Families, who have lost everything in the ongoing Bangladesh flooding, are reliving painful memories of the day the floodwaters came gushing into their homes, forcing them to leave all they had.
Flooding in Noakhali, Bangladesh
They are now living in flood shelters, surviving on the scarce drinking water and food available as roads have been cut off, hampering aid delivery efforts.
Shukuri Begum, 56, a resident of Shonaimuri Upazilla in Noakhali, one of the worst-hit districts, recalls: “This flood took away my home – it sank into the pond. We were terrified and fled to a neighbour’s house with my grandchildren. But we couldn’t stay there long; it wasn’t safe anymore. We came here by boat to find shelter. I have a son with physical disabilities, and we couldn’t bring him with us. We had to stack beds and leave him on top, hoping he would be safe. I don’t know what’s waiting for us.”
Over 800,000 families are currently living in waterlogged areas, with nearly 200,000 people seeking refuge in flood shelters. Schools in some regions have been converted into flood shelters for the affected families.
Nazrul Islam, Bondattor village, Kabirhat, Noakhali District, says: “My family and I are in deep trouble. At first, the floodwater reached our waists, and as it rose to our chests, we had no choice but to leave our home and everything behind. Now, we’re in this shelter with my children, and I have no idea what’s happened to our house. I don’t even know if anything will be left when we can finally return. Everything is destroyed. Please, help us.”
ActionAid Bangladesh, together with its local partners, are already supporting the affected communities in Sadar and Sonaimuri areas of Noakhali District and will start responding in Feni District as soon as the water levels recede.
Through a youth-led initiative, families in the flood shelters have received cooked food and other emergency supplies such as oral rehydration solution (ORS), emergency medicine, water purification tablets and dignity kits. ActionAid is also providing psychosocial first aid support for the displaced families, alongside distribution of dignity kits.
“We have divided ourselves into teams, so that we can gather information from hard-to-reach areas and enable our youth volunteers to provide food relief to people who are in the waterlogged and most remote parts of Noakhali. But we are facing challenges because the large boats cannot reach these areas, so we are using small boats to carry food and other relief materials. We need more volunteers to support the flood-impacted people with food relief, as they are in a dire situation,” says Nahida Sultana Etu, a youth volunteer with ActionAid Activista.
The floods come at a time when Bangladesh is still recovering from Cyclone Remal, which hit just three months ago – the most devastating cyclone to strike the country in recent years. With the impacts of the climate crisis being ever more intense, Bangladesh has been on the receiving end.
Farah Kabir, the country director of ActionAid Bangladesh, says: “Countries like Bangladesh with negligible emissions and whose people have shown super resilience deserve immediate funds to address the impacts of climate change and frequent disasters. We need to recover from the losses and damage we have faced as well as build resilience to future impacts and take on green development pathways.”
UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has urged the island nations of the Pacific to “show the way” in protecting the planet from the ravages of climate change.
UN Secretary-General, António Guterres
Guterres made the call at the opening of the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga on Monday, August 26, 2024, where he also called on the rest of the world to step up with more support.
He told the leaders that while much of the world was embroiled in conflict, injustice, and socio-economic crisis, the Pacific “is a beacon of solidarity and strength, environmental stewardship, and peace.”
The Forum consists of 18 Member States, from Australia to Vanuatu, guided by a long-term vision and a 2050 strategy for ensuring the health and wellbeing of all by working together “to leverage our collective strengths and build a better future.”
Guterres told the annual gathering that the global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – built around the 17 Goals or SDGs – “is faltering.”
“The world has much to learn from you. It must also step up to support you,” he said.
Mukhtar Babayev, the Azerbaijani Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, as well as President-Designate of COP29 (left), met with UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, on the sidelines of the Pacific Islands Forum holding in Tonga
He added that their region of “fearless seafarers, expert fishers, and deep ancestral knowledge of the ocean” is being treated “like a sewer” by humanity at large.
“Plastic pollution is choking sealife. Greenhouse gases are causing ocean heating, acidification, and rising seas. But Pacific islands are showing the way to protect our climate, our planet, and our ocean,” he said.
Guterres pointed to the region’s Declarations on Sea Level Rise and determination to have a just transition towards a fossil-fuel-free Pacific.
“The young people of the pacific have taken the climate crisis all the way to the International Court of Justice (ICJ),” he said.
