President of the Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE), Anthony Akpan, who participated in the recently held 2025 UN Ocean Conference, has made a case for the actualisation of a network that will champion public awareness of oceans in Africa.
President of the Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE), Anthony Akpan
In a poster presentation at the conference co-hosted by the Governments of France and Costa Rica and held from June 9 to 13, 2025, in Nice, France, Akpan urged the need for change as a result of consequences of widespread ignorance about the oceans.
The presentation was titled: “Proposal for the Establishment of the African Ocean Literacy Civil Society Action Network: A Key Necessity for Uplifting Voices of Local Actors, Creating Public Awareness and Increasing Ocean Education and Literacy in Africa (OOS2025-75)”.
Akpan said: “In Africa, most of us live our lives unaware of how our day-to-day actions affect the health and sustainability of the ocean and its many resources on which we depend. Nor do the majority of us recognise how the health of the ocean affects our daily lives.
“Most citizens are not aware of the full extent of the medical, economic, social, political, and environmental importance of the ocean and seas. However, what some scholars have called ‘ocean blindness’ can be countered by improving access to accurate and compelling ocean education that strengthens the learner’s connection with the ocean. This is the essence of ocean literacy: an understanding of the ocean’s influence on us and our influence on the ocean.”
According to him, the proposal seeks to address Challenge 10 of the Ocean Decade, which states: “Ensure that the multiple values and services of the ocean for human wellbeing, culture, and sustainable development are widely understood, and identify and overcome barriers to behavior change required for a step change in humanity’s relationship with the ocean.”
The 2025 UN Ocean Conference focused on “Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean”. It sought to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG14), with three main priorities, to produce an ambitious Nice Ocean Action Plan:
Priority 1: Working towards completion of multilateral processes linked to the ocean
Priority 2: Mobilising finance resources for the SDG14 and supporting the development of a sustainable blue economy
Priority 3: Strengthen and better disseminate knowledge linked to marine sciences to enhance policy-making.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has called on the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) to expose and checkmate the activities of peddlers of fake news in the country.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris (3rd Left)
President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Dr. Ike Neliaku (1st Left) President of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), Ms Maureen Chigbo (2nd left) former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed (4th left) and the Director General of the Voice of Nigeria, Mallam Jibrin Ndace (5th left) at the public presentation of “Nigeria Media Renaissance – Perspectives on Online Publishing”, organised by GOCOP in Abuja on Tuesday
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, made the call during his remarks at the book launch and fundraiser for GOCOP Media Centre on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in Abuja.
The 11-chapter book, “Nigeria Media Renaissance, GOCOP Perspectives on Online Publishing”, was collectively written by some members of the Guild.
According to Idris, one of the major challenges of present time, and one that is very relevant to online publishing, is the alarming spread of fake news, misinformation, and disinformation.
He explained that these are not harmless errors, adding that they were threats to public peace, national security, and democratic governance.
“We have seen how a false report can ignite violence, disrupt markets, or destroy reputations in a matter of minutes.
“I am aware that most peddlers of fake news are not members of GOCOP, but it is an additional responsibility on GOCOP to call them out and say, ‘these are not our members’.
“It is not just enough to say they are not our members and therefore everything goes. I think we have to shape the way online platforms operate in Nigeria.
“To address this, the Federal Government has made significant progress toward the take-off of the UNESCO Category 2 Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Institute here in Abuja by November 2025.
“Moreso, the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu is committed to a free, responsible, and vibrant press, that aligns with the enduring core values of journalism, truth, fairness, and accountability.
“We want to work with you to raise standards, promote media literacy, strengthen public communication, and tell the Nigerian story in a way that inspires hope and galvanises action,” Idris said.
The minister noted that the digital and online media had a critical role to play in nurturing democracy, describing them as “the gatekeepers of information”.
He emphasised that online media shaped public discourse, influence perceptions, expose wrongs and hold leaders accountable.
“But above all, you have a responsibility to promote truth and to be partners in nation-building.
“It is in this context that I welcome the idea of a Media Renaissance; a conscious effort to reset the tone, ethics, and values that underpin journalism in the digital age.
“A renaissance, meaning rebirth, critically suggests innovation, grounded in reflection. It is not just about doing new things – it is about doing things better,” Idris said.
Also speaking, the President of GOCOP, Ms. Maureen Chigbo, said the event was an opportunity to explain who and what GOCOP was to the world.
“GOCOP is a 120-member group, made up of professional journalists, who have worked in the traditional media, both broadcast and print before transitioning to business owners in the online media community.
“We are determined to entrench professionalism, fight fake news and sanitise the online media space.
“It is à truism that small and profitable businesses are the engine of growth of any economy. We, therefore, call on all stakeholders to support our businesses to grow and serve the country better,” Chigbo said.
