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What the National Confab agreed to on biosafety, GMOs

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What the National Confab agreed to on biosafety, GMOs

During the 2014 Nigerian National Conference (Confab), three committees made recommendations with regard to handling of Biosafety in Nigeria and with particular reference to Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). As at the time of the Confab the National Biosafety Management Act 2015 (simply known as Biosafety Act 2015) had not yet been enacted. The Confab committees that considered Biosafety matters were the Agriculture and Water Resources Committee, the Environment Committee and the Science, Technology & Development Committee.

The National Confab during a session in 2014
The National Confab during a session in 2014

The Biosafety Act came into force April 2015 after former President Goodluck Jonathan assented to the Biosafety Bill. Within a year of the Act, two permits have been issued to Monsanto Agriculture Nigeria Ltd for commercial release of Bt Cotton and for confined filed trails of GMO maize.

Farmers, consumers, faith-based organisations, media, community groups and other civil society groups, including Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), have expressed their rejection of the introduction of GMOs into Nigeria. The reasons for objecting to this development is that these crops would lead to a massive introduction of toxic chemicals into our environment, erode our biodiversity and entrap hapless farmers in the grip of the biotech industry.

We are encouraged that the Federal Ministry of Environment is considering a holistic look at the Biosafety situation in Nigeria, including the Biosafety Act itself. The recommendations of the Confab committees are weighty and it is germane for us to remind ourselves of what these committees recommended with regard to our biosafety and the matter of GMOs in Nigeria.

Here are the Sections of the Confab report referred to:

Agriculture and Water Resources Committee

5.1.7 Bio-Technology (pages 72-73 of the Confab Report)

Conference resolved as follows:

  • That adequate funding should be devoted to biotechnological research, especially those that do not 
involve cross-species genetic manipulations; and
  • That action should be expedited on the passage of the Biosafety Bill to regulate trans-boundary 
movement of genetically modified agricultural products and encourage development of improved 
varieties and breeds under ethical research environment.
  • That the Bio-safety Bill should be reviewed to include the following: (1) Public participation: It should be obligatory to ensure public participation when applications to introduce GMOs are being considered; 
(2) The Bill should specify clearly how large-scale filed trials would be contained and regulated to avoid contamination of surroundings or farms; 
(3) Besides Environmental NGOs, Farmers organisations should be represented on the Governing Board; (4) Risk Assessment: The Bill should state criteria for risk assessment and such assessments must be carried out in Nigeria and not offshore; (5) Liability and Redress should be included in the Bill bearing in mind that this is a key part to implementing the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol to the Cartagena Protocol on Bio-safety adopted in October 2010; and, (6) Precautionary principle: The Bill should include the implementation of the precautionary principle that entitles our government to decide against approval or for restriction in cases of incomplete or controversial knowledge.

Environment Committee

5.7.3 Policy Resolutions (Pages 151 & 156 of the Confab Report)

Resolutions on Institutional Framework and Enforcement

  • There must be policy and action coherence between and within government agencies to ensure 
synergy in tackling our environmental challenges;
  • Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) are not project planning approval documents but 
veritable tools for environmental protection. Accordingly, EIAs must be conducted for all major projects as stipulated in the EIA Act. Moreover, there should be detailed post project assessment requirements and approved decommissioning plans;
  • The Precautionary Principle of the Cartagena Protocol of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) prevails in discussions of modern biotechnology in agriculture and foods. Nigeria must be kept free of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as a key way to avoid biodiversity erosion and seeds colonization by agri-businesses;
  • Modern biotechnology in agriculture should be restricted to laboratories – and a regime of strict liability and redress should be in place in case of accidents;

Biodiversity (Page 156)

  • Identify biodiversity hotspots, like the wetlands and forests which have very high concentrations of native species, and which are rapidly losing habitat and species, as primary targets for conservation.
  • Ensure strict bio safety laws and particularly reject acts that could lead to invasion of alien species 
and resulting colonisation and biodiversity erosion;
  • Ensure strict liability and redress in bio-safety matters and bar untested and unregulated 
technologies including those related to genetically modified organisms (GMOs), geoengineering, 
nanotechnology in foods and agriculture and synthetic biology;

Science, Technology and Development Committee (pages 352-353 of the Confab Report)

5.19.6 Biodiversity and Biotechnology, Transfer, Diffusion, Reverse Engineering, Standardisation and Quality Assurance.
1. Biodiversity and Biotechnology


Conference resolved that:

  • A National Biodiversity Conservation Authority be established. State Biodiversity Board and Local Government Biodiversity Task Forces should be created;
  • Government should discourage the use of foreign plants for afforestation, so that indigenous flora ecosystem is protected from extinction and disease;
  • Government should fast-track the passage of the Bill establishing the National Biotechnology Development Agency into Law (NABDA);
  • There is need to fast-track the passage of the bill on Biosafety, with the inclusion of provisions to cover potentially pathogenic and deleterious microorganisms. In doing so, there is a need to ensure the independence of the Biosafety Agency to guarantee its efficacy;
  • Biotechnology and Biosafety Bills should be amended to include “strict liability” provisions;
  • Biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of bio resources should be incorporated in the school 
curriculum;
  • There should be adequate and consistent funding to NABDA to enable it make the impact it should 
nationwide;
  • Deliberate steps should be taken to recruit staff with required expertise, who can add value to the 
Agency;
  • Clear incentives, conducive environment and staff welfare, should be maintained to ensure that 
staff remain productive and free of concerns which inhibit productive and innovative research and 
work;
  • States should be involved in biotechnology development, as well as the private sector to cut cost 
and also give the students the needed relevant experience;
  • There should be increased and improved training and retraining facilities and international exposure.