According to him, while the pacific region is doing what it can, the G20 most industrialised nations – the biggest emitters of carbon – “must step up and lead, by phasing out the production and consumption of fossil fuels and stopping their expansion immediately.”
Guterres stressed that the region urgently needed more financial support, capacities, and technology to speed up the transition to clean energy and so countries could invest in adaptation and resilience.
“That is why we have been calling for reform of the international financial architecture, a massive increase in the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks, debt relief programmes that work, and an enhanced redistribution of Special Drawing Rights, to benefit developing countries.”
He said the decisions on the climate crisis and sustainable development world leaders take in the years ahead would determine the fate of us all.
“In other words: If we save the pacific, we save the world. Pacific Island States have a moral and practical imperative to take your leadership to the global stage.”
Guterres stressed that the Summit of the Future in New York in September would be an opportunity to reform and update global institutions, so they could again be fit for purpose.
“I urge Pacific Island States to make your voices heard and heard loudly because the world needs your leadership,” he added.
The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Mohammed Fall, has called for universities’ stakeholders to collaborate with governments to accelerate efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030.
The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Mohammed Fall
Fall made this call at the second national conference of the Lagos State University’s Centre for the Actualisation of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (LASU-SDGs) on Monday, August 26, 2024, in Lagos.
The theme of the conference was, “Making Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable.”
He said that the UN had decided to use accelerators or catalyst to enable it increase speed on education, climate change, food system, jobs and social protection as well as digital economy.
“To achieve this target, we will require the participation of all stakeholders in universities, governments and private sectors.
“The theme of this conference is very pertinent and premised on goal 11 of the 17 SDGs.
“In 2005, an estimate of 50 per cent of the world’s population lived in urban areas, this estimate will reach 60 per cent by the year 2030.
“More than 50 per cent of the population live in urban areas, cities must, therefore, be prepared for this upsurge,” Fall said.
He noted that cities always had the potential to lead the country through innovation to greater prosperity and sustainability.
“Universities are centres of innovation and research, which feed into policy that can enable faster development.
“A recent SDG report indicate that only 17 per cent of the SDGs target are on track to be achieved in Nigeria by 2030.
“This is because since 2015, the world has grappled with many challenges including COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and others,” Fall said.
Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, Vice- Chancellor, LASU, said that the theme of the conference touched on the very existence of the human community, especially as Lagos was striving towards becoming a smart city.
Olatunji-Bello said that the goal of using resources to plan and develop cities to improve their social, economic and environmental conditions was to ensure urban sustainability and improve the quality of life of current and future residents.
“The challenges to urban sustainability are often the very same challenges that motivate cities to be more sustainable in the first place.
“In other words,thechallenges are also the reasons for cities to invest in sustainable urban development.
“This is because without addressing these challenges, urban sustainability is not as effective.
“For the long-term success and resilience of cities, these challenges should serve as a current guide for current and future development,” she said.
In his opening remarks, Prof. Tayo Ajayi of the LASU Centre for Actualisation of SDGs, said that urban planning, transport systems, water, sanitation, waste management, disaster risk reduction and capacity building were all relevant issues to sustainable urban development.
Ajayi said that the aim of the conference was to bring together academics, governments, public and private enterprises to dwell on how smart city technology could benefit our population by improving and promoting environmental sustainability.
“We need to know what can be done to prevent the degradation of human communities by proposing innovative solutions to the gripping challenges the cities of the world face today,” he said.
In line with its strategic vision to be a dynamic and reliable global energy supplier of choice, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has commenced shipment of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) cargoes to Japan and China on Delivered Ex-Ship (DES) basis.
A cross section of the vessel on arrival in Futtsu Japan to deliver NNPC Shipping Ltd’s Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) cargoes to Japan and China on Delivered Ex-Ship (DES) basis, recently
NNPC Ltd achieved the milestone through the collaboration of two of its Downstream subsidiaries – NNPC LNG Ltd and NNPC Shipping Ltd – which delivered its first DES LNG cargo from the 174,000m³ LNG vessel Grazyna Gesicka at Futtsu, Japan, on June 27, 2024.
Since then, it has expanded its footprint to China with the delivery of one LNG cargo on DES basis.
Delivered Ex-Ship (DES) is an international commercial term that requires the seller to deliver the products/goods at a specific port. The seller takes responsibility for the shipping and insurance for the products/goods until they get to the specified port of delivery. It requires expertise and a higher level of efficiency to execute than the Free on Board (FOB) system.