Meanwhile, the reviewer of the book, Dr Ike Neliaku, President of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, said the 11-chapter book brought out seven core elements
“They include, evidence-based hideographic of online publishing in Nigeria; it underscores the pioneering efforts of online journalists; it provides and chronicles the development of online journalism.
“Also, it provides insight account of how high power politicking, that characterises public institutions and tends to undermine their independence and autonomy.
“It highlights the far reaching implications of political interference on the activities of public institutions in Nigeria.
“It also provides a clear understanding of what online publishing is and enable readers to understand its distinction with social media platforms and underscores the quality of publishers involve in online publishing,” he said.
Present at the occasion include the Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Malam Ali M. Ali; the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, Malam Jibrin Ndace, and many others.
The Federal Ministry of Environment has restated its commitment to deal decisively with plastic pollution in order to have a cleaner, greener and more resilient environment.
Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal, Minister of Environment
Malam Balarabe Lawal, Minister of Environment, said this on Tuesday, June 17, in Abuja at an event to commemorate the 2025 World Environment Day, usually marked annually on June 5.
He said that the government had evolved a strategic framework – the National Policy on Plastic Waste Management – to reduce plastic use, promoting recycling, and encouraging innovation in alternatives to single-use plastics.
“As we celebrate World Environment Day, I would like to assure you that the Federal Government of Nigeria, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, is committed to a cleaner, greener, and more resilient environment.
“In line with the Renewed Hope Agenda, we are taking decisive steps to address plastic pollution at all levels.
“The theme, ‘Ending Plastic Pollution’, resonates with a global urgency that cannot be overstated.
“Plastic pollution is not just an environmental issue but also an economic and public health crisis,” Lawal said.
According to him, the ministry has also inaugurated the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Programme, which mandates producers to take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their plastic products, from production to disposal.
“The ministry is collaborating with key stakeholders across government, industry, and civil society to ensure that environmental policies translate into meaningful impact. However, we cannot do this alone.
“The fight against plastic pollution and other environmental challenges must be a people-oriented movement.
“This is a fight for the preservation of our ecosystems, the future of our children, and the survival of our dear planet,” he said.
Lawal said that Nigeria, like many other nations, faces significant challenges in managing plastic waste.
“Our cities and rural communities suffer from the burden of unchecked plastic pollution ranging from sachet water bags littering our streets to microplastics entering our food chain and causing public health concerns.
“Every minute, plastic waste is being dumped into our oceans, rivers, and drainage systems, endangering wildlife and contributing to flooding in our urban centres.
“We are also supporting innovative circular economy models to drive recycling and promote plastic alternatives, especially across government ministries, departments, and agencies,” Lawal assured.
Also, Massandje Toure-Litse, Commissioner, Economic Affairs and Agriculture, ECOWAS Commission, reaffirmed the body’s commitment to a clean, resilient and sustainable environment for future generations.
“Don’t put light plastic in microwave. Plastic is manufactured from oil and plastic contains hydrocarbon.
“When you put light plastic in microwave, this is the driver for cancer.
“The theme of this year: ‘Together we can beat plastic pollution’ resonates deeply with our regional priorities.
“Plastic pollution is not only a global menace concern, but a regional and national crisis,” Toure-Litse said.
According to him, a World Bank report indicates that the region generates nearly eight million metric tonnes of plastic waste every year.
“A figure that is set to rise by 52 per cent in five years time.
“In addition, more than 80 per cent of plastic waste is poorly managed in West Africa, adversely affecting human, animal health, ecosystem and blue economy sector such as fishing and tourism.
“The cost of damage of one tonne of plastic pollution is about 10,000 to 33,000 US dollars.
“There is a growing recognition that plastic pollution is a transboundary problem that requires a coordinated regional response.
“So in this regard, ECOWAS is committed to addressing persistent challenge by adopting a regional regulation,” he said.
The commissioner said that across the region, Ghana and Nigeria were scaling up the Circular Economy Initiative, adding that the ECOWAS Commission would harmonise environmental standards and promote green industrialisation.
Mrs. Alero Balogun, Senior Vice President, Corporate Services, Oando Clean Energy Ltd, urged stakeholders to support a better environment and climate change.
“Let this be the beginning or the continuation of a movement, one that puts people at the centre of plastic, in the right place and purpose behind every partnership,” Balogun said.
Similarly, Mrs. Habiba Abubakar, Managing Director, ZoomLion Nigeria, expressed determination to partner with the ministry of environment in ending plastic pollution in Nigeria and to also turn plastic to wealth.
Carbon markets could unleash 1.5 to 2.5 gigatonnes of new emissions annually, or more than all of Africa’s current fossil fuel and agricultural emissions combined, a new policy brief by African climate think tank, Power Shift Africa, shows.
