The 10th National Council on Environment (NCE10) was held at the Ta’al Conference Hotel Lafia, Nasarawa State last week. It was chaired by the Minister of Environment, Amina J. Mohammed.
The NCE10, themed: “Environment and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria: Empowering people, taking climate action and protecting the environment,” was preceded by the National Technical Committee session which was chaired by the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Environment, Dr. Bukar Hassan, with Permanent Secretaries of State Ministries of Environment, civil society organisation (CSOs) and other delegates from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The session, which was declared open by Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura, featured presentation of welcome address by the Nasarawa State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Gabriel Ortan Aka’aka, as well as goodwill messages by the Country Directors of the United Nations Development Programme (NDP) and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO); representative of CSOs; Chairman of Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs; the Emir of Lafia; and Chairman, House Committee on Environment/Culture and Tourism, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Ibrahim Bala.
Environment Minister Amina J. Mohammed (making a presentation) with Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Usman Jibril, along with other dignitariesMinister commissions solar-powered tricycleGov. Umaru Tanko Al-makura and the Environment Minister, Amina Mohammed, visit an exhibition standEnvironment Minister and Minister of Niger Delta board an helicopter to conduct an aerial assessment of environmental challenges in Nasarawa StateMinister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Usman Jibril, joins Governor of Nasarawa State, Umaru Tanko Al-makura, to conduct a clean-up of LafiaEnvironment Ministers led a NCE10 delegation to the Nasarawa State GIS office, where she hailed the use of tech-driven land management systemsAmina Mohammed receives a traditional basket from an Alago DancerFaces at the NCE10Faces at NCE10Faces at Lafia
Environmental Communication State governments have been asked to relocate the Forestry Department and other environment-related departments in Ministry of Agriculture, as well as the Environmental Health Department in their Health Ministries to the Ministries of Environment.
Environment Minister, Amina J. Mohammed (left), with Governor of Nasarawa State, Umaru Tanko Al-makura, during the 10th National Council on Environment (NCE10) last week in Lafia, Nasarawa State
This directive formed one of several decisions arrived at the weeklong 10th National Council on Environment (NCE10) that held last week in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
Besides approving the re-introduction of the monthly National Environmental Sanitation exercise, the gathering, chaired by Environment Minister Amina J. Mohammed, urged states with increasing land degradation problems that requested for approval for funding of projects such as erosion control programmes and afforestation schemes that are not policy-driven, to embark on bilateral consultations with relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), including the Ecological Fund Office (EFO).
Apparently in line with the nation’s climate initiatives, the NCE10 approved programmes and projects that will help in the mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change such as adoption and implementation of the renewable energy master plan, promoting renewable energy programme in schools; as well as upgrading and repositioning climate change units in MDAs, and engaging the private sector in renewable energy programmes through public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements.
Similarly, approval was given to forestry development and afforestation programmes such as enrichment planting in forest reserves nationwide, promoting the use of alternative source of energy, suspension of further exportation of P t e r o c a p u s S p p in Taraba State in the interim, along with initiation and implementation of bamboo and rattan value chain development in the states.
Furthermore, the Council directed the 11 participating frontline states involved in the National Great Green Wall (NAGGW) initiative to strongly support the programme by providing adequate annual budgetary allocation, provision of land, enhancing community sensitisation and mobilisation, as well as technical support. States were likewise encouraged to fully participate in the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility Programme (EPR) nationwide.
Additionally, the Council:
approved installation of automated web-based flood early warning equipment in flood-prone communities nationwide, where there is none presently;
approved the implementation of national requirements and guidelines on registration of environment-friendly products and eco-labeling and encouraged manufacturing companies to buy into the scheme; and,
urged the Federal Ministry of Environment to develop national guideline/regulations on efficient management of spent oil in the country and pilot schemes in six geo-political zones.