By Nnimmo Bassey, Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF)

Ozone layer hole closing and will heal, say scientists

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Ozone layer hole closing and will heal, say scientists

The hole in the Antarctic ozone layer is beginning to close, scientists have discovered.

The hole in the ozone layer has shrunk by more than 1.7 million square miles since 2,000, according to scientists. Photo credit: NASA GODDARD
The hole in the ozone layer has shrunk by more than 1.7 million square miles since 2,000, according to scientists. Photo credit: NASA GODDARD

Researchers from the University of Leeds and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US, have confirmed the first signs of an increase of ozone, which shields life on Earth from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.

New findings, published on Thursday in the journal Science, show that the average size of the ozone hole each September has shrunk by more than 1.7 million square miles since 2000 – about 18 times the area of the United Kingdom.

They now predict that the hole above the South Pole will close permanently by 2050.

The improvement is down to the success of the 1987 Montreal Protocol – which banned the use of chlorofluorocarbons in aerosols and fridges.

“Observations and computer models agree; healing of the Antarctic ozone has begun,” said Dr Ryan Neely, a Lecturer in Observational Atmospheric Science at Leeds.

The ozone hole was first discovered using ground-based data that began in the 1950s and in the mid-1980s, scientists from the British Antarctic survey noticed that the October total ozone was dropping.

The hole has continued to widen ever since, peaking in 2000 at 15 million square miles and remaining fairly constant over the past 15 years, except for a few spikes.

However new modelling by the team showed that most recent spikes in ozone depletion were caused by volcanic eruptions rather than chlorine in the atmosphere and the hole is actually closing.

Professor Susan Solomon of MIT who led the research added: “We can now be confident that the things we’ve done have put the planet on a path to heal.

“We decided collectively, as a world, ‘Let’s get rid of these molecules’. We got rid of them, and now we’re seeing the planet respond.”

The ozone hole begins growing each year when the sun returns to the South Polar cap from August, and reaches its peak in October.

Co-author Dr Anja Schmidt, an Academic Research Fellow in Volcanic Impacts, said: “The Montreal Protocol is a true success story that provided a solution to a global environmental issue.”

By Sarah Knapton (Science Editor, The Telegraph)

Logging: UK sanctions Cameroon timber traders

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Logging: UK sanctions Cameroon timber traders

The UK Authorities charged with enforcing the EU timber regulations (EUTR), have taken action against 14 UK importers sourcing timber from Cameroon linked to illegal logging.

Observers insist that Cameroon's pledge to combat illegal logging needs more action and more transparency
Observers insist that Cameroon’s pledge to combat illegal logging needs more action and more transparency

This news was presented at a Chatham House meeting in London on Thursday June 16, following comparable action by the Netherlands in early March, demonstrating that timber from Cameroon is coming under increasing scrutiny in international markets.

“Cameroon’s authorities must examine this new set of sanctions and start investigating the companies in question as a first step to tackle the illegality and corruption in the timber sector. Furthermore, Cameroon must also ensure that the Voluntary Partnership Agreement co-signed with the EU is fully implemented to stop illegal logging and strengthen forest governance in Cameroon,” says Eric Ini, Forest Campaigner for Greenpeace Africa.

Cameroon’s forests are among the most species-rich in the Congo Basin, containing the region’s most biologically diverse forests, providing valuable habitat for endangered Western Lowland Gorillas, chimpanzees and forest elephants, amongst other species. Unsustainable and illegal logging is leading to deforestation, destruction of the ecosystem and diminished resilience to climate change. Creation of roads by logging companies facilitates bushmeat hunting, posing another key threat to Cameroon’s biodiversity and often preventing proper regeneration of logged forest habitats.

Uncontrolled logging operations in Cameroon are a frequent cause of social conflicts, as they frequently occur without the consent of forest dependent communities, who see their resource base destroyed with rarely any benefit in return.

Since 2010, when the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) came into force, Cameroon’s government has reportedly made little effort to tackle illegal logging. Following the announcement of Dutch sanctions, the government was seen as publicly defended the company accused of involvement in illegal activities instead of, according to observers, examining the results of Greenpeace’s investigation into illegal logging and taking necessary action to rectify the issue.

Nonetheless, Greenpeace Africa has recently been advised by CCT that the government of Cameroon has ordered an audit targeting the company and its suppliers, though the Ministry of Forestry has yet to officially announce the audit. “We urge the government to severely sanction any company found to have acted illegally to deter other companies from indulging in similar conduct,” says Ini.

Cameroon is so far considered a “high-risk country” by some European authorities: under European law, companies importing timber into Europe must demonstrate that they have taken strong measures to minimize the risk that imported timber is sourced from illegal operations – something that is almost impossible to do when sourcing from Cameroon.