Report’s lead author and Director of Power Shift Africa, Mohamed Adow
The brief, titled “Why Carbon Markets Are a Dangerous Distraction for Africa”, is produced in collaboration with a global team of climate experts and scientists, and exposes how uncontrolled carbon market schemes fuel pollution, delay genuine climate solutions, and let wealthy nations off the hook while saddling Africa with lasting harm.
The damning report has been endorsed by 21 African organisations, including the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD), Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), Green Faith Africa, and the African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET).
It shows that carbon markets actually lead to further carbon pollution, delay real climate solutions, enable corporate greenwashing, and disproportionately burden Africa while allowing wealthy nations and industries to evade meaningful emission reductions.
Mohamed Adow, Director and Founder of Power Shift Africa, and lead author, said: “Carbon markets are nothing more than a smokescreen for polluters. They allow corporations to keep burning fossil fuels while claiming climate responsibility through offset purchases. This does not reduce emissions but simply shifts the burden onto
Africa, where communities suffer the most from climate change. Instead of relying on financial schemes that serve elite interests, we need direct public investment in clean energy, adaptation, and real emissions reduction strategies.”
Citing recent reports by a growing body of scientific research into the markets, the report argues that carbon markets, especially voluntary ones, act as “pollution permits” by allowing corporations to continue burning fossil fuels under the guise of environmental responsibility. By commodifying avoided or stored carbon, these schemes transfer control over Africa’s land and resources to global and local elites, undermining development while reinforcing inequalities.
The authors cite the European Union Emissions Trading System, which missed early reduction targets, as well as voluntary carbon schemes that have failed to drive meaningful price signals or systemic change. They warn that initiatives such as the African Carbon Markets Initiative (ACMI) could lead to 1.5 to 2.5 gigatonnes of new emissions annually, and that, rather than relying on offset-based mechanisms that perpetuate inequality and greenwashing, African countries should prioritise direct, accountable climate finance solutions.
Suggesting alternative sources of finance, the authors are now calling for increased public funding, debt cancellation, climate reparations, tax justice, and community-led adaptation projects, noting that these will ensure climate action serves the needs of local populations rather than financial intermediaries.
In this regard, the report proposes the establishment of national climate funds governed transparently and inclusively, allowing African nations to retain sovereignty over their climate strategies. It notes that community-led agroecological approaches, for decades the backbone of Africa’s subsistence farming, combined with decentralised renewable energy projects and sustainable land-use models are vital alternatives to the market-driven solutions that have failed to deliver real progress.
Jason Braganza, Executive Director, African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD), said: “Wealthy nations and major corporations must take direct responsibility for their emissions rather than outsourcing climate solutions to Africa through carbon trading. These markets do not serve African interests; they entrench inequalities, misallocate resources, and undermine our sovereignty over land and climate finance. Africa must demand climate reparations and debt relief, not false solutions designed to benefit polluters while keeping us locked in cycles of dependency.”
Bridget Mugambe, Programmes Coordinator, Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), said: “Carbon trading mechanisms are essentially pollution tickets for those who can afford to pay, allowing the biggest polluters to continue emitting while passing the burden onto vulnerable communities. They reinforce power imbalances between the Global North and South, enabling developed nations to buy offsets instead of cutting emissions at the source leaving African countries to bear the devastating costs.
“Worse still, protectionist measures tied to these schemes often infringe on communities’ land access and ownership rights, threatening livelihoods, food sovereignty and deepening injustice. This is climate injustice in its purest form. Africa must strongly reject these false climate solutions and instead demand direct financing for sustainable energy, resilient food systems, and disaster preparedness that serve our people not corporate shareholders.”
Meryne Warrah, Director GreenFaith Africa, said: “Carbon markets are a distraction from the real work of transitioning to clean energy. Africa should not be a carbon sink for industries that refuse to change their business models. We need investments in renewables, decentralised power grids, and green jobs, not speculative offset schemes that do nothing to curb pollution. True climate justice demands an end to emissions, not a market-driven system that only benefits polluters.”
Memory Kachambwa, Executive Director, African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), sad: “Africa deserves genuine climate solutions, not mechanisms that prolong fossil fuel dependence. Carbon markets offer corporations an escape route to continue polluting while claiming sustainability. We should be focusing on community-led adaptation, agroecology, and national climate funds that center local needs of frontline indigenous communities and women in particular first. The fight against climate change is about justice, and carbon markets undermine that by allowing the wealthy to shift responsibility onto those least responsible for the crisis.”