The NCE10, themed: “Environment and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria: Empowering people, taking climate action and protecting the environment,” was preceded by the National Technical Committee session which was chaired by the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Environment, Dr. Bukar Hassan, with Permanent Secretaries of State Ministries of Environment, civil society organisation (CSOs) and other delegates from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Minister of Environment, Amina J. Mohammed, in the company of the Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Usman Jibril, and other dignitaries paid a courtesy call on the Governor of Nasarawa State, Umaru Tanko Al-makura, and Alhaji (Dr.) Isa Mustapha Agwai I, the Emir of Lafia and Chairman, as well as Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs. A key outcome of the courtesy call was the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Government of Nasarawa State.
The opening session, which was declared open by Governor Al-makura, featured presentation of welcome address by the Nasarawa State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Gabriel Ortan Aka’aka, as well as goodwill messages by the Country Directors of the United Nations Development Programme (NDP) and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO); representative of CSOs; Chairman of Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs; the Emir of Lafia; and Chairman, House Committee on Environment/Culture and Tourism, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Ibrahim Bala.
The session also featured a presentation on Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) for sustainable environmental management by Alhaji Jibril Usman (Environment Minister of State) and an opening address by Amina Mohammed, wherein she reiterated the importance of SDGs in achieving the environment sector objectives and the integration of the key issues encapsulated in the change agenda. She commended EnviroNews Nigeria as well as Connected Development for their outstanding role in environmental communication, awareness raising and advocacy, as well as open engagement in eco-governance. The opening session was rounded off with a keynote address by Governor Al-makura.
The opening ceremony was followed by the Council Meeting, during which the report of the Technical Segment was deliberated upon and decisions were taken. The Technical Committee considered 106 memoranda, stepped down 25, and recommended 81 consisting of 52 action and 29 information memoranda respectively for Council’s approval. These memoranda were submitted by the Federal and State Ministries of Environment/Agencies, NGOs/CSOs.
Council deliberated extensively on all the memos and noted:
The need to increase awareness on the issues of climate change;
Nigeria INDC to reduce GHG emission and the implementation of programmes and projects to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change;
The growing/increasing problems of land degradation and deforestation and the need for sustainable management solutions to address these issues;
The menace of poor solid waste management and sanitation as well as other environmental pollution issues including spent oil;
Environmental governance issues such as the review of NPC and others existing policies, laws and regulating frameworks to address emerging global trends and international best practices;
Council agreed that issues related to regulations for support will best be handled through bilateral consultations; and,
Council reminded members that memos coming to Council should only be policy memos.
Youths in Ogoni land are being offered another chance to start their own businesses in the second LiveWIRE programme to be implemented by The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC) Operated Joint Venture. This follows the training of 105 Ogoni youths in the first tranche in 2014/2015. Already, more than 100 youths from the four local government areas in Ogoni — Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme — have submitted business ideas for the 2016 edition in response to newspaper advertisements.
The LiveWIRE programme is part of efforts to encourage youths in Ogoniland to take up viable and legitimate means of livelihood
“The LiveWIRE programme for Ogoni youths is a targeted initiative and is part of efforts to encourage youths in the area to take up viable and legitimate means of livelihood,” said General Manager, External Relations, Igo Weli. “The 2011 UNEP Report on Ogoniland had recommended programmes aimed at supporting youths for alternative means of livelihood so they can stay away from crude oil theft and illegal oil refining activities. We’re happy that the youths are enthusiastic about the opportunities we’re offering them through LiveWIRE.”
The flagship youth enterprise development programme aims to reach young people aged 18-35 to start their own businesses through the provision of training and finance. The three-month training covers welding and fabrication, electrical installation, food preparation and culinary arts, information technology, fashion and beauty care, carpentry and joinery and hairdressing and beauty therapy. The trainees will be provided starter packs at the end of the session to start their own businesses. Equipped with the skills and packs, some 78 graduates of the premier LiveWIRE session have started their own businesses and also created jobs.
Mr. Weli added: “We expect to replicate the same success story in the 2016 LiveWIRE programme, helping youths to create jobs and giving the new employers and employees a new lease of life.”
The LiveWIRE programme was launched in Nigeria in 2003, and has so far trained more than 6,200 Niger Delta youths in enterprise development and management.
The Federal Government has stepped up vigilance within the drug supply chains in the country on the circulation of two confirmed falsified versions of Quinine Sulphate.
Mrs Boade Akinola
A statement said the Federal Ministry of Health received a medical alert that the two falsified drugs contain zero active pharmaceutical ingredients.