“This action by the UK government sends a clear message to the timber industry that illegal timber has no place in Britain,” said Richard George, Head of Forests, at Greenpeace UK. “Illegal logging is devastating Cameroon’s forests, and companies in the UK and other EU countries are complicit in this destruction by ignoring their responsibility to check the legality of the timber they are importing. Belgium and Italy, as the biggest importers of Cameroonian timber to the EU, must stop turning a blind eye to suspect timber and actually enforce the law.”

Europe is a major export market of timber from Cameroon and UK ranks 5th in the European community in terms of imports, receiving 64.000 m3 RWE a year. The main species exported to the UK are Sapeli, Iroko, Azobe and Ayous. It is estimated that the annual losses in revenues and assets due to illegal logging in Cameroon are $5.3 million. In some studies, these estimations appear much higher.

Pelé unveils player-powered energy challenge

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Pelé unveils player-powered energy challenge

The Shell-installed kinetic football pitch at the Federal College of Education (Technical) Akoka, Lagos was in the spotlight again on Thursday June 30, 2016 as football legend Pelé teamed up with Shell to bring together Africa and Europe in a first of its kind player-powered energy game, Pelé’s Energy Challenge. The event helped launch “Make the Future London”, a festival of ideas and innovation dedicated to supporting bright energy ideas and providing a platform for innovation, collaboration and conversation about the global energy issues facing the world of today.

L-R: General Manager, Portfolio Deepwater of The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Sophie Pokima; Football Captain of the Federal College of Education (Technical) Akoka, Lagos, Master Toyin Gbolahan; and the Provost of the College, Dr. Siji Olusanya, presenting a Pele-autographed Brazil Jersey to the captain after the Pele Power The Field Challenge in Lagos... on Thursday.
L-R: General Manager, Portfolio Deepwater of The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Sophie Pokima; Football Captain of the Federal College of Education (Technical) Akoka, Lagos, Master Toyin Gbolahan; and the Provost of the College, Dr. Siji Olusanya, presenting a Pele-autographed Brazil Jersey to the captain after the Pele Power The Field Challenge in Lagos… on Thursday.

Pelé’s Energy Challenge showcased the power of innovative kinetic tile technology that converts footsteps into renewable electricity. The challenge featured two teams that comprised children from London and Lagos linked up via satellite. The more energy a player generated on the tiles the more time they had to compete, directly linking the technology to the task. Shell previously installed kinetic football pitches in Rio and Lagos, providing a safe environment for the communities to play, with floodlights powered by the players and solar panels.

The tile technology used to refurbish the pitches and power Pelé’s Energy Challenge is the invention of young British entrepreneur and founder of Pavegen, Laurence Kemball-Cook, who has been supported through Shell LiveWIRE programme.

In 2014, Shell and Pelé joined forces to launch the world’s first player powered community football pitch in Rio de Janeiro. The Lagos pitch was then opened in 2015 with the support of solar entrepreneur and global music superstar Akon; showing the local communities what can be achieved when bright energy ideas are put into action. The activity at Make the Future London celebrates these launches and reinforces the importance of turning entrepreneurial ideas into reality.

Pelé said on the launch, “I’ve seen first-hand how Shell has brought bright energy ideas to life, having helped launch the first kinetic pitch in Rio. And I’ve seen how this amazing technology has reinvigorated the community, allowing Brazilian children to follow their passion in sport and learn about future energy solutions in the process. I’m so excited to be here again and see the legacy of these pitches – how they continue to be used every day – while testing out this new energy challenge at Make the Future London.”

Osagie Okunbor, Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SDPDC) and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, said: “The tile device at Akoka is not just another football pitch. It is a powerful statement on the kind of energy ideas that Shell and SPDC have been promoting in Nigeria. We are confident that Nigerian youths will take advantage of our LiveWIRE programme and launch bright energy ideas that will help to better the lives of millions of Nigerians.”

The LiveWIRE programme was launched in Nigeria in 2003, and has since enabled young entrepreneurs to convert ideas into real businesses that create products or services as well as employment to the community. Today, LiveWIRE supports Nigeria’s National Youth Policy by encouraging and training young people to start their own businesses by providing start-up funds. To date, the programme has trained 6,200 youths in enterprise development and management, and provided business start-up grants to 3,100.

Carbon forum underlines necessities for climate response

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Carbon forum underlines necessities for climate response

Success tackling climate change and achieving sustainable development in Africa will take finance, cooperation and real engagement with non-state actors, participants heard in high-level sessions that wrapped up this year’s Africa Carbon Forum in Kigali, Rwanda.

Vincent Biruta, Minister of Natural Resources of Rwanda. Photo credit: ubukungu.rw
Vincent Biruta, Minister of Natural Resources of Rwanda. Photo credit: ubukungu.rw

“Development must simply be sustainable. Otherwise it is not development,” said Vincent Biruta, Minister of Natural Resources of Rwanda. “We can only meet the Sustainable Development Goals if we deal with climate change.”