Mohamed Adow, Director and Founder of Power Shift Africa, said: “The illusion that carbon markets reduce emissions is dangerous. These schemes allow industries to claim net- zero status while continuing polluting activities. Meanwhile, African nations are left to deal with the environmental consequences. The climate crisis requires urgent systemic change, not financial mechanisms that permit business-as-usual emissions. We need bold action that prioritises local solutions, public climate finance, and equitable policies that serve communities rather than corporate profits.”
The South African People’s Tribunal on AgroToxins (SAPToA) has welcomed the Cabinet’s decision on June 12, 2025, to ban Terbufos, a highly hazardous pesticide (HHP).
SAPToA campaign
The Tribunal submitted: “On June 16, South Africans remember the many young people who died for our democracy. We also remember the young people who died through neglect as a result of policies that preference profit over people’s lives, such as occurred in Naledi, Soweto when, in October 2024, we received the heartbreaking news that six children had died due to exposure to the highly hazardous pesticide (HHP) Terbufos. For that reason, we welcome the ban.
SAPToA noted that, despite a government policy adopted in 2010 to phase out HHPs and a regulation being issued in 2023 to restrict Terbufos, business continued as usual for the chemical industry that, in the week before the Naledi children died, was still insisting on having more time to prepare for any regulations. For industry, the death of our children due to their products is not an urgent matter.
SAPToA added: “This Cabinet decision, recognising our Constitutional imperative to put the child’s best interests first, marks the end of a long era of undue influence by the chemical industry over the regulation of their deadly products. The highest level of government has reined in corporate impunity and said that all South Africans, particularly children, have the right to a safe and healthy environment.”
One down, 194 to go
The banning of Terbufos has been described as a significant victory, signalling the beginning of the transformation of an agricultural system riven with conflict of interest, inequity, abuse of worker rights, and the unchallenged hegemony of toxic chemicals.
According to SAPToA, civil society will continue to push for the immediate ban of all 194 HHPs currently registered in South Africa and rejects the notion of phase-out periods subject to industry discretion, which is a fig leaf for industry delay and prevarication.
SAPToA is also calling for transparency in governance of agricultural toxins, beginning with making available a public database of all pesticides registered in South Africa, as a constitutional right for all South Africans.
The Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP), a Nigerian registered environmental NGO, has set a new benchmark for corporate climate accountability with the publication of its 2024 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report.
SPP’s 2024 GHG Report
Under Sections 19 and 24 of Nigeria’s Climate Change Act (2021), organisations with 50 or more employees, as well as all public entities, are legally required to implement measures that reduce carbon emissions annually and to report on their progress, which implies the need for emissions reduction assessment.
Although these provisions of the Act are yet to be widely enforced, SPP’s proactive assessment and disclosure set an important precedent for compliance and accountability across private and public sectors. By voluntarily disclosing its own footprint, the organisation has demonstrated not only compliance but true leadership.
In a statement to the press, the President of SPP, Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, stressed the importance of these sections of the Climate Change Act, which seek to hold organisations to account and enforce environmental responsibility.
“Policy without enforcement is a promise unkept. By publishing our own emissions report and laying out clear time-bound reduction targets, we are proving that environmental responsibility begins with accountability. I am proud that SPP is leading this vital transformation,” he said.
According to SPP’s audit, the organisation emitted 2.011 tonnes CO₂ equivalent from February 1, 2024 to January 31, 2025.
The report details SPP’s emission profile, identifying four high emission hotspots: diesel generator use, petrol‐fuelled vehicles as staff travel between field sites and policy forums, single-use bottles purchased to guarantee safe drinking water, and the large energy draw of video-conferencing infrastructure, accounting for 86.1 % of the total emission.
The report goes further to outline next steps to be taken in order to achieve the organisation’s commitment to attain 30% emissions reduction by 2030. To achieve this, the organisation aims to instal solar equipment to reduce diesel reliance, eliminate bottled-water purchases by installing on-site water purification systems and halving webinar-related emissions by optimizing meeting relevance.
SPP’s Executive Director, Mr. Edwin Orugbo, emphasised the report’s broader significance and expressed hope that it will inspire other organisations to follow suit.
“We are under no illusion that change is easy. However, we hope that this report will inspire a nationwide shift toward real sustainability as organisations across sectors prioritise emissions tracking and sustainability reporting,” he said.
As part of its commitment to climate action, Nigeria aspires to attain net zero by 2060. The country’s NDCs 2.0 target also aimed at 20% unconditional GHG reduction, and 47% conditional reduction. These targets which may change in its NDCs 3.0 can only be attained through whole-of-society actions.
“SPP’s exemplary action is therefore expected to motivate Nigeria’s public and private sectors to engage in audits of their emissions and subsequently take action to reduce their carbon footprints in line with the country’s targets, and in compliance with Mission 1.5 degrees of the Paris Agreement,” disclosed the group.
