Portugal captain and Real Madrid forward, Cristiano Ronaldo, who topped the Forbes magazine list for the first time 12 months ago, has retained the position as the highest-paid sports person for the second successive year.
Cristiano Ronaldo
He is worth staggering earnings of $93 million (£72.05 million), according to Forbes annual list of the world’s 100 wealthiest athletes.
The 32-year-old saw his earnings rise by $5 million (£3.87 million) a year on, a £44. 8 million salary from his club Real Madrid, whilst £27 million came from endorsements.
Second in line is basketball star LeBron James who pocketed $86.2 million (£66.79 million) in 2017, whilst Ronaldo’s fierce rival Lionel Messi took home $80 million (£61.98 million).
Also on the top five list is tennis star Roger Federer, earning $86 million (£49.5 million) in fourth position, while another basketball heavyweight, Kelvin Durant, earns $60 million (£49.58 million) in fifth position.
The list of elite athletes consists of players from 11 different sports.
Basketball dominates with a record 32 NBA players among the top 100, up from 18 in 2016, followed by Baseball with 22, and American football with 15 and football with nine.
The top 100 athletes earned a total of $3.11 billion (£2.4 billion) over the last 12 months, a slight decrease from last year’s earnings of $3.15 billion (£2.43 billion).
Overfishing and the degradation of coral reefs across the Caribbean and Pacific islands are pushing many fish, including food sources like tunas and groupers, towards extinction, according to two regional Red List reports published on Thursday, June 8, 2017 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Overfishing: In the Caribbean, the vulnerable red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) is among the threatened species targeted by fishers
The Conservation status of marine biodiversity in the Pacific Islands of Oceania Red List report includes assessments of 2,800 marine species across the 22 island states and territories of Oceania, from Papua New Guinea to the Cook Islands – a vast, species-rich but largely unexplored area. The report shows that 11% of all assessed marine species in the region are threatened with extinction, including fish that are important food sources.
The Conservation status of marine bony shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean Red List report includes assessments of 1,360 marine bony shorefishes – a group that includes most fish species found near the shore – across 38 Caribbean countries and territories. Around 5% of marine bony shorefishes in the Caribbean are threatened, the report shows, due to overfishing, invasive lionfish predation and the degradation of coral reefs and estuaries, which provide habitats and feeding grounds for many species. Species threatened by overfishing are commonly associated with reef habitat.
“These new reports ring alarm bells for marine life across the Pacific and Caribbean, hard-hit by unsustainable fishing and the destruction of habitats. These are the latest in a series of IUCN Red List reports covering more than half of the global ocean, which collectively reveal a looming threat to life below water. It is essential that we use this new science and analysis to effectively conserve marine resources, which provide us with food, enhance our health, sustain the global economy and protect us from the worst effects of climate change,” says IUCN Director General, Inger Andersen.
In the Pacific islands of Oceania, around a third of reef-building coral species are threatened with extinction. Overfishing and the destruction of habitats – including coral reefs – are causing the decline of many fish species, the report’s authors warn. For example, four species of grouper, which are an important food source, are listed as Vulnerable – with populations affected by overfishing and the degradation of nearshore habitats, including mangrove, seagrass and reef habitats.
In the Caribbean, the vulnerable red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) and the Endangered Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) are among the threatened species targeted by fishers. Fewer individual coral species – around a fifth – are threatened with extinction in this region, although overall Caribbean reefs are in worse shape than those in Oceania due to human pressures adding to the effects of ocean warming. Various local- to broader-scaled threats are flattening reefs across much of the Caribbean, particularly affecting the Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) and Staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis). These endemic, branching corals, which are among the most important reef-building coral species in the Caribbean and vital for the survival of reefs, are both classed as Critically Endangered.
“We know that well-managed marine protected areas can increase the resilience of marine species in the Caribbean and the Pacific in the face of mounting threats. In an extremely species-rich region dominated by Small Island states, inter-governmental cooperation between countries should be boosted to ensure protected areas are managed effectively, and destructive fishing practices are minimised,” says Kent Carpenter, manager of the IUCN Marine Biodiversity Unit.