Mr. Biruta stressed the importance of cooperation, between the public, civil society and the private sector and between governments, as well as the need to ease access to multilateral support for climate action “so that national governments can focus on implementation.”

Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, the African Union’s Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, applauded the fact that most countries, in the run-up to the Paris Climate Change Agreement in December 2015, spelt out how they intend to address climate change; but she challenged countries to do more.

“We need good, coordinated effort at the country level,” said Ms Tumusiime. She also called for Africa to receive its fair share of pledged climate finance and encouraged countries to adopt policies that incentivise private sector action on climate change.

Mahama Ayariga, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ghana, tore down the distinction between climate finance and all other types of finance.

“We’re really talking about climate-smart, good finance,” said Mr. Ayariga. “When we talk about climate finance we’re talking about finance in all sectors, whether roads, housing, agriculture, all finance.”

Ephraim Kamuntu, Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Uganda brought the dangers and costs of climate change into focus.

Uganda’s greenhouse gas emissions account for only a fraction of one percent of global emissions, but two recent events related to climate change claimed 300 lives and cost half a billion dollars to repair key infrastructure, including clinics and roads.

Uganda’s contribution to climate change is very small, “but in terms of impact, it’s out of proportion,” said Mr. Kamuntu, who called on climate funding pledges to be honored and funds made available quickly.

The head of the African Development Bank delegation, Anthony Nyong, called for streamlining of finance offerings, more rational outlays, and reduction in transaction costs associated with accessing climate finance.

Mohamed Benyahia, Director of Partnership, Communication and Cooperation, Morocco, stressed the need for integration of the non-state actors – the private sector, civil society and non-state constituencies – in the international response to climate change.

Morocco will host the next major International Climate Change Conference, in Marrakesh in November this year. Mr. Benyahia described the “vision and roadmap” of meetings and consultations aimed at integrating participation of non-state actors in the conference and the processes of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Morocco is looking to mobilise South-led initiatives and cooperation, including by engaging private sector companies and women as agents of change.

Speakers at the high-level forum that closed on Thursday highlighted the opportunity, and indeed need, for Africa to link mitigation action to resilience and green growth, in the context of the ambitious targets in the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Efforts to increase resilience, linked with economic benefits and jobs, can increase relevance of mitigation actions for local communities.

The important role of capacity-building was also raised several times in the high-level sessions, and in sessions on the previous two days of the event, especially the need for technical assistance in preparing project proposals that can attract private finance.

How drought worsens food insecurity in Southern Africa

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How drought worsens food insecurity in Southern Africa

An estimated 41 million people – 23 per cent – of the 181 million rural population in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are food insecure, and out of this figure, more than 21 million are in urgent need of assistance.

SADC Director for Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mrs. Margaret Nyirenda
SADC Director for Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mrs. Margaret Nyirenda

This is according to the latest Vulnerability Assessment Results released at the 10th SADC Meeting of Regional Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis (RVAA) held in Pretoria, South Africa. The Report also reveals that nearly 2.7 million children are currently suffering from severe acute malnutrition, and this figure is expected to rise significantly if support to vulnerable population is not immediately provided.

“We are deeply concerned about the scale of food insecurity in the region. We are experiencing the worst drought in the last 35 years. I call upon Member States and our development partners to act now, to avoid a further deterioration of the situation. People continue to lose their means of survival and we can lose lives if we do not act now,” said SADC Director for Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mrs. Margaret Nyirenda.

The SADC region has been hit by a devastating El Niño-induced drought, the worst in 35 years, following the failure of two consecutive rainy seasons. The severe drought conditions have already taken toll on lives and livelihoods and the situation could deteriorate further if urgent assistance is not provided.

Almost half a million drought-related livestock deaths have been reported in Botswana, Swaziland, South Africa and Zimbabwe alone. Water sources and reservoirs are severely depleted, forcing communities and their livestock to use untreated water sources.

The severe drought conditions have resulted in widespread crop failure and a decrease in cultivated area. Cereal harvest assessments indicate a nearly 9.6 million metric ton shortfall in production, with only 72 per cent of required cereals available in the region (excluding DRC, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and Tanzania). South Africa, usually the main producer of maize in the region, is facing an estimated 2.6 million metric tons of deficit. Food prices continue to spike. Zambia is the only country currently forecasting a cereal surplus (556,000 tons) during the 2016/17 marketing year.

There are concerns about the most vulnerable communities, and especially people living with HIV and AIDS, with the region being the global epicentre of the AIDS pandemic. Lack of food and other factors could aggravate the fragile nutrition situation of vulnerable groups including people on HIV or TB treatment. Similarly, the closure of health facilities due to lack of water is likely to affect ART access and may reverse the gains made in the prevention of mother to child transmissions.

The October 2016 to March 2017 lean season is projected to be the peak of the current food insecurity. While the crop harvests from April 2016 could provide some relief, this will quickly be exhausted. Meanwhile, there is an above 70 per cent chance of a La Niña phenomenon by late 2016. This may help reduce water deficits, as well as potentially improve recovery of the agricultural sector. The prediction of La Niña also implies a likely increased risk of floods.

GCF approves $250m projects, set for leadership change

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GCF approves $250m projects, set for leadership change

The 13th meeting of the Board (B.13) of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved its first funding proposals for 2016 totalling $256.6 million in GCF funding.