Climate justice activists and Indigenous representatives staged a protest on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, inside the UN climate talks in Bonn, where Brazil’s COP30 presidency is seeking to position the country as a global climate leader.
Climate justice activists and Indigenous representatives directing messages at the Brazil COP30 Presidency at the Bonn climate talks
As Brazilian negotiators promoted their vision for climate action in the conference, large banners were opened inside the conference venue reading “No More Fossil Fuels,” “Climate Leadership Is Not Made of Oil,” and “Our Future Is Not Up For Sale”.
The protest comes in direct response to a major contradiction playing out in real time as the Brazilian government (through the National Petroleum Agency (ANP) is conducting the 5th Cycle of the Permanent Offer of Concessions, a remarkable oil and gas auction that includes blocks in the Equatorial Margin, one of the most sensitive and biodiverse regions of the Amazon.
Ilan Zugman, 350.org Latin America and Caribbean director, says: “While the Brazilian COP30 presidency speaks of a global mutirão for climate action – a word with indigenous origins that means collective effort rooted in solidarity, community-driven transformation, and collaboration – this oil and gas auction tells another story. Expanding fossil fuels in the Amazon not only undermines the spirit of the mutirão, but it also betrays it.
“This isn’t just about emissions, it’s about injustice. By auctioning off the forest and the Amazon coast to oil companies, the government is violating the rights of Indigenous peoples, endangering traditional communities, and lighting the fuse of the very destruction it claims to prevent. We must see a plan for the just energy transition without fossil fuels – You can’t lead on climate while fueling the crisis.”
Luene Karipuna, spokesperson for the Coordination of Indigenous Organisations of the Brazilian Amazon (COIAB) and executive coordinator of the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples and Organisations of Amapá and Northern Pará, says: “Talking about the climate crisis is talking about the lives of Indigenous peoples, who are already feeling its impacts. International agreements are important, but they must translate into concrete actions within countries. Science is clear: fossil fuels are the main drivers of the crisis. We need a just energy transition built through dialogue and respect for Indigenous peoples, unlike Belo Monte dam, in Brazil, which only brought destruction. President Lula must declare the Amazon a fossil-free zone and guarantee our right to life, with direct funding to Indigenous organizations in order to address the impacts we’re already facing in our territories.”
Cacique (chief) Ninawá Huni Kui says: “Brazil is preparing to host COP30 in Belém, in the heart of the Amazon, while approving new oil and gas auctions. This is not an energy transition, it’s an energy contradiction. It’s incompatible to celebrate climate commitments with one hand while signing off on the expansion of the fossil frontier with the other. It’s even more serious when this expansion directly threatens Indigenous territories. Indigenous peoples are not just defending the forest – we are part of the forest. Attacking our bodies and our lands is attacking what still sustains the planet’s climate balance.
“There is no climate justice without historical justice. There is no future with new oil. And there is no coherence in hosting a COP while deepening the extractivist model that brought us to this crisis. Brazil can be part of the solution, but that requires political courage to say no to fossil auctions and yes to the permanent protection of all biomes and their peoples. We are here to remind the world: the COP cannot be a stage for climate marketing. It must be a turning point. And the turning point begins now.”
Clara Junger, Brazil Campaigns Coordinator at the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, says: “Expanding oil and gas exploration while positioning Brazil as a climate leader is a glaring contradiction. The ANP’s auction of 172 blocks on June 17 undermines the country’s climate commitments, especially as it prepares to host COP30. Pushing for 47 new blocks in the Amazon River Basin not only threatens Indigenous and traditional communities but also the global climate. With just 0.06% of oil revenues allocated to the energy transition, it’s clear where the priorities lie. The world urgently needs a global agreement to phase out fossil fuels equitably, and at the very least, we must halt this reckless expansion.”
Romain Ioualalen, Global Policy lead at Oil Change International, says: “At COP28, governments committed to an equitable transition away from fossil fuels – an agreement largely being ignored by rich countries. Not only are Global North countries continuing to open new oil and gas fields, but just a handful of them are planning to massively expand oil and gas production in the next decade. While fossil fuel phaseout timelines for countries like Brazil should not be the same for rich Global North producing countries, the COP30 host is acting in fierce contradiction to the 1.5°C survival limit.
“Brazil, both as COP30 host and aspiring Global South climate champion, cannot hide behind other countries to justify its own expansion plans. As this year’s UN climate talks host, Brazil should be seizing the opportunity to enable conditions for the Global South to transition away from fossil fuels while ensuring prosperity and development – not locking themselves into destructive oil and gas expansion for decades to come.”