The statement, signed by Mrs Boade Akinola, Director, Media and Public Relations of the ministry, on Saturday said the drugs were circulating in West and Central Africa.
Akinola said the two version of the drug were circulating in Cameroon and Democratic Republic of Congo. She said the quinine Sulphate was used in the treatment of malaria.
According to her, the implication of using the falsified one is that it will not be effective and may also lead to other health challenges. She said one of the fake products was named Quinine Sulfate 300 mg with 1000 Tablets per container, Batch Number 10H05, expiry date 09/2018 and it manufactured 09/2014.
Akinola added that the drug, manufactured by Novadina Pharmaceutical Limited, London, United Kingdom, was first discovered in Cameroon. The director said the other version of the fake drug was Quinine Sulphate 300mg with 100 Tablets per container; batch F4387, expiry date 11/18 and its date of manufacture is 12/14.
She explained that the product was manufactured in India by CAD Pharm, and it was discovered in Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
She advised Nigerians to be vigilant and report to the nearest National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC) office anywhere the drugs are spotted including hospitals and pharmaceutical shops.
The ministry urges Nigerians to also report it the following GSM numbers +2348037881120, +2348055056727 and +2348035902679.
She said: “If you are in possession of these products, please do not use them. If you have taken this falsified product or if you suffer an adverse effect following its uptake, please seek immediate advice from a qualified healthcare professional and report the incident to NAFDAC.”
Twelve additional states have recently become partners with the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) in combating environmental and land degradation. The states include: Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Borno Delta, Gombe, Kano, Katsina, and Kogi. Others are Nasarawa, Oyo, Plateau and Sokoto.
A gully erosion site being attended to by NEWMAP
The multisector and multi-scale project, which adopts innovative approaches to preventing and reversing land degradation, initially commenced with gully erosion sites that threaten infrastructure and livelihoods in the states of Abia, Anambra, Cross River, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu and Imo, referred to as first mover states.
NEWMAP’s activities has however scaled out from the initial seven states to 12 states, now making a total of 19.
Dr. Amos Abu, World Bank’s Task Team Leader (TTL) on the project, disclosed this development recently while briefing key officials of the seven states where the Bank’s Erosion and Watershed Intervention Programme is currently being executed.
Reclaimed gully site at the back of Union Bank in Atakpa Bay Side, Cross River State
NEWMAP, it was gathered, was informed by the need to respond to the challenges and the emerging land degradation and environmental insecurity facing the first mover states.
Then, in 2010, the project was conceived by the Federal Government in partnership with the World Bank to support the country in addressing severe erosion and its impacts in south-eastern Nigeria.
“At the moment, NEWMAP is currently intervening, with a high percentage degree of project completion, in 21 active gully erosion sites, in the initial seven states,” said a source.
NEWMAP is predicated on an eight-year Strategic Investment Loan (SIL) of $508.59 million, consisting of a $500 million International Development Association (IDA) concessional loan, blended with Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund grant of $3.96 million and Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) grant of $4.63 million. The government of Nigeria’s contribution would amount to approximately $150 million (the Federal Government: 60% and participating states: 40%).
NEWMAP is designed as a states led intervention, to reduce vulnerability to soil erosion in targeted sub-watersheds, achieve greater environmental resilience to soil erosion and associated challenges of land degradation, loss of biodiversity, poverty, climate change and disaster risks in specific locations in Nigeria.
The project has four components, which are listed to include: Erosion and Watershed Management Investments; Erosion and Watershed Management Institutions and Information Services; Climate Change Agenda Support; and, Project Management.
Plastic pollution seems to be everywhere, from Atlantic beaches to Arctic sea ice to huge swirling vortexes of trash in the Pacific Ocean. Plastics can be found in every shape and size, from microscopic particles to whole refrigerators full of plastic parts. But plastic itself isn’t the enemy, experts insist, saying rather that it’s the way people handle it that needs to change.
Marine litter in Abidjan, Ivory Coast
According to scientists, ocean plastic has harmed hundreds of species in a variety of ways through:
entanglement old fishing nets, six-pack rings
choking bottle caps, straws, plastic bags
blocking digestive tracts
Habitat degradation, as microscopic particles on the sea floor interfere with how ecosystems function.