Outgoing GCF executive director Hela Cheikhrouhou. Photo credit: news.gcfund.org
Outgoing GCF executive director Hela Cheikhrouhou. Photo credit: news.gcfund.org

“The close of B.13 marks the half-way point for the GCF in 2016,” said Board Co-Chair Ewen McDonald (Australia). “Looking at what we’ve achieved so far this year – major policy gaps have been filled, we have a strategic plan, 13 new entities are accredited and now over USD 250 million in funding proposals has been approved – we’re tracking well.”

The Board on Friday in Songdo, South Korea called for more proposals with the aim of achieving its aspirational $2.5 billion approvals target in 2016.

“We still need more ambitious, paradigm-shifting proposals,” said Co-Chair Zaheer Fakir (South Africa). “B.13 has demonstrated that the GCF is ready to step up its project approvals and we want countries and accredited entities to respond by bringing us more proposals of increasing high quality and ambition.”

The nine projects approved for funding at B.13 are:

  • $21.7 million for Energy Savings Insurance (ESI) for Private Energy Efficiency Investments by Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in El Salvador with IDB
  • $20 million for De-Risking and Scaling-up Investment in Energy Efficient Building Retrofits in Armenia with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
  • $20.5 million for Large-scale Ecosystem-based Adaptation in The Gambia: Developing a Climate-Resilient, Natural Resource-based Economy in Gambia with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
  • $22.8 million for Africa Hydromet Programme – Strengthening Climate Resilience in sub-Saharan Africa: Mali Country Project with World Bank
  • $29.5 million for Improving the Resilience of Vulnerable Coastal Communities to Climate Change Related Impacts in Viet Nam with UNDP
  • $19 million for a Project to Support the World Bank’s Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Program for the Aral Sea Basin in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan
  • $36 million for Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project with UNDP
  • $38.1 million for Strengthening the Resilience of Smallholder Farmers in the Dry Zone to Climate Variability and Extreme Events in Sri Lanka with UNDP
  • Climate Action and Solar Energy Development Programme in the Tarapaća Region in Chile with CAF.

An important decision at the B.13 was the adoption of interim risk and investment guidelines that will help to attract proposals capable of higher leverage ratios and higher impact.

“The decision on risk and investment guidelines has the potential to unlock progress in key areas,” said McDonald. “It sends a very important signal about GCF’s risk appetite.”

GCF also announced a $200 million pilot for Enhanced Direct Access that will bolster countries’ decision-making authority over resources to support climate change projects and programmes. The Board also decided at its meeting to provide resources to countries for adaptation planning processes.

“In Paris, countries requested GCF to fast-track support for adaptation. In Songdo this week, the Board delivered,” Fakir said. “We approved seven adaptation funding proposals and direct support for national adaptation planning.”

The Board also made progress on the selection of a new Executive Director, with the expectation that a new Executive Director will be in place by the end of 2016. To ensure a smooth transition, the Board decided that the current Chief Financial Officer and Director of Support Services, Mr. Javier Manzanares, will serve as Executive Director and Interim once Ms. Héla Cheikhrouhou’s term concludes.

On the final day of the meeting, the Board paid tribute to Ms. Cheikhrouhou for her major contributions in setting up the Green Climate Fund, such as leading the mobilisation of $10 billion from 45 contributors and the successful launch of the Fund’s operations.

Family planning linked with improved environmental outcomes

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Family planning linked with improved environmental outcomes

A collaborative international assessment of hundreds of peer-reviewed scientific papers published since 2005 finds significant, albeit indirect, evidence that access to voluntary family planning can contribute to an environmentally sustainable world.

A couple receiving family planning counselling. Photo credit: Sala Lewis, champions4choice.org
A couple receiving family planning counselling. Photo credit: Sala Lewis, champions4choice.org

Among more than 900 peer-reviewed scientific papers published since 2005, the Family Planning and Environmental Sustainability Assessment (FPESA), a project of the Worldwatch Institute, found data and researchers’ conclusions suggesting that:

  • Major reductions in unintended pregnancies –  now accounting for two out of five pregnancies worldwide –  would lower birth rates in high-consuming and low-consuming countries alike.
  • Achieving a low trajectory of world population growth could reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the first half of the 21st century to an extent comparable to eliminating all deforestation.
  • Greater use of family planning would facilitate more participation by women in economic activity and in civil society, which could improve environmental outcomes locally and globally.

“Linking environmental benefits to family planning can be controversial, since the use of family planning is –  and should always be –  a private choice that people make for their own reasons,” noted Robert Engelman, former President of the Worldwatch Institute, who directed the FPESA project. “Yet demonstrated synergies between the two might help advance both environmental sustainability and access to family planning for those who want it. Our objective has been to see what the scientific literature has to say about the connection and to assess the evidence base.”

Through collaborative evaluation of 939 papers, identified through expert interviews and database searches, the FPESA project collectively ranked 112 papers as “certainly relevant” to the hypothesis that family planning benefits the environment, with another 302 ranked as “probably relevant.”