Claudio Angelo, International Policy Coordinator at Observatório do Clima, says: “The Brazilian government needs to stop sabotaging the COP30 presidency. Here in Bonn, Brazilian diplomats are working hard to bring countries together to solve the greatest collective challenge of humanity, but in Brasília the order remains ‘drill, baby, drill.’ President Lula must understand that his true legacy won’t be a bunch of oil wells, but the ability to use Brazil’s influence in the only global agenda the country is truly capable of leading – the environmental one.”
Patrícia Suarez, spokesperson for the National Organisation of Indigenous Peoples of the Colombian Amazon (OPIAC), says: “Amazonian Indigenous territories have contributed for years to regulating the global climate and are fundamental to preventing climate collapse. The Amazon cannot remain at the mercy of changing governments. We welcome the current decision by the Colombian government not to expand oil concessions in the Amazon, but we demand that this becomes an irreversible policy to protect life and our territories.”
Similarly, Climate Action Network Latin America (CANLA), representing over 70 organisations across the region, has condemned the Brazilian government’s willingness to auction oil blocks in the Amazon – a move the group says endangers climate stability, biodiversity, and Brazil’s credibility as the host of COP30.
On Tuesday, June 17, 2025, Brazil is putting up 172 new oil blocks for auction, 68 of them in the Amazon, a move observers say directly contradicts the country’s climate commitments and threatens irreversible harm to fragile ecosystems like the Amazon Reef, as well as to the livelihoods of coastal and forest-dependent communities.
“This is not climate leadership. You cannot call for a global mutirão – a collective climate effort – while igniting a carbon bomb with the potential to release 11 billion tons of CO₂. That’s more than twice Brazil’s total emissions in 2023.
“We believe that Brazil has long been a key player in global climate diplomacy. But at a time when the world is looking to Brazil for leadership at COP30, this decision undermines trust, contradicts its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and puts decades of environmental credibility at risk.
“We urge President Lula and his government to immediately cancel oil exploration plans in the Amazon and to uphold the principles of environmental justice, long-term development strategies, democratic accountability, and planetary responsibility.
“Let Brazil lead not through rhetoric, but through action and coherence. Let the Amazon stand not as a new frontier for fossil fuels, but as a living symbol of a just, oil-free, and biodiversity-rich future. We believe you might agree with us that a liveable future needs concrete plan to leave fossil fuels in the ground.
“Let COP30 mark the turning point,” demanded CANLA.
Caio Victor Vieira, Climate Policy Specialist at the Talanoa Institute, says: “Opening an oil extraction frontier in the same Amazon where Brazil proudly claims to host a COP is politically incoherent, humanly disrespectful and damaging to the country’s credibility. The Brazilian Presidency must be part of the same collective effort it calls on the world to join and transition away from fossil fuels in an orderly, just, and gradual manner, starting now.”
Anna Cárcamo, Climate Change Politics Specialist at Greenpeace Brazil, says:“This auction is completely contrary to the COP28 decision to transition away from fossil fuels. The climate crisis requires us to accelerate the decarbonisation process, not prolong it. Every additional drop of oil also increases the impact of extreme weather events, which may affect us all tomorrow, but always disproportionately harm the most vulnerable populations in the affected regions. Every drop entails enormous losses for the near future.” Anna Cárcamo, Climate Change Politics Specialist at Greenpeace Brazil.”
Karla Maass Wolfenson, Advocacy and Campaigns Advisor, Climate Action Network Latinamerica, says:“Opening oil blocks at the mouth of the Amazon is like detonating a bomb at the heart of global trust – precisely when multilateralism is in jeopardy. There is no time for inconsistencies or political calculations when life and the protection of the natural world we all depend on are at stake. There’s no need to recall the science or voices of Indigenous peoples and local communities, as this decision has simply chosen to ignore them. From the possible future we, as people and organisations, strive to build, these actions are not only condemnable but unacceptable.”
The Children’s Environmental Health Foundation (CEHF) is sounding the alarm on the widespread use of highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) among Zambia’s smallholder farmers – calling it a public health and environmental crisis that demands urgent government intervention.
Pesticides use
According to recent field data and expert testimony, over 95 percent of small-scale farmers in Zambia are applying hazardous chemicals such as those used against Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm) in maize and Tuta absoluta (tomato leaf miner) in tomato crops.
These pests – already resistant to many chemical treatments – are prompting farmers to increase pesticide dosages dangerously, often without adequate training, protective gear, or understanding of the long-term consequences.
A Triple Threat: Health, Environment, and Food Security
Speaking during a media briefing, CEHF Executive Director, Michael Musenga, warned that this unchecked pesticide use poses a triple threat to Zambia’s future.
“Our food systems, our health systems, and our ecosystems are all under siege because of unregulated pesticide use. Pregnant mothers and children in farming households are exposed daily to toxic residues in the air, water, and food. Meanwhile, the soil is being degraded, water sources polluted, and beneficial insects like bees and butterflies wiped out,” Mr. Musenga said.