It is estimated that some 8.8 million tons of plastic enters the ocean every year, which is likened to a garbage truck dumping a full load of trash into the ocean every minute.
The Big 5
China, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam are said to be the five major contributors to the scourge, with more than 50% of the plastic waste entering the oceans currently coming from these rapidly developing countries.
Stemming The Tide
Just 20 countries are producing the vast majority of the plastic leaking into oceans. It is believed that if those countries could halve the amount of mismanaged waste they generate through infrastructure improvements (such as increasing trash collection rates), the flow of plastic into the ocean would plummet by almost 40%.
Growing Pains
The biggest reason so much plastic winds up in oceans isn’t casual littering. It’s the mismanagement of trash – especially in developing countries, where markets are rapidly growing but waste management systems are inadequate or improperly managed.
Pollution Solutions
In 2012, the Ocean Conservancy founded the Trash Free Seas Alliance, a coalition of business, science, and conservation leaders (including WWF) dedicated to finding solutions to ocean pollution. The Alliance recently helped develop a suite of management strategies to stem the tide of plastics entering the oceans.
WaterAid Nigeria has launched its 2016-2021 country programme strategy, thereby laying the foundation for the 15-year path to achieving universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene for Nigerians by 2030.
Barbara Frost, Chief Executive, WaterAid. Photo credit: wateraid.org
Over the next five years, the organisation will focus on increasing citizens’ access to quality, equitable and sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene services built on a strong sector and engaged communities.
Globally, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) target for drinking water was met five years ahead of the 2015 schedule. However, billions of people – estimated at least one in three – still live without a decent toilet, according to scientists. Despite documented progress of people having improved access to water in Nigeria, the country reportedly failed to meet the MDG targets for both water and sanitation. Consequently, according to WaterAid, nearly 45,000 children under the age of five in Nigeria still die from diarrhoeal diseases caused by the nation’s poor levels of access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).
Although the 2015 WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) shows an increase in water coverage for Nigeria from 40% in 1990 to 69% in 2015, the percentage of the population without access to sanitation is said to be falling – from 38% in 1990 to just 29% in 2015.
“This wholly unacceptable situation causes untold suffering, affecting human and sustainable development, particularly in the lives of women – who carry the burden of fetching water and caring for sick children; and for girls – who may be forced to miss school because of the absence of toilets there, thus limiting their exposure to education and consequently, opportunities to make choices that could help them overcome lives of poverty,” WaterAid Nigeria disclosed in a statement.
It adds: “The 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) give hope for tackling the WASH crisis in Nigeria as the country is signed up to achieving these Global Goals. WaterAid Nigeria launches its new strategy with a commitment to seizing this historic opportunity to tackle the underlying causes of poverty and inequality and to accelerate transformational change through a shared vision of universal access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene.”
Speaking on the new strategy, WaterAid Nigeria Country Director, Dr. Michael Ojo, was quoted in the statement as saying: “Our new strategy is an ambitious and challenging one but we look forward to an exciting journey that will impact positively on child health, education, livelihoods, the environment and addressing poverty and inequalities. Our strategic objectives target strengthening systems to reduce WASH sector blockages; empowering citizens to demand their rights and participate in WASH decision-making and strengthening partnerships to influence the WASH sector and increase access to sustainable WASH services. We will continue to work with the government, colleagues in the development sector and through our partners, to ensure universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene for all in Nigeria by 2030.”
WaterAid International’s Chief Executive, Barbara Frost, who is on a working visit to the country, added: “WaterAid Nigeria’s 2016-2021 Strategy is a monumental and impressive roadmap to changing the course of history and reaching those who are poorest and most vulnerable in Nigeria with safe water, sanitation and hygiene. These life-saving and essential services are fundamental to both human and national development and delivering on them will transform the lives of millions of Nigerians. Achieving universal access for all in Nigeria is possible with the right political commitment, funding, collaborations and innovative thinking.”