The bulk of the “certainly relevant” papers lend support to the hypothesis, with a few papers somewhat undermining it but none directly countering it. A conceptual framework guiding the evaluation included both slower population growth and the empowerment of women as pathways through which family planning might contribute positively to environmental sustainability.

The project team and a network of international researchers collaborating in the assessment share a commitment to the human rights foundation of family planning as a choice for couples and individuals alone in deciding if and when to have a child. The group identified no research suggesting that a weakening of this foundation would make any contribution to sustainability.

A comprehensive report on the project’s findings to date –  Family Planning and Environmental Sustainability: Assessing the Science –  was launched on June 29 at the Woodrow Wilson Centre for International Scholars in Washington, D.C. The report includes an annotated bibliography and assessments of the 50 papers that are most compelling and relevant to the hypothesis.

No research discipline directly explores the hypothesis that family planning contributes to environmental sustainability. Not surprisingly, scientific papers making this connection proved to be scarce. A high proportion of the reviewed papers that were found to be relevant to the hypothesis, however, assert or demonstrate an influence of population size, growth, or resource demands on the environment. A smaller proportion of the reviewed papers lend credence to the idea that women who are able to make their own reproductive choices are more likely to contribute to environmental sustainability through consumption choices or participation in politics and civil society.

The assessment also explored a secondary hypothesis: that research interest in the family planning – environmental sustainability linkage is widespread among women and men in developing as well as developed countries.

“That hypothesis, we feel, is fully confirmed,” Engelman said, based on the diversity of the project’s network of research assessors and on the high proportions of relevant paper authors who are women and/or are from developing countries. “Given high levels of interest in the potential contribution of family planning to the environment, and the importance of the linkage for both sustainability and reproductive health and rights, more research –  and funding for it –  is critically needed, especially for young researchers and those in developing countries.”

The assessment team consists of Engelman, now a Senior Fellow at Worldwatch, and Research Assistant Yeneneh Girma Terefe, along with several consultants and an active network of 16 research assessors. Seven assessors are women, while 13 work in or are from developing countries. Articles by some consultants and assessors are included in the report.

The consultants were Vicky Markham, Kenneth R. Weiss, and Sam Sellers. Network assessors were Edward Amankwah, Alaka Basu, Wanangwa Chimwaza-Manda, Samuel Nii Ardrey Codjoe, Javiera Fanta, Bhola R. Gurjar, Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Hafiz T.A. Khan, Zena Lyaga, Wilkister Nyaora Moturi, Casianes Olilo, Margaret Perkins, Muhammad Abdur Rahaman, Sam Sellers, Dirk Van Braeckel, and Samson Wasao.

DHL delivers Czech-born rhino Eliska to Tanzania

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DHL delivers Czech-born rhino Eliska to Tanzania

To ensure maximum comfort and minimal travel time, DHL provided a dedicated Boeing 757-200 freighter to transport female eastern black rhino Eliska from Czech Republic to Tanzanian sanctuary as part of a conservation project

Eliska the Rhino flies home. Photo credit: aircargonews.net
Eliska the Rhino flies home. Photo credit: aircargonews.net

International express delivery provider, DHL, has completed what it describes as a “landmark transportation project” with the delivery of a black rhino from its birthplace in the Czech Republic to its natural homeland in Tanzania. Three-year-old female Eliska was recently moved to a natural park in Tanzania as part of an ongoing conservation project run by the George Adamson Wildlife Preservation Trust, aimed at helping endangered animal populations to grow and prosper in their natural habitat.

“The delivery of Eliska to Tanzania continues a proud tradition at DHL Express of supporting international animal conservation efforts,” said Ken Allen, CEO, DHL Express. “We were very excited to have the opportunity to transport this beautiful animal home to Africa and to play our part in these critical efforts to help revive endangered Eastern black rhino populations. Complex projects like this, where failure is simply not an option, also allow us to showcase the power of the DHL global network and the expertise of our certified international specialists.”

Eliska’s move was overseen by an international DHL team, comprising around 40 specialists in areas ranging from ground transportation and aviation to customs clearance and certification across more than five countries. The 900-kilogramme female was transferred from ZOO Dvur Kralove in the Czech Republic, where she was born in 2012, to the main DHL European Hub in Leipzig, Germany. She was then loaded on to a dedicated 28-ton Boeing 757-200 freighter, specially modified for animal transport, and flown more than 6,500 kilometres directly to Kilimanjaro Airport in Tanzania, from where she was transferred by truck to her new home. Along the way, she was accompanied and monitored by a team of support staff, including Dr. Pete Morkel, one of the world’s leading black rhino veterinarians. Five containers of food and water supplies were also loaded for the journey.

“We were delighted that DHL was able to support us with this project, as we were only prepared to entrust Eliska to partners who could absolutely guarantee a safe and seamless move,” said Tony Fitzjohn OBE, Field Director, The George Adamson Wildlife Preservation Trust. “Having the support of an experienced team of international transport specialists allowed us to focus without any distraction on the comfort and well-being of Eliska and to ensure that she had the best possible introduction to her new life in Africa.”