Some species, such as the vulnerable migratory bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) need larger, more geographically inclusive marine protected areas for effective conservation, the report recommends. Other recommendations include using IUCN Red List data to identify and conserve threatened species ‘hotspots’, improving resources for regional fishery agencies, and protecting spawning areas for species of key socioeconomic importance.
Islanders in both the Pacific and Caribbean regions rely heavily on reef fisheries and other marine resources for food security and income generation. In Oceania, fish consumption rates are high at about 50 kg annually per person, as compared to about 8 kg for people living in continental areas such as Australia.
The release of the two reports coincides with the on-going UN Ocean Conference in New York, where IUCN has been calling for urgent action on climate change and marine plastic pollution.
The Conservation status of marine biodiversity in the Pacific Islands of Oceania Red List report can be accessed here.
The Conservation status of marine bony shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean Red List report can be accessed here.
In a show of support for the Paris climate agreement, Gov. David Ige and Hawai’i county mayors and representatives on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 gathered for the signing of two bills and a mayors’ agreement that support the commitments and goals of the Paris climate accord.
Gov. David Ige of Hawai’i signs the Paris Agreement related bills into law
Hawai‘i is the first state in the nation to enact legislation that implements portions of the Paris agreement.
Gov. Ige signed SB 559 (Act 032) which expands strategies and mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas emissions statewide in alignment with the principles and goals adopted in the Paris agreement.
The governor also signed HB 1578 (Act 033) which establishes the Carbon Farming Task Force within the Office of Planning to identify agricultural and aquacultural practices to improve soil health and promote carbon sequestration – the capture and long-term storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide to mitigate climate change.
“Hawai‘i is committed to environmental stewardship, and we look forward to working with other states to fight global climate change. Together, we can directly contribute to the global agenda of achieving a more resilient and sustainable island Earth,” said Gov. Ige. “The Hawai‘i State Legislature understands the importance of taking action, and I applaud its work this session to ensure that we continue to deliver the island Earth that we want to leave to our children.”
“The measure adopted relevant sections of the Paris agreement as state law, which gives us legal basis to continue adaptation and mitigation strategies for Hawaii, despite the Federal government’s withdrawal from the treaty,” said Sen. J. Kalani English, senate majority leader who introduced SB 559.
In addition, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell and representatives for Hawai‘i Island Mayor Harry Kim, Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa, and Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho signed a statement declaring their commitment to continue supporting of the Paris agreement.
The government of California and China’s Ministry of Science and Technology announced on Monday, June 5, 2017 that they would work together to develop clean energy technologies, cooperate on emissions trading and explore other “climate-positive” trade and investment opportunities.
Governor Edmund Gerald Brown of California
California and China agreed to establish the California-China Clean Technology Partnership, designed to drive innovation and commercialisation in areas such as carbon capture and storage, clean energy, and advanced information technology that could help cut greenhouse gas emissions, according to a Tuesday statement.
“The challenges are big but so too is the commitment – the commitment of Jiangsu Province with California and China with the people of America. We’re going to get it done. Nothing will stop us,” Governor Edmund Gerald Brown said. “Green is not only gold, green is our future – China, California and America and the other countries of the world are all working for the prosperity of the people.”
The Governor’s remarks came on World Environment Day at the International Summit of New Environmental Protection Technology in Nanjing on Monday.
Brown told reporters on the sidelines of the event that the failure of leadership from the United States was “only temporary” and said science and the market would be required to get past it.
Joint pledges by China and the United States ahead of the Paris talks helped create the momentum required to secure the Paris Climate Change Agreement, and included a promise by China to establish a nationwide emissions trading exchange by this year.
Brown said last week that he would discuss linking China’s carbon trading platforms with California’s, the biggest in the United States.
A Ghanaian environmental legal expert has called for a new governance approach for the sustainable management and use of the nation’s natural resources.