Mariame Dem, Head of Region, WaterAid West Africa said: “WaterAid Nigeria has a crucial role to play in achieving universal access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene for all Nigerians by 2030. Getting it right in Nigeria will make a huge impact on improving WASH access rates not just for the region but for Africa as a whole. Nigeria must live up to its status as the giant of Africa and leverage on the enormous potential and opportunities within the country to make some real progress for all Nigerians in this area.”
Belgium and Bulgaria have become the latest countries to ratify the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilisation to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), bringing the total number of ratifications to 80.
Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity
The 2010 Nagoya Protocol is a supplementary agreement to the CBD and a key element in the global framework for sustainable development. The Protocol builds on the access and benefit-sharing provisions of the CBD by establishing predictable conditions for access to genetic resources and by helping to ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilisation of these resources. It entered into force on 12 October 2014.
“I congratulate the governments of Belgium and Bulgaria on their recent ratification of the Nagoya Protocol, thereby demonstrating a strong pledge to the principle of fair and equitable benefit-sharing,” said Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, CBD Executive Secretary. “I encourage other countries to deposit their instruments of ratification or accession as soon as possible for us to reach our goal of 100 ratifications before the important meetings of the Convention and its Protocols to be held in Mexico later this year.”
Both countries ratified the Protocol a week ago – Belgium on 9 August 2016, Bulgaria on 11 August 2016.
As Parties to the Protocol, Belgium and Bulgaria will be able to contribute to key decision-making at the Second meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing, being held in Cancun, Mexico, from 4 to 17 December 2016.
Genetic resources are used in research and development for many different purposes in the European Union (EU). When benefits are derived from the utilisation of genetic resources, the Nagoya Protocol provides that these should be shared fairly and equitably with the providing country.
In addition to the EU, 10 European countries have now ratified the Nagoya Protocol: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Slovakia, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The CBD, an international treaty for the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of the components of biodiversity and the equitable sharing of the benefits derived from the use of genetic resources, opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and entered into force in December 1993.
The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing are supplementary agreements to the Convention. The Cartagena Protocol, which entered into force on 11 September 2003, seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology. To date, 170 Parties have ratified the Cartagena Protocol.
The Nagoya Protocol aims at sharing the benefits arising from the utilisation of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies. It entered into force on 12 October 2014 and to date has been ratified by 80 Parties.
The cats’ return to Caucasus is expected to lay a foundation for new Persian leopard population in Russia. The Persian leopard population declined drastically throughout the 20th century due to poaching and habitat loss.
A leopard is fitted with a tracking collar
Three Persian leopards were on Saturday July 13,2016 released into Russia’s Caucasus (Kavkazsky) State Nature Biosphere Reserve. The event has been described as a remarkable step in restoring leopard populations to the Caucasus.
Until the middle of the 20th century, Persian leopards were common in the Caucasus. But, by 1950, their population had dramatically decreased, and was entirely extinct in some areas reportedly due to human activities.
In 2005, experts from WWF-Russia and the Russian Academy of Science developed a long-term programme to reintroduce Persian leopards in the Caucasus. Russian President Vladimir Putin has supported the programme since 2009
The work was an ambitious undertaking, according to the promoters. First, the territory was prepared for the rare cats. Ungulate populations were increased in order to provide prey and protection measures strengthened.
Adult leopards from zoos cannot be released into the wild: they are unable to catch prey and are not afraid of humans, it was gathered. In 2009, with support from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), a special centre was built near Sochi to breed and prepare leopards for a life in the wild.
Initially, the Centre hosted two males from Turkmenistan and two females from Iran. Later, a leopard pair brought from the Lisbon Zoo had their first litter in the Centre in 2013. By 2016, a total of 14 kittens were born in the centre.
The leopards released have reached sexual maturity and received special training to survive independently in the wild. They also have satellite collars that will allow programme staffers to track the cats after their release.
The programme aims to create a self-sustaining Persian leopard population in the wild, which means a population of at least 50 leopards in the Northern Caucasus. Though there is still much work to do, the first release offers tremendous hope for these endangered cats, officials disclosed.
The Programme for Reintroduction (Restoration) of the Leopard in the Caucasus was initiated in 2005 by WWF-Russia. In 2007, it was approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation and, since 2009, it has been supported personally by Vladimir Putin.