Eastern black rhinos are one of the most endangered mammal groups, with large-scale poaching in the late 20thcentury leading to a significant decline in black rhino populations in Africa. There are estimated to be about 800 in the world today. ZOO Dvur Kralove, where Eliska was born, has a strong record of breeding Eastern black rhinos, with 43 calves of the species born to date.

“Eliska’s departure is a bitter-sweet moment for ZOO Dvur Kralove. We are sorry to say goodbye to one of our much-loved animals, but at the same time, we are extremely gratified to have played a part in this important conservation project and excited to see how she adapts to her natural habitat,” said Přemysl Rabas, Statutory Director of ZOO Dvur Kralove. “The build-up to her move to Tanzania has involved years of careful preparation, and we are sure that – with DHL – she is in the right hands for the journey.”

According to DHL, it has supported a number of major conservation projects in recent years, including the delivery of three black rhinos from the U.K. to Tanzania in 2012 and the delivery of two rare Sumatran tigers from Australia and the U.S. to London Zoo in the same year as part of a breeding program. A 2013 project to transfer two giant pandas from China to a Belgian sanctuary resulted in the ‘perfect delivery’ in June 2016, when the female gave birth to a panda cub.

Hennie Heymans, CEO, DHL Express Sub Saharan Africa adds, “As facilitators of global trade, it’s fantastic that we can use our logistics expertise for such an important conservation project, and we trust that Eliska will flourish in her new home in Africa.”

Smart City Lagos: Necessity of the time (2)

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Smart City Lagos: Necessity of the time (2)

In my previous article published in EnviroNews Nigeria edition of Sunday, June 26, 2016, I touched on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Lagos State Government (LASG) and Smart City Dubai for the creation of Africa’s first smart city, Smart City Lagos. Some issues of concern were discussed, which included location, state of preparedness by the LASG, pattern of development and Omo onile aspect. I went on to make suggestions on what government can do to avoid delay. I dwelt on style of approach to realising the big dream of a Smart City Lagos by suggesting that officials of Team Smart City Lagos must take stock and found out if the key ingredients that would propel the project to success are readily available locally. This part II of the article is a continuation of the discourse on more salient issues which, for reason of space, were not covered in part I. I consider them very significant and helpful, because all well-meaning residents of Lagos support the initiative of turning the fortunes of Lagos Mega City around for better livability, economic prosperity and sustainable urbanism. Therefore, all hands must be on deck.

A view of the Lagos Marina
A view of the Lagos Marina

A smart city is not “from-the-shelf or ready-made project”. It is not something that could be done in a hurry. It is not a project of immediate result, but an incremental development which will gradually evolve along a time-line Plan of Action, premised on Strategic Planning with specific elements of achievable targets. Smart City Dubai (SCD) Project is a “glove-fit example” of what I am trying to explain here. Based on my research findings, the SCD project was designed to achieve targets in six focus areas: “smart life, smart transportation, smart society, smart economy, smart governance and smart environment.” The umbrella plan where SCD idea emanated from is Dubai Plan 2021, which the SCD project derived its six areas of focus.

I quote the mission statement of Dubai Plan 2021, which perfectly aligns with the six focus areas of SCD project:

  • A city of happy, creative and empowered people
  • A smart and sustainable city
  • An inclusive and cohesive city
  • A pivotal hub in the global economy
  • The preferred place to live, work and visit
  • A pioneering and excellent government (Dubai Plan 2021).

The strategy to achieve all of the above planning goals relies on a tripod principle: efficient communication, integration and co-operation.

It is instructive to note that, as far back as 1990, the Dubai Authority had started laying the foundation of the essential infrastructure and high-yield economic activities that would make her economy very buoyant: tourism, world-class malls, sporting complexes, high end hotels, globally linked telecommunications, clusters of hi-tech industries/ business townships, efficient air and surface transportation, home-grown and high-skilled workforce, good governance and prudent fiscal management aided by a supportive government from with emanated policies and regulations that encouraged friendly business environment. With all of these essentials, a strong foundation for the development of Smart City Dubai became a fait accompli.

The Smart City Lagos is a smart initiative. It is an initiative that would outlive its initiator(s) long after they have left office. What LASG must ensure and entrench is a solid foundation which will guarantee uninterrupted implementation of this laudable project, even when there is a change of administration from one election circle to the other. As the political head of the current administration in Lagos, State, Governor Akinwunmi Amobde is credited for his progressive visions for “Future Lagos” including the Smart City Lagos, the focus of this piece. However, expectations must not be raised too high that all the visions he has for Lagos would be accomplished in one “fell swoop” during his tenure. Government job is always a “work-in-progress”, a continuum. Where an administration ends, is where the next administration will take off. Smart City is an unending process. “Governments will continue to explore, refine and continuously revive ideas until they get it right.” (Infographic).

As pointed out earlier, Smart City is a product of painstaking/strategic planning. It even goes beyond that assertion. This now brings me to the central focus of the part II article.

 

Steps Team Smart City Lagos should consider taking

 

  1. Engage the citizens and other perceived stakeholders to jointly create a Smart City Lagos (SCL) vision. Avoid elitism. Stimulate citizen-led public discussions using different avenue/forum for both the educated and non-educated citizenry as a way of enlisting everybody’s support/collaboration. Use the opportunity of the public engagement to sell the SCL’s ideas and its focus. For example, elaborate on how government would make “Lagos cleaner, safer and more prosperous”, the job creation aspect, and what the citizenry stands to gain from “the project becoming a world’s first carbon neutral city(?).” Whittle down the jargon to a language the masses will easily understand. Avoid use of terminologies, which the educated can’t even decipher, talk less of the majority of illiterate population. Task the Ministry of Information and Culture to do appealing Radio and TV jingles in local dialects including zonal Town Hall meetings to arouse the interest of the populace about the SCL project. Using these communication channels for a largely illiterate population would go a long as an effective outreach approach.
  2. Set an achievable target: Smart City Lagos can have a couple of objectives such as provision of core urban infrastructure, a decent quality of life for the citizens and sustainable environment, centre for innovations in smart technologies and destination for green tourism. This is a general statement of purpose. Smart cities all over the world set achievable target that would stand them out among their peers. For example, Vancouver, Canada set a clear target to become the greenest city in the world by year 2020; Dubai Plan 2021 aims to make Dubai the smartest city in the world where smart applications are used for every day transactions. A target of five years (2021-2016).

 

The Lagos experience in terms of pressing urban problem is that of “mobility and chronic traffic congestion.” The situation has defied effective solution over the years despite humongous government financial injection to improve the transport sector. One of the objectives of a smart city is the ease and convenience at which people travel within the city. A Smart City Lagos must aim to set a target within a given timeframe to drastically reduce vehicular congestion on Lagos roads by putting in place efficient public transport by year 2026, a timeframe of 10 years. In terms of smart transportation, Smart City Lagos should strive to be “an advanced city not where the poor move about in cars, but rather a city where the rich use public transportation.”

  1. Strong Institutional Framework. Without very strong institutions that will drive the dream of Smart City Lagos, it will be very difficult to achieve any result. These institutions vary from governmental institutions, educational institutions to organized private sector. All Lagos State Ministries must be challenged to move with the ICT age. It is shocking to find out by this writer that 25 numbers of Government ministries and 86 Agencies/Parastatals in Lagos do not have online services that citizens can hook on to. The common information on most of their websites are descriptive/administrative information such as vision and mission statements, names of past Commissioners and Permanent Secretaries, Departments, and photo reels. They lack downlandables, statistical information for research, pdf application forms for specific-purpose transactions and sundry IT information the public can easily access. How can these government Ministries provide smart services to the public or smart solutions for functions under their purviews…traffic congestion, motor vehicle licensing, water provision, security, health etc? The point being stressed is that a Smart City cannot be created in a vacuum. Information – a combination of telecommunication network, internet, wireless broadband, and using various sensors to connect them to the internet for communication and exchange of information – is a perquisite to making a city smart.

Smart City Lagos would require a mass pool of government workers knowledgeable in ICT to key in into the vision of the LASG. It is impossible and difficult to perform e-government functions with no staff capacity. This will necessitate wholesale in-service training and turn-around orientation from an analog to digital, smart transactions.

  1. Establish a Think Tank Technical Team. The appointment of swot Pat Utomi of the prestigious Lagos Business School as the Chairman of Smart City Lagos by Governor Ambode is encouraging. Utomi’s pedigree as an intellectual and someone with penchant for excellent performance, it is guaranteed that he would provide the right leadership for the SCL project. But it transcends beyond that school of thought. A Think-Tank Technical Team (TTTT) comprising intellectuals, galaxy of professionals, IT-solution experts and versatile administrators should be established to work closely with the Pat Utomi-led Group. The TTTT would serve as the “brain” behind the provision of smart ideas and smart/practical solutions to nurture the growth of the SCL. Prof. Utomi with his well-grounded background in political economy together with other members of his team will preoccupy itself with issues of administration and management; and investment matters. The two groups must have an open –door policy and participatory in their style of operation. They should be open to constructive criticism and receptive to external ideas from city residents.

 

Parting piece of Advice

Smart City Dubai might be the first choice of LASG as a learning laboratory to create a similar smart city in Lagos, because of the latter’s excellent experience in the venture of developing functional and sustainable city. We make bold to say that, as good as Smart City Dubai, the authority in Lagos should spread its tentacles of “city learning” wide and far. Lagos State Government should not put its egg in one basket. There are other global smart cities, which the SCL can learn from. This point is ably demonstrated in a recent presentation about New York’s PlaNYC, where Mayor Bloomberg stated that his team:

 

“drew on the experiences of Berlin for our renewable energy

and green-roof policies; from Hong Kong, Shanghai and

Delhi for our transit improvements; from Copenhagen

for our pedestrian and cycling upgrades;

from Bogota for our plans for Bus Rapid Transit;

and from Los Angeles and Chicago for our plan to plant one million trees.”

(United Cities and Local Governments, 2010: 1)

 

I consider the above statement as the height humility from a former Mayor of a city globally acclaimed as the World’s Capital. The handlers of the Smart City Lagos can use it as a lodestar for their important assignment.

Concluded.

By Yacoob Abiodun (Former Secretary, National Housing Policy Council; Urban Planner; Planning Advocate)

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