Mr. Clement Akapame of GIMPA’s Law Faculty and an Associate of ClientEarth, delivering a keynote presentation on the topic: “Governance Challenges in the Natural Resources and Environment Sectors,” at a ceremony to outdoor Tropenbos Ghana (TBG) in Accra on Wednesday, May 31, 2017
This, he says, will require interactions among structures, processes and traditions that determine how power and responsibilities are exercised, how decisions are taken, and how citizens or stakeholders engage.
The expert, Clement Kojo Akapame of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) Law Faculty, explained that this new mode of governance, based on collaboration and interaction, provide an authentic approach to dealing with challenges of the natural resources sector.
He was delivering a keynote presentation on “Governance Challenges in the Natural Resources and Environment Sectors,” at a ceremony in Accra last Wednesday, May 31, 2017 to outdoor Tropenbos Ghana (TBG), a civil society organisation (CSO) and launch its 10-year Strategic Plan.
Mr. Akapame, who is also an Associate of ClientEarth, a group of environmental lawyers, further highlighted the disorderliness within the legal regime of the natural resources sector, saying: “The current legal framework … is a perilous quagmire of constitutional obligations fleshed out through substantive and procedural provisions in various Acts of Parliament such as the Forest Act dating back to 1927 and most recently the Timber Resources Management Legality Regulation of 2012.”
He advocated a reorganisation of the sector’s governing processes towards the proposed new governance approach based on the principles of integration, coordination, transparency, inclusiveness, fairness, and legitimacy.
The Learned Professor was emphatic in demanding a new course for the sector. “…The charting of a new course in the management of natural resources, where we will de-balkanise institutions and processes, break down silos in our policy and law making process…”
He made reference to the words of Theodore Roosevelt that “the nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets, which it must turn over to the next generation increased and not impaired in value…”
And, on that note, Mr. Akapame wondered, “Are we in a position to say that the governance mechanism we have put in place will ensure such handover tot eh next generation?”
At the same event, a representative of the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Accra, Fred Smiet, also made presentation on the topic: “Civil Society as Partner in Development,” and cited the on-going media campaign on galamsey or illegal mining in Ghana as a very good example of the role of civil society in national affairs.
He said the process has been a collaboration between media and other civil society groups evidenced by many organisations who gathered proof of environmental destruction and damage, which the media published and continue to do so to date.
Mr. Smiet observed that “for years government did not act decisively. Now after months of a sustained campaign in the media, government feels compelled to act… members of Parliament, traditional leaders, Ministers, the President, have all swung into action.”
He stated: “This is a good example of the role of civil society,” but was quick to add, “… in the future civil society needs to keep up the effort, if government starts to show signs of complacency in enforcing mining regulations.”
The diplomat further highlighted the need for strategic partnership in the CSOs approach to issues, saying, “The Government of The Netherlands has challenged CSOs to work together in strategic partnership to lobby more effectively.” This is because “a combination of civil society partners is often more effective, since it combines different skills and has a more powerful voice.”
Touching on TBG, Mr. Smiet said it is a member of a Strategic Partnership known as the “Green Livelihood Alliance.” This partnership seeks to lobby, advocate, dialogue and dissent on the values of two forest landscapes in Ghana namely: The Atewa Forest Landscape and the Densu Delta.
He said that, together, the partnership would present a powerful voice that cannot be ignored on issues that pertain to the livelihoods of farmers and fishermen who live and depend on these landscapes.
TBG has been evolved out of Tropenbos International (TBI) Ghana, with its head office at Wageningen, The Netherlands that has been implementing national and multi-country projects including the EU-Funded project on illegal chain saw milling.
Like all good societal entities that make time to pause for reflection to re-strategise and re-position themselves for more effective delivery, TBG is now positioned as a legally autonomous organisation, poised to function “as a legal Think Tank in the forestry sector” both locally and internationally within the next 10 years.
It has a vision to become “a leading organisation that influences forest policy and practice for enhanced livelihoods and sustainable development,” in the country.
Accordingly, TBG will be pursuing strategic objectives including identifying emerging themes and cross-cutting issues in forestry for policy analysis and advocacy; and creating networks for strategic partnerships and collaboration in research, advocacy and capacity building.
These are contained in TBG’s Ten-Year Strategic Plan that was launched earlier in the ceremony by the Deputy Minister of Lands and Forestry, Benito Owusu Bio. He welcomed the on-going reform process of TBG to enable it impact positively on the forestry and the environment sectors in the years to come.
Mr. Bio said this was a crucial development in view of the major challenge facing Ghana’s forestry sector: “… how to restore degraded forest lands to benefit people and the environment, and make forestry a more competitive land-use.”
He stressed that government was not only interested in forest benefits, but also greatly committed to its sustainable management and has therefore come up with various initiatives.
These include the National Plantation Development Programme, the Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade/Voluntary Partnership Agreement (FLEGT/VPA) and the Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+), being pursued by the Ministry as some of the initiatives, “meant to strengthen our arms in dealing with deforestation and forest degradation,” he said.
The Deputy Minister acknowledged the immense contribution and support of donor partners like the Royal Netherlands Embassy and the Dutch government for funding forestry sector projects and especially for supporting Tropenbos activities in Ghana.
He was certain that government’s commitment to forest restoration and sustainable forest management coupled with the rich experiences and knowledge of TBG, will contribute to turn things around in the sector.
Board members of the TBG were also introduced and inducted into office by Nana Tawiah Okyere of also of GIMPA’s Law Faculty and Taylor Crabbe, an environmental legal consortium.
The seven member board members are: Professor Alfred Oteng-Yeboah of the University of Ghana, Legon; Professor Victor Agyeman, Director-General of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR); Akwasi Agyei Yeboah, a Private Plantation Developer and former Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources; and Mrs. Hannah Owusu-Koranteng, Associate Executive Director of Wacam.
The others are Mrs. Juliana Asante Dartey of a ASNAP; Raphael Yeboah, a Professional Forester and Legal Practitioner; and Musa Abu-Juam, Technical Director Director in-charge of Forestry at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
On behalf of the Board members, Prof. Oteng-Yebaoh, who is the Chairman, expressed his gratitude for their election to steer the affairs of the new TBG. He described it as “a heavy responsibility … as it marks a new beginning for the group that is still re-engineering itself.”
Prof. Oteng-Yeboah pledged that they would work alongside the 17 goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are guiding the global development agenda for the next 50 years. He said in discharging their duties, “we will depend on what is available, look back to the past for reference and formulate solutions to address tomorrow’s problems.”
For his part the Executive Director of TBG, Kwabena Nketiah, said in its new posture, his organisation would have to adapt and remain relevant as a localised non-profit organisation and independent entity in its governance, funding and operations.
But the TBG will not be completely severed from its mother organisation. Mr. Nketiah said it would still share in the vision and branding of TBI.
Kuwait on Monday, June 5, 2017 ratified the “Nagoya Protocol on Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilisation”, an agreement under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), bringing the total number of Parties to 100.
Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait
The Nagoya Protocol is a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity. 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, said: “This is an important milestone for the Nagoya Protocol and the Convention on Biological Diversity. I congratulate the Government of Kuwait for taking the world to 100 ratifications of this important Protocol in the service of sustainable development.”
Kuwait also ratified the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity on June 5, 2017 and became the 171st party.
Opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and entering into force in December 1993, the Convention on Biological Diversity 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 September 11, 2003, seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology. To date, 171 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 100 Parties.
The South Africa Football Association (SAFA) has confirmed that the Bafana Bafana delegation will fly into Lagos on Wednesday, and would immediately connect a flight to Uyo for the African Nations Cup encounter to be held at the Godwill Akpabio International Stadium.
Bafana Bafana players
The last outing between the two teams was a friendly match at the Mombola Stadium, Newspring, two years ago, which ended 1-1.
The Super Eagles have been urged to begin well by beating their opponents this Saturday in Uyo.
General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Dr Sanusi Mohammed, who gave this charge, said a lot is expected from the Super Eagles, considering their current form and support from Nigerians and the government.