NNPC Ltd has been involved in LNG trading since 2021 with its first LNG cargo sale in November of that year. It has since traded over 20 cargoes into the European and Asian markets on FOB basis.
Speaking on the development, the Executive President, Downstream, Mr. Dapo Segun, said: “The DES system, apart from being more financially rewarding, allows NNPC Ltd inroads into the downstream segment of the LNG sector and positions it to capture more market shares while building in-house capacity and ensuring that global customers are familiar with the NNPC Ltd brand.”
The collaboration between NNPC LNG Ltd and NNPC Shipping Ltd in executing the LNG supplies on DES basis has strengthened the latter’s position as a world class shipping provider in the LNG sector.
“NNPC Shipping intends to build a shipping portfolio (including owned vessels) so that we can provide our sister company and other clients all the shipping flexibilities they need,” Managing Director of NNPC Shipping, Panos Gliatis, enthused.
NNPC LNG Ltd, in collaboration with NNPC Shipping Ltd, is scheduled to deliver at least two more LNG cargoes to the Asian market on DES basis by November. Many more orders are expected before the end of year.
Balancing greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprints has become a critical global concern. The significant impact of greenhouse gas emissions on climate change is undeniable. These gases contribute to severe issues such as environmental pollution.
COP29 hold in Baku, Azerbaijan November 2024
As the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increases, the heat balance is disrupted, leading to global warming and climate change. Additionally, these gases cause groundwater contamination, air pollution, and health problems.
First, let’s clarify what greenhouse gases and carbon footprints are.
Greenhouse gases are those that trap heat in the atmosphere. Examples include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). These gases are emitted through human activities such as burning fossil fuels, industrial processes, vehicle emissions, and deforestation. The term “carbon footprint” refers to the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an individual, organisation, or product.
A carbon footprint is typically measured in CO2 equivalents and expressed as units of CO2 emissions. For instance, the carbon footprint of producing one ton of a product is linked to the greenhouse gas emissions from the resources used in its production. Therefore, the higher the greenhouse gas emissions from these resources, the larger the product’s carbon footprint.
The average global temperature is the most commonly used metric for assessing the state of the world’s climate. This measurement helps us understand many climate-related issues.
Since the start of the industrial era, the global average temperature has risen by 0.7°C. This increase in temperature has led to changes in local precipitation patterns, shifts in ecological zone boundaries, warming of water surfaces, and melting glaciers. However, these changes can vary significantly from one country to another.
Adapting to climate change has become a necessity. For instance, during the dry season in East Africa, people often have to travel longer distances to find water.
In countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam, small-scale farmers suffer crop losses due to severe hurricanes, floods, and rising sea levels.
Since the adoption of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, humanity has made minimal progress in stabilising greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.
Restoring the climatic conditions that have been deteriorating over hundreds of years is, of course, not achievable in a short period.
Currently, the rise in the Earth’s average temperature and climate changes, which pose a significant threat to a small farmer in Kyrgyzstan, might not be seen as dangerous by a farmer in one of the southern states of the United States.
However, the rapid acceleration of climate change is considered a threat to millions of people, various ecosystems, and the entire planet. To mitigate the impact of climate change, it is crucial to establish a final acceptable limit for temperature increase.
Many climate scientists agree that this limit is 2°C. If the global average temperature rises by more than 2°C, the risk of adverse climate change effects is likely to increase.
As mentioned above, it is essential to prevent the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. However, according to relevant statistics, global carbon emissions increased by 3% in 2011, reaching a record 34 billion tons, with the G-20 countries accounting for approximately 78% of these emissions.
Based on the latest statistics from 2021, carbon emissions in Azerbaijan are approximately 58.1 million tons. It is also important to note that these gases can remain in the atmosphere for thousands of years.
The gases and their contributions to global warming are as below:
– Power production, forest and land use, and cement manufacturing – 65%;
– Gas pipeline leaks, fermentation of livestock waste, rice paddies, waste, landfills, biomass burning, and domestic effluents – 20%;
– Fertilizer application, soil remediation, biomass burning, and the combustion of coal and hydrocarbons – 5%.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, many industrial enterprises in Azerbaijan ceased operations. As a result, the country’s greenhouse gas emissions significantly decreased. However, from mid-2005 onwards, an increase in oil production led to a rise in greenhouse gas emissions. Although greenhouse gas emissions in 2005 were 43% lower than in 1990, by 2021, they were only 26% lower than in 1990.
According to the Paