authority (NSA) that will be devoted to managing the sanitation functions of the country.” He explained that this body, will have a Director General at the national level, with representatives at the regional and district levels. They will work with the District management team, particularly the Chief Executives, “to ensure that we are able to focus on this job and manage it more effectively.”
The “Sanitation Minister,” as he refers to himself, indicated that a Bill is being developed on the setting up of the proposed NSA, to be presented to Parliament.
The Director-General of IWMI, Jeremy Bird, said the inauguration of the plant was an innovation that will help Ghana and other developing nations. “This is a culmination of so many years of research to come up with innovative ways of addressing waste management problems… it shows promise not only for Ghana, but other countries like India and Sri Lanka.”
Mr. Bird traced the genesis of the debate on the construction of this waste converter system, to 10 years ago in Kumasi. This was at one of the forums, during which scientists, engineers, water and sanitation experts brainstormed on means to redeem liquid and solid waste from being a menace into a valuable asset in Ghana.
He said, “The idea is a follow-up to where water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) efforts ends, to ensure that the product of WASH, which is seen as waste, does not end there, but is rechanneled into the economy.”
Mr. Bird mentioned some of the benefits as checking health risks, reducing emission of carbon dioxide and other poisonous gases into the atmosphere, and providing organic fertiliser for farmers. He said this process, which research has brought so far, should be carried forward and will require the buy-in of stakeholders, particularly Assemblies and the private sector, as it provides business opportunities.
The Managing Director of Jekora Ventures Limited, Immanuel Nartey-Tokoli, said the Plant has the capacity to produce 500 metric tonnes of fortifier per annum. He explained that “production cycles are designed to meet the needs of both small and medium scale farmers, for the major and minor farming seasons.”
Farmers within the catchment area of part of the Greater Accra region are currently benefiting from the products at subsidised prices. Plans are underway to partner other assemblies for the production of fortifier.
Mr. Nartey-Tokoli was hopeful that through their hard work, Fortifier Compost will become a viable business venture that will attract commercial banks to support with flexible credit facilities in the near future for upscaling.
Ms Josiane Nikiema, a Scientist at IWMI re-echoed that “the waste recycling business is a viable business venture, and this fact must help drive investments in that direction.”
“Pilot trials suggest that the waste recovery process can generate enough income to earn a profit. This should attract further public and private investments to help cover the costs of waste treatment, creating more benefits for society through reduced pollution,” she said.
The Director of Crop Services at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Mr Seth Osei Akoto, said the new product would enhance agriculture productivity in Ghana and help the country achieve food security.
He commended the partners for the initiative, and said, “The increasing demand for food provides an opportunity to explore innovative mechanisms to improve and sustain agriculture for food security and livelihoods enhancement.”
He said this is the reason for the launch of the “Planting for Food and Jobs Programme,” by the government, to ensure adequate availability of food in the country through improved productivity.”
For his part, the Nungua Mantse, Nii Odai Welentsi saw the Plant as an industry that has to be groomed by government to reduce unemployment, and noted, “there is no waste in this universe, it is either has a primary or secondary usage.”
The Chairperson for the function was the Deputy Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, (MESTI), Mrs. Francisca Appeagyei. She pledged the support of her Ministry to document and publicise the lessons learnt from the initiative as “it is critical to the national attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Dignitaries at the ceremony included the Deputy Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mrs. Elizabeth Sackey, officials from the sector ministry, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Tema Municipal Assembly, and the newly appointed CEO of Adenta Municipal Assembly (AdMA).
The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Regional Director for Africa announced on Monday, May 22, 2017 four new flagship programmes for the region over the next two years, including a major push on adolescent health and the creation of regional emergency hubs.
Adolescent health has become a priority of the WHO in Africa
Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the organisation’s Regional Director for Africa, also announced that the WHO country offices in the African region will be held accountable to a mandatory set of performance deliverables over the next two years as part of the next phase of an ambitious reform programme begun in 2015 in the wake of the Ebola crisis in West Africa.
“At the start of my tenure two-and-a-half years ago, I committed myself to instituting reforms at WHO in the African region,” said Dr. Moeti, while speaking at a side event at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. “I’m proud of what we have achieved as part of the Transformation Agenda in that time frame. Now it is time to implement the next phase of changes to better improve the health of people in the African region.”
Following the implementation of the Transformation Agenda, there has been significant progress in the effectiveness, timeliness and efficiency of actions in support of countries in the WHO’s Africa region.
For example, WHO says it was key to the following achievements:
Ending Ebola virus disease in West Africa and controlling a large scale urban yellow fever outbreak in Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo;
Responding quickly to the polio outbreak in Nigeria and organising sub-regional Ministerial Declaration as a public health emergency in 2016;
Conducting risk-mapping of epidemics in the region for evidence-based preparedness and training over 180 experts on outbreaks and emergencies management;
Endorsement by head of states of the Addis declaration on Immunisation on 31stJanuary 2017;
Establishment and effective functioning of the Expanded Special Project for the Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ESPEN) targeting onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis, soil transmitted helminths and trachoma;
Supporting scale-up access to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria interventions in 18 countries by partnering with international organisations from October 2015 to December 2016 via the “Implementation Through Partnership” project;
Issuing the first Africa Region Nutrition Report highlighting opportunities and challenges for countries to contribute to achievement of global nutrition targets and monitor their own progress;
Establishing a regional WHO Collaborating Centre on Sickle Cell Disease – National Sickle Cell Centre in Lagos, Nigeria;
Establishing regional WHO Collaborating Centre on Rheumatic Heart Disease at the Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
As the next major reform push, WHO-AFRO is putting in place 13 mandatory changes – many of them linked to specific health targets – that each WHO country office must implement in the next two years.
These include:
HIV treatment (90/90/90 rule)
NCD prevention and control plan
RMNCAH (Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Children and Adolescent Health) plan development
DTP3-containing vaccines coverage
Health workforce coverage
Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR)
International Health Regulations (IHR)
ARCC polio certification
In addition, each country office must commit to seven country-specific deliverables.
“Our objective is to mobilise all WHO staff in the region toward common goals to boost results,” said Dr. Moeti. “At the end of two years, we want to be able to measure our contribution toward improving the health of each and every African through our support of each country’s own efforts.”
Dr. Moeti launched the Transformation Agenda in 2015 to re-establish the WHO’s credibility and health leadership in Africa. The reform programme is a vision and a strategy for change aimed at facilitating the emergence of “the WHO that the staff and stakeholders want.” The reforms have so far focused on five interrelated and overlapping priorities which are: (i) improving health security; (ii) strengthening national health systems; (iii) sustaining focus on the health-related Sustainable Development Goals; (iv) addressing the social determinants of health; and (v) transforming the African Region into a responsive and results-driven organisation.
New Adolescent Health Flagship Programme for Africa Adolescents in the African region represent approximately 23 percent of the population, and this large group has several specific needs when it comes to their health. But despite their large numbers, very few African governments have put in place specific plans and policies that target adolescents, and numerous social, cultural and economic barriers currently prevent them from accessing the health services they need. According to a new WHO report, more than 1.2 million adolescents die every year, and 45 percent of those deaths occur in Africa.
These realities are compounded by the fact that adolescents and young people represent a growing share of people living with HIV. In 2015, 250,000 adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 were newly infected with HIV. In sub-Saharan Africa, girls account for nearly 80 percent of those new infections. And as most recent data shows that only 13 percent of adolescent girls and nine percent of adolescent boys have been tested for HIV in the past 12 months in sub-Saharan Africa, these figures are likely to be underestimated.
“Adolescents and young people are our future – we call them the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) generation because they will be adults by the time we get to 2030. And unless we ensure that they grow up healthy and remain healthy, we are going to face incredible challenges down the road,” said Dr Felicitas Zawaira, Director of the Family and Reproductive Health Cluster at the WHO Regional Office for Africa. “Adolescents have the potential to become productive members of our societies, but they cannot do that if they are plagued by illness, and lack the opportunities to grow.”
As part of its new Adolescent Health Flagship programme, WHO-AFRO will support countries to develop strategies and implement evidence-based interventions. Globally, such interventions have included improving immunisation coverage, tackling substance abuse, treating mental health, offering reproductive and sexual health services, and preventing accidents and injuries. The programme also recognises that while the health sector has a special role to play in leading this effort, improving adolescent health requires involvement from multiple other sectors, including education and finance and involvement of adolescents themselves.
New Emergency Hubs Over 100 public health emergencies occur each year in the African Region. A second flagship program will establish sub-regional emergency hubs over the next two years. Each hub would house a team of emergency experts who would be geographically closer to emergencies and able to respond more quickly to support member countries in their region. Each hub will be expected to be familiar with the likely emergencies in their area, with the team members also conducting preparedness activities with regional governments.
“We are seeking continuous improvement to our organisation so that we deliver the very best evidence-based health care support to the countries and people of the African region,” said Dr. Moeti in Geneva. “Our priorities are clear and our vision is focused.”
The Republic of Korea and Japan have become the latest countries to ratify the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilisation.
While Korea submitted it’s instruments of ratification on Friday, May 19, 2017 to emerge the 98th Party to the treaty, Japan did likewise on Monday, May 22 to become the 99th Party.
Cristiana Paşca Palmer, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
The first Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP1) serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol was held from October 13 to 17, 2014 in the Republic of Korea, along with the 12th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP12) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
The Nagoya Protocol is a supplementary agreement to the CBD. The Protocol builds on the access and benefit-sharing provisions of the Convention by establishing predictable conditions for access to genetic resources and by helping to ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilisation of these resources. Adopted in 2010 in Nagoya, Japan, it entered into force on 12 October 2014.
Dr. Cristiana Pașca Palmer, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), said: “This is great news for the Republic of Korea and for the Nagoya Protocol. This ratification shows the growing commitment by the world towards achieving the third objective of the Convention on Biological Diversity: the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilisation.
“I congratulate the Government of Japan. The ratification of the Nagoya Protocol reaffirms the commitment of Japan towards one of the three objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity: the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilisation, which contributes to equity and development.”
Mr. Koichi Yamamoto, Minister of the Environment, Government of Japan, said: “It is an honor for the Government of Japan to deposit the Instrument of Acceptance of the Nagoya Protocol today. The Protocol is named after the host city of CBD-COP10 held in our country at which Japan contributed to its adoption as the Presidency. Since then, Japan has been supporting the implementation of the Protocol in developing countries through the Japan Biodiversity Fund and the Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund. We are determined to continue contributing to the international implementation of the Protocol.”
The Government of Japan, through the Japan Biodiversity Fund, organised a number of capacity building activities in 2015-2016 related to the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol. These included training courses and capacity-building materials developed to support the development of national access and benefit-sharing frameworks. Similar activities will continue in 2017-2018, thanks to the continued support of the Government of Japan.
A number of countries are said to be finalising their ratification process and the Protocol should reach 100 ratifications shortly.
The CBD opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and entered into force in December 1993. It is an international treaty for the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of the components of biodiversity and the equitable sharing of the benefits derived from the use of genetic resources. With 196 Parties so far, the Convention has near universal participation among countries.
The Convention seeks to address all threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services, including threats from climate change, through scientific assessments, the development of tools, incentives and processes, the transfer of technologies and good practices and the full and active involvement of relevant stakeholders including indigenous and local communities, youth, NGOs, women and the business community.
The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing are supplementary agreements to the Convention. The Cartagena Protocol, which entered into force on 11 September 2003, seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology. To date, 170 Parties have ratified the Cartagena Protocol.
The Nagoya Protocol aims at sharing the benefits arising from the utilisation of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies. It entered into force on October 12, 2014 and to date has been ratified by 98 Parties.
The Nigerian government announced on Monday, May 22, 2017 that it is collaborating with the Republic of Cameroun, plans to establish three Transboundary Protected Areas that will serve as international tourism centres.
Ibrahim Usman Jibril, Minister of State for Environment
According to a statement made available to EnviroNews, these are the Cross River-Korub and Takamanda, the Gashaka-Gumti-Faro and Tchabal Mbabo, and the Chad Basin-Waze transboundary Parks.
These Parks, when established, will contribute significantly to reducing threats to, and maintain or increase key wildlife populations and biodiversity values through tourism revenue, the statement revealed.
Working collaboratively with state governments and international partners, efforts are also being made by the authorities to preserve the Cross River National Park, Gashaka Gumti National Park, and the channelisation and reclamation of the Nguru Wetlands in Yobe State.
Government, it was gathered, also supports the development of ex-situ conservation areas like the zoological and botanical gardens throughout the Federation. According to officials, this does not only enhance biodiversity conservation, but also promote sustainable tourism and provides educational and Job opportunity for youth.
Biodiversity is fundamental to the livelihoods of our communities: they rely on it for environmental sustenance, economic and social activities; the services that we, the elites also rely on have a link with biodiversity; the activities of our economic sectors, be it productive, extractive or social, have positive or negative impacts on our biodiversity,” says Ibrahim Jibril, Minister of State for Environment.
The theme of this year’s International Day for Biological Diversity is: “Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism”, and the ocassion coincides with the observance of 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for development as proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution 70/193, and for which the United Nations World Tourism Organisation is providing leadership.
It emphasises the importance of biodiversity in sustaining development, particularly in the area of sustainable tourism.
“It is therefore an opportunity for us to reflect on the importance of biodiversity for our social well-being particularly as it relates to eco-tourism,” notes Jibril.
According to him, Nigeria recognises the challenge posed by deforestation, even as it also recognises the importance of maintaining the diversity of genetic resources, species, and ecosystems for improving the livelihoods of people and their social welfare.
“To this end, the continuous development of tourism centres and in-situ conservation areas through ecological representatives such as our National Parks, Game Reserves, Strict Nature Reserves and sanctuaries are given top priority by this administration,” he contends.
He adds: “Government is committed to the achievement of the Bonn Challenge, the New York Declaration and other global initiatives for forest and landscape restoration. To this end, Government will continue to address the degraded ecosystems nation-wide in the 2017-2018 development years through the Ministry’s collaborative initiative with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). This will not only restore our degraded ecosystems but also enhance our tourism and cultural values, and build ecosystem resilience against the impact of climate change.
“We remain committed to implementing the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), which has been reviewed in line with the Global Strategy for Biodiversity Conservation 2011-2020 and its Aichi Biodiversity Target.
“Our NBSAP is an embodiment of how synergetic actions within the environment sector and linkages with other economic sectors can be profitable in addressing the threats to our biodiversity and halting its loss. The ongoing clean up of the Niger Delta, reclamation of Lake Chad, remediation of lead poisoning, removal of Typha grass in Lake Nguru and restoration of livelihood around these communities is a demonstration of our commitments to restore and preserves our biological diversity and genetic resources.
“In the course of the NBSAP revision, the website, www.chm-cbd.com.ng, was established for the dissemination of information on biodiversity. This is an affirmation of this administration’s efforts to prioritise biodiversity conservation for the economic and social well-being of our people.
“In December 2016, the President assented to the bill sent by the National Assembly, The Endangered Species (Control of International Trade and Traffic) Amendment Act 2016.
“Individual actions and Investment decisions in corporate bodies should always take into account the impact on biodiversity. There is need now more than ever to halt biodiversity loss to preserve our future and that of our posterities. Let us all join hands to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity in order to halt its loss and consequently ensure our livelihoods and our own survival.”
Director General of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Inger Andersen, in a statement to commemorate the International Day for Biological Diversity 2017, stresses that, if done right, the tourism industry also holds the key to conserving nature, and ensuring a more sustainable development. According to the Danish economist and environmentalist, nature-based tourism makes up more than 25% of the global travel market
Nature-based tourism: Safari tour at the Kruger National Park in South Africa
How often do we credit our planet’s biological diversity with keeping us healthy, relaxed and inspired? Probably not often enough. Yet we all know it. Instinctively. We know that what we seek to relax: a walk in nature; a wonderful trip to the beach. Or a great vacation to a place seemingly untouched, remote and beautiful. So, nature and its bountiful biodiversity matter greatly for our sense of well-being. And tourism is indeed a multi-trillion-dollar industry that creates jobs, growth and opportunities for communities and societies across the planet.
That is why the choice of theme for this year’s International Day of Biological Diversity, “Biodiversity and sustainable tourism”, is so important. We really can get this right, and in getting it right, we support a significant number of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals: reducing poverty, creating jobs and appropriate infrastructure, supporting equity while also supporting life on land and in the sea.
The travel and tourism sector is one of the largest and fastest growing global industries. It accounts for 10% of global GDP and one in every 10 jobs. This critical industry supports livelihoods and economies worldwide. And a successful tourism industry is dependent on a healthy natural world.
In fact, nature-based tourism makes up more than 25% of the global travel market. Done right, this industry also holds the key to conserving nature, and ensuring a more sustainable development. Done badly, the industry can degrade the environment and undermine biodiversity.
We know that tourism impacts on biodiversity can be devastating. Land clearing for tourism infrastructure, pollution and uncontrolled numbers of visitors destroy critical ecosystems that are often home to threatened species and provide an array of benefits to both people and nature.
As the official advisory body on nature under the World Heritage Convention, IUCN sees these impacts first hand. According to the IUCN World Heritage Outlook, which assesses the state of World Heritage sites, over a quarter of all natural sites on the World Heritage List are negatively affected by tourism.
But the impacts of tourism on the natural world do not have to be so destructive. To the contrary, the industry itself can directly contribute to preserving the very places it depends on. This is why IUCN salutes the United Nations and the UN Tourism Organisation for declaring 2017 the year of Sustainable Tourism. Because sustainable tourism not only boosts local livelihoods and economies, it further demonstrates that nature conservation and development do not have to be mutually exclusive.
At IUCN we work to contribute to achieving this on many levels. Working with tourism operators and developers, we help them conserve – rather than destroy – species and ecosystems, and empower – rather than exploit – local communities. Working with hotels and resorts, we help them minimise their negative impacts on nature and natural resources.
In 2014 IUCN launched a new global standard of excellence – Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas – which recognises and helps ensure success in managing some of the most valuable natural places on the planet. Sustainable tourism is an important element of this success.
Take the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya, for example. This green-listed area and home to the last three northern white rhinos, recently won the prestigious Tourism for Tomorrow award for its work to improve lives in surrounding communities. The Conservancy supports six health centres which cater to 20,000 community members. It supplies water, solar power and ICT equipment to local schools, and provides cooking stoves and solar devices to households.
Or the Arakwal National Park and Cape Byron State Conservation Area in Australia – the first green-listed park in the world – which attracts 1.2 million visitors each year. Byron Bay Arakwal people are formally recognised as the traditional owners of the land and jointly manage the reserve with the National Parks and Wildlife Service. The park runs educational programmes on the value of conserving cultural practices and biodiversity, and beachside accommodation and daily tourist visits provide funding for the park’s management.
So we all have a responsibility: The tourism industry needs to lean in to create sustainable solutions for the industry and the consumer. And we as consumers have to work on the demand side of the equation, by booking our vacations and trips to destinations that support sustainable tourism. In that way, tourists will return home refreshed, but will also have contributed to creating a fairer and healthier planet, proving that the tourist industry can thrive while contributing to the protection of the planet.
At the occasion of the destruction of confiscated and other wildlife parts at the Chitwan National Park in Nepal, which was timed to coincide with the International Day for Biodiversity on Monday, May 22 2017, Secretary-General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), John E. Scanlon, commended Nepal for fulfilling CITES requirements. At the event, Nepal destroyed stockpiles of wildlife parts of tigers, rhinos, leopards, pangolins, various reptiles and many other species that have been confiscated or otherwise acquired
The Chitwan National Park in Nepal is famous for its extraordinary wildlife – including its Bengal tigers
There could be no better location for today’s event than the Chitwan National Park, Nepal’s first national park established back in 1973, being the very same year that CITES was adopted in Washington D.C.
Chitwan National Park is famous for its extraordinary wildlife – including its Bengal tigers, greater one-horned rhinos, and high concentration of birds. It outstanding natural beauty was internationally recognised in 1984 when it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Nepal and its Chitwan National Park now also enjoy worldwide praise for what has been achieved in successfully combating poaching and the illegal trade of wildlife.
Nepal’s achievements were recognised by CITES through a Secretary-General’s Certificate of Commendation in 2014, which was received by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation in Geneva on behalf of all national agencies involved in wildlife law enforcement.
The Award acknowledged the many innovative measures implemented by Nepal to combat wildlife crime, including strong interagency collaboration, the deployment of combined patrols of rangers and the Nepalese army in protected areas supported by community-based anti-poaching units outside of parks, and intelligence-led enforcement actions leading to the arrest of key players in criminal groups.
The successes achieved in Nepal to combat poaching and illegal wildlife trade are particularly notable in the face of increased poaching elsewhere. This year Nepal was on course for its third year in a row of no rhino poaching, which was only broken last month, with poachers killing one animal for its horn. That is an enviable record.
What has been achieved in Nepal is quite extraordinary and it serves as an inspiration to all of us of what is possible through strong leadership, taking a collaborative approach across agencies and local communities, and persistence.
Today, Nepal is destroying stockpiles of wildlife parts of tigers, rhinos, leopards, pangolins, various reptiles and many other species that have been confiscated or otherwise acquired.
Today’s event will not end wildlife crime but it does help to raise public awareness of the serious threats posed to wild animals and plants, people and economies by such crimes and it provides an ideal opportunity to make a very public expression of Nepal’s steadfast determination not to tolerate any poaching or illegal trade of its wildlife.
We know that Nepal “walks the talk”. Its proud record speaks for itself. And the strong measures being taken in Nepal not only benefits its extraordinary wildlife. They are ensuring personal security, providing local jobs and community development, and supporting well-managed wildlife based tourism, and along with it the national economy.
We commend Nepal for fulfilling CITES requirements and national laws in preparing for today’s event, while noting that the decision to destroy these confiscated and other wildlife parts was one for Nepal. I am advised that authorities have taken care only to destroy confiscated materials following a final court verdict, none of which are subject to ongoing investigations, with some materials being used to exhibit in museums, for research and for other educational purposes. Nepal is also finalising its new legislation to fully meet all of CITES requirements, which we warmly welcome.
The theme for the International Day for Biodiversity is Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism, with 2017 being the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. The Chitwan National Park is a great example of wildlife-based tourism generating local jobs, with government and operators engaging with and supporting local communities.
The active involvement of local people and communities is critical to sustaining wildlife-based tourism, which I highlighted at the World Travel and Tourism Council Global Summit in Bangkok just last month. During my keynote address, I called on the travel and tourism sectors to join the fight against illegal wildlife trade, citing the Chitwan National Park as an example for others to follow.
We also wish to take this opportunity to recognise Nepal for its support for the South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network, with its Secretariat being based in Kathmandu, and for INTERPOL’s Operation PAWS II, as well as for pursuing and helping catch wildlife criminals across international borders.