“They must realise that it is not over until it is over. They should take all the games as they come. Our focus now is to make sure we beat South Africa and after that we think about Cameroon,” said Mohammed.
The Nigeria versus South Africa match at Uyo begins at 5pm this Saturday.
Meanwhile, all invited Eagles players participated in Tuesday’s training sessions, ahead of Saturday’s clash, as the race for the 2019 Africa Nations Cup, to be hosted by Cameroon, hots up.
Ogenyi Onaze and Ahmed Musa are expected to lead the team in the absence of the Captain of the team, John Mikel Obi, who is not listed for the tie due to injury concern.
In a related development, Manchester United has replaced Champions League winners Real Madrid as the world’s most valuable football team, according to the annual list published by Forbes on Tuesday, June 6, 2017.
United is valued at $3.69 billion (£2.86 billion) and returned to the top of the annual list for the first time in five years, an 11% jump compared to last year.
Spanish club Barcelona is second with a worth of $3.64 billion (£2.82 billion) as Real Madrid $3.69 billion (£2.77 billion) were down to the third, after four years lead.
Rounding out the top five is Bayern Munich $2.17 billion (£2.1 billion) and Manchester City $2.08 billion (£1.61 billion).
Other English teams in the top 10 are as follows: Arsenal $1.95 billion (£1.5 billion), Chelsea $1.85 billion (£1.43 billion), Liverpool $1.4 billion (£1.15 billion) and Tottenham $1.06 billion (£821 million).
Forbes Media Assistant Managing Editor, Mike Ozanian, said in a statement that Manchester United’s returned to the top spot is a testament to its powerful brand and marketing acumen.
Renewable energy technology must be considerably ramped up in order to meet long-term climate change targets and governments need to support large-scale deployment with the necessary policies, the International Energy Agency said in a report published on Tuesday, June 6, 2017.
Renewable energy: Solar panels
Under the Paris Climate Change Agreement, countries have agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to limit the global average rise in temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius and as close as possible to 1.5 degrees C, thereby avoiding the most severe impacts of climate change such as increased droughts, flooding and severe storms.
The IEA report, titled “Energy Technology Perspectives 2017”, says that only three out of 26 assessed technologies are on track to meet climate targets. These technologies are electric vehicles, energy storage and mature variable renewables (solar PV and onshore wind). The technologies and sectors not on track range from aviation to aluminum production.
For the first time, the IEA has looked at how far known clean energy technologies could go if pushed to their practical limits, in line with countries’ more ambitious aspirations in the Paris Agreement.
The IEA points out that, from 2010 to 2015, renewable power generation grew by more than 30 percent and is forecast to grow by another 30 percent between 2015 and 2020.
However, renewable power generation growth needs to accelerate by an additional 40 percent over 2020-25 to reach a 2 degree Celsius limit goal.
The agency predicts that the energy sector could reach carbon neutrality by 2060 to limit future temperature increases to 1.75°C by 2100, the midpoint of the Paris Agreement’s ambition range. However, this pathway would require unprecedented policy action in support of renewable technology innovation, as well as effort and engagement from all stakeholders.
The Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21) on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 published its Renewables 2017 Global Status Report (GSR), regarded as the most comprehensive annual overview of the state of renewable energy.
Renewable energy: Wind turbines in Egypt. Photo credit: CDKN
Additions in installed renewable power capacity set new records in 2016, with 161 gigawatts (GW) installed, increasing total global capacity by almost 9% over 2015, to nearly 2,017 GW. Solar Photovoltaic (PV) accounted for around 47% of the capacity added, followed by wind power at 34% and hydropower at 15.5%.
Renewables are becoming the least cost option. Recent deals in Denmark, Egypt, India, Mexico, Peru and the United Arab Emirates saw renewable electricity being delivered at $0.05 per kilowatt-hour or less. This is well below equivalent costs for fossil fuel and nuclear generating capacity in each of these countries. Winners of two recent auctions for offshore wind in Germany have done so relying only on the wholesale price of power without the need for government support, demonstrating that renewables can be the least cost option.