The Programme is implemented by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation with the participation of the Sochi National Park, Caucasus (Kavkazsky) State Nature Biosphere Reserve, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Moscow Zoo and WWF-Russia, and with the support from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA).
Rohit Singh supports ranger and law enforcement work across countries that have wild tigers as part of the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Tigers Alive Initiative. He also serves as president of the Ranger Federation of Asia, an organisation that supports those on the frontlines of conservation in Asia and connects them to the world ranger community at large. He recently spoke with the WWFE-News
Rohit Singh, president of the Ranger Federation of Asia
Can you tell us more about Tx2 – the global goal to double the wild tiger numbers by 2022? What is WWF’s role?
In 2009, we started WWF’s global tiger programme. This is to support the countries with wild tigers in doubling the world’s wild tiger numbers by 2022. All the governments came together in St. Petersburg in 2010 and committed to doubling global tiger numbers. Our job is to help them to achieve this very ambitious goal.
With regard to law enforcement and policy change, how are we going to double the global number of wild tigers by 2022?
At the moment, the biggest threat for tiger conservation is poaching. We are losing tigers every day. If we want to double tiger numbers, we need to protect tigers, and we need to improve our protection system. Protection can only be improved if we have good policies in place, and good on-ground support for rangers in place.
How can we help countries prevent all poaching of tigers and other iconic animals?
When we started talking about zero poaching, people said, “No, it’s impossible. You cannot have zero-poaching in your protected area.” But Nepal has proved it – that you can have zero-poaching.
We had a symposium two years back in Nepal where we discussed zero poaching. All the partners from all over Asia came together – NGOs, governments – and discussed how zero poaching can be modeled and replicated in other countries. In that symposium, we brought all the best practices together in the form of a zero-poaching toolkit.
The Zero Poaching Toolkit brings all those best practices under six pillars, so you put equal emphasis on each pillar if you want to minimise poaching.
What are the six pillars?
The first pillar is assessments. What’s the status of your protected area? The second is the technology. Nowadays, you need the best technology to protect animals.
Third is communities. If the people living around your protected area are not supporting you, then you cannot achieve zero poaching. Then you need to have the right capacity. There’s not one agency that can achieve zero poaching because it’s a multidimensional crime, wildlife crime. So you need to involve all relevant agencies like the police, military.
The fifth pillar is prosecution. If your rangers are arresting poachers, but poachers are released after two days, then it’s not going to help. And finally, co-operation. This is key to success – coordinated work across areas, departments and borders.
Nepal achieved zero poaching. Are any other countries or landscapes working toward that goal?
Nepal is, of course, the benchmark. In some countries, we are picking sites to start zero poaching. In some countries, we are picking landscapes. In some countries, we’re picking the entire country. It depends on the situation. We have already started with Bhutan. We’re going to have the first national zero-poaching meeting in Bhutan in September where we’re going to discuss the gaps under each of these pillars to achieve zero poaching. Then we are moving forward in India, and also in Indonesia.
You helped conduct a survey on rangers. What does it cover and why is the information important?
We hear stories all the time from rangers that they do not have resources. So how do we quantify this information? We started a survey a year ago in Asia with countries that have wild tigers. We got some really good data about their lack of training and equipment. I would say the data is not surprising. We know all these things, but this is the first time we can quantify, we can validate the information which we have been hearing from rangers.
The survey talks about rangers’ capacity. It talks about equipment. It talks about their motivation factors, and, most importantly, about their life-threatening situations. We have recently done the survey in Africa, and are going to repeat it in Latin America also.
The purpose of this survey is to give a snapshot of what is happening with rangers. Our ultimate goal is to do a much more in-depth survey, and ultimately use it to bring policy changes. National governments have to take the initiative. We need to provide them with good, concrete, scientific data, and advocate for the policy changes that can improve ranger conditions.
Why is improving working conditions for rangers vital to the future of wildlife?
Our future depends on the future of wildlife and forests. The future of wildlife and forests depends on rangers. And if we do not adequately support rangers, we’re going to lose biodiversity, our wildlife, and forests.