Numerous studies have linked long-term pesticide exposure to neurodevelopmental delays, respiratory diseases, hormonal disorders, cancer, and birth defects, particularly in children and youth. In rural areas, where children often help with farm work or live near sprayed fields, the risk of unintentional exposure is dangerously high.
Gaps in Law and Practice
Zambia is a signatory to several international conventions, including the Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, which aim to regulate hazardous chemicals. However, enforcement gaps remain.
“Despite being signatories to global agreements, we still allow highly hazardous pesticides to circulate freely in informal markets. Smallholder farmers buy them over the counter with little regulation, and many are unaware they are applying chemicals banned in other countries,” Mr. Musenga said.
CEHF also noted that Zambia’s extension services are severely overstretched, with one officer often covering over 1,500 farmers, making it nearly impossible to monitor pesticide use or deliver timely advice on sustainable alternatives.
What CEHF Is Demanding
CEHF is calling on the Government of Zambia, in collaboration with development partners, the private sector, and academia, to undertake comprehensive reforms that prioritise child safety, farmer health, and environmental protection:
1. Enforce the Ban on Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs)
Fast-track the review and banning of pesticide products identified as Class Ia and Ib by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Strengthen regulation and customs controls to stop the illegal importation and sale of banned products.
2. Launch a National Awareness Campaign
Educate farmers, agro-dealers, and the public on pesticide safety, resistance management, and the dangers of overuse.
Target messages to protect vulnerable populations including children and women of childbearing age.
3. Expand Access to Sustainable Alternatives
Promote Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques and biological pest control (such as parasitoids and natural predators).
Provide subsidies or incentives for eco-friendly farming inputs such as organic biopesticides and protective equipment.
4. Strengthen Agricultural Extension and Digital Tools
Invest in community-based extension models and expand the use of digital advisory platforms like Plantwise Plus to disseminate timely, localised pest control information.
Train extension officers in toxicology, child health, and environmental monitoring.
5. Establish a National Pesticide Surveillance System
Set up systems to track pesticide use, exposure levels, and associated health outcomes.
Monitor pesticide residues in food crops, water sources, and rural households, especially near schools and homes.
Protecting Children Is Non-Negotiable
CEHF believes that no economic gain from higher crop yields should come at the cost of child health and environmental degradation.
Mr. Musenga stressed the urgency of integrating environmental health into all national agricultural strategies.
“Zambia’s ambition for agricultural transformation and food security must go hand in hand with a vision for safe, sustainable, and inclusive farming. No child should grow up in a toxic environment where their food, water, and air are contaminated by chemicals that were banned elsewhere decades ago.”
“If we fail to act now, we will not only endanger our farmers and their families—we will compromise the very future of agriculture in Zambia,” he added.
The theme, “Beat Plastic Pollution”, for this year’s World Environment Day resonates deeply, considering the menace of plastic to our environment. Every year, the United Nations (UN) designates the month of June to awareness of the importance of a healthy environment.
Plastic waste pollution
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has always maintained that we owe the environment a collective duty of care to have pure air, clean rivers, and forests teeming with life. Our environment is not merely a setting for our lives—it is the basis of our health, well-being, and future.
António Guterres,the United Nations Chief, in his heartfelt message to the world, said, “Plastic pollution is choking our planet – harming ecosystems, well-being, and the climate.”
A report by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group stated that the country is estimated to generate an average of 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with its commercial capital, Lagos, generating 870,000 tonnes annually. These numbers are a major cause for concern, especially as the ubiquity of plastic waste is steadily growing, with no directed measures to curb the increase.
Lagos is the state most affected by plastic pollution in West Africa. While some of these plastic wastes are collected and recycled, most are disposed of carelessly, clogging drainage systems, polluting waterways, and destroying the environment. The state recently announced a ban on Styrofoam, with a view to redefining its ecological and economic landscape. It will commence enforcement of the ban on single-use plastics on July 1. In June 2024, the Federal Government also announced a ban on single-use plastics in government offices, ahead of a planned nationwide ban. But not much has been heard about the proposed ban from this year.
Plastic pollution has become such a serious problem in Nigeria, with regular road users and beach visitors frequently dumping their plastic bottles carelessly, despite the dangers that such plastics pose to the environment.
Plastics not only harm humans and marine life but also degrade the aesthetic appeal and comfort of Nigerian landscapes, threatening cultural ecosystems and environmental security.
Combating plastic pollution in Nigeria requires a multi-faceted approach. This includes tackling the root cause – fossil fuel production, which generates plastic by-products – and addressing poor waste management practices prevalent in the country. Government policies should discourage single-use plastics, and significant investment is needed in public awareness campaigns to highlight the dangers of indiscriminate plastic dumping and promote the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle.
It is our collective responsibility to bequeath an environment that future Nigerians can be proud of, and every action counts.
By Olamide Martins Ogunlade, Associate Director (Climate Change), Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), and Esi-Ife Arogundade, climate change advocate at CAPPA
By applying a one-size-fits-all carbon-pricing regime to countries with vastly different capacities, the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism undermines the principle of a just energy transition. To be effective, the CBAM must be more flexible and allow developing economies time to prepare and adapt
Claver Gatete, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
As the climate crisis escalates, the European Union and the United Kingdom are moving forward with their Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, promoting it as a landmark tool linking trade and climate policy. But the CBAM’s ambitious aims are now meeting a growing backlash.
The CBAM puts a price on the carbon content of emissions-intensive imports like steel, aluminium, and cement. The goal is to reinforce the EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) and create a level playing field between domestic and foreign producers, thereby incentivising greener production practices worldwide.
Despite the European Parliament’s support for recent proposals to simplify the CBAM, its current design and pace of implementation risk undermining its legitimacy. Rather than advancing a fair and equitable energy transition, it could stoke trade tensions and fuel economic fragmentation, exacerbate inequality, and deliver only limited climate benefits.
The transition phase, which began in October 2023, requires importers to report carbon dioxide emissions associated with their goods, but does not require them to pay. That will change in January 2027, when the CBAM’s levies on carbon-intensive imports take effect.
Most countries in the Global South – particularly major exporters to the EU – are unprepared for this shift, because they lack the technical capacity to track and report embedded CO2 emissions, the institutional infrastructure to verify them, and the fiscal space to absorb the costs of compliance. These are some of the symptoms of a deeply unequal global system in which the burdens of climate action have not been fairly distributed.
However commendable the CBAM’s stated goals may be, its inherent asymmetries must not be overlooked. Applying a uniform carbon-pricing regime to countries with vastly different capacities undermines the principle of a just energy transition and erodes the legitimacy of global climate action by placing a disproportionate burden on those least responsible for the crisis.
Many developing economies are still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and struggling with rising public debt, in addition to being acutely vulnerable to climate shocks. Now, they are expected to comply with EU and UK standards despite lacking access to robust emissions data systems, clean technologies, regulatory infrastructure, and adequate climate finance.
Compounding the problem, revenues generated through the CBAM will be directed to the budgets of the EU and the UK rather than to international climate finance or support for affected countries. This design flaw reinforces the perception that the CBAM is not a genuine effort to advance global climate goals but an instrument of trade protectionism. Many countries, particularly outside Europe, have voiced such concerns, viewing the mechanism as a unilateral trade measure cloaked in green rhetoric.
The geopolitical consequences could be dire. The CBAM has emerged at a time of fraying multilateralism and escalating trade tensions. Without broader participation and tangible support for affected exporters, it risks fueling economic fragmentation and undermining global trust – just when international climate cooperation is most critical and official development assistance is being slashed.
But the CBAM is not beyond repair. With thoughtful reforms, it can evolve from a rigid policy tool into a catalyst for an equitable climate transition. To achieve this, the EU and the UK should consider postponing the start of financial enforcement until at least 2028, thereby giving developing countries time to prepare and adapt.
This pause must be anchored in a strategic partnership framework that directs resources toward establishing emission-tracking systems, strengthening regulatory capacity, developing carbon-credit markets, and accelerating green industrial investment in climate-vulnerable economies.
Moreover, a portion of CBAM revenues should be allocated to international climate partnerships. This would make the mechanism more equitable, build trust with developing countries, and ensure that carbon pricing serves as an incentive rather than a penalty. Most importantly, the CBAM must not be framed as a final destination, but as a step toward a more coordinated and inclusive carbon-pricing framework. Mutual recognition of national systems, policy flexibility, and transitional thresholds could help prevent fragmentation and promote international alignment.
While the EU and the UK have both the capacity and the influence to help shape global standards, climate leadership demands more than bold policy ambitions; it requires solidarity, partnership, and the recognition of shared but differentiated responsibilities. Rather than simply decarbonizing imports through a transactional approach, policymakers must focus on facilitating low-carbon development.
That goal cannot be achieved through border measures alone. If rushed, the CBAM could become just another divisive international levy. But if recalibrated through a constructive and pragmatic process grounded in trust-building, it has the potential to serve as a unifying platform for international climate cooperation.
The fight against climate change will not be won through exclusion. A sustainable future depends on building systems that bring others along. A well-designed CBAM could play a vital role in that effort.
By Rola Dashti (Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), Claver Gatete (Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), and Mahmoud Mohieldin (UN Special Envoy on Financing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and Co-Chair of the Expert Group on Debt)