The inherent need for “baseload” is a myth. Integrating large shares of variable renewable generation can be done without fossil fuel and nuclear “baseload” with sufficient flexibility in the power system – through grid interconnections, sector coupling and enabling technologies such as ICT, storage systems electric vehicles and heat pumps. This sort of flexibility not only balances variable generation, it also optimises the system and reduces generation costs overall. It comes as no surprise, therefore that the number of countries successfully managing peaks approaching or exceeding 100% electricity generation from renewable sources are on the rise. In 2016, Denmark and Germany, for example, successfully managed peaks of renewables electricity of 140% and 86.3%, respectively.
Global energy-related CO2 emissions from fossil fuels and industry remained stable for a third year in a row despite a 3% growth in the global economy and an increased demand for energy. This can be attributed primarily to the decline of coal, but also to the growth in renewable energy capacity and to improvements in energy efficiency.
Other positive trends include:
Innovations and breakthroughs in storage technology will increasingly provide additional flexibility to the power system. In 2016, approximately 0.8 GW of new advanced energy storage capacity became operational, bringing the year-end total to an estimated 6.4 GW.
Markets for mini-grids and stand-alone systems are evolving rapidly and Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) business models, supported by mobile technology, are exploding. In 2012, investments in PAYG solar companies amounted to only $3 million; by 2016 that figure had risen to $223 million (up from $158 million in 2015).
Arthouros Zervos, Chair of REN21, said, “The world is adding more renewable power capacity each year than it adds in new capacity from all fossil fuels combined. One of the most important findings of this year’s GSR, is that holistic, systemic approaches are key and should become the rule rather than the exception. As the share of renewables grows we will need investment in infrastructure as well as a comprehensive set of tools: integrated and interconnected transmission and distribution networks, measures to balance supply and demand, sector coupling (for example the integration of power and transport networks); and deployment of a wide range of enabling technologies.”
But the energy transition is not happening fast enough to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Investments are down. Although global investment in new renewable power and fuel capacity was roughly double that in fossil fuels, investments in new renewable energy installations were down 23% compared to 2015. Among developing and emerging market countries, renewable energy investment fell 30%, to $116.6 billion, while that of developed countries fell 14% to $125 billion. Investment continues to be heavily focused on wind and solar PV, however all renewable energy technologies need to be deployed in order to keep global warming well below 2C.
Transport, heating and cooling sectors continue to lag behind the power sector. The deployment of renewable technologies in the heating and cooling sector remains a challenge in light of the unique and distributed nature of this market. Renewables-based decarbonisation of the transport sector is not yet being seriously considered, or seen as a priority. Despite a significant expansion in the sales of electric vehicles, primarily due to the declining cost of battery technology, much more needs to be done to ensure sufficient infrastructure is in place and that they are powered by renewable electricity. While the shipping and aviation sectors present the greatest challenges, government policies or commercial disruption have not sufficiently stimulated the development of solutions.
Fossil fuel subsidies continue to impede progress. Globally, subsidies for fossil fuels and nuclear power continue to dramatically exceed those for renewable technologies. By the end of 2016 more than 50 countries had committed to phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, and some reforms have occurred, but not enough. In 2014 the ratio of fossil fuel subsidies to renewable energy subsidies was 4:1. For every $1 spent on renewables, governments spent $4 perpetuating our dependence on fossil fuels.
Christine Lins, Executive Secretary of REN21, explains: “The world is in a race against time. The single most important thing we could do to reduce CO2 emissions quickly and cost-effectively, is phase-out coal and speed up investments in energy efficiency and renewables. When China announced in January that it was cancelling more than 100 coal plants currently in development, they set an example for governments everywhere: change happens quickly when governments act –by establishing clear, long-term policy and financial signals and incentives.”
Nigerians living in cities have been urged to develop the habit of spending their vacations in rural communities across the country to be close to nature and enjoy better health.
The Head of Department, Zoology and Environmental Biology, Lagos State University, Dr. Abiodun Denloye, made call at an event by the Lagos Office of Federal Ministry of Environment to commemorate this year’s World Environment Day.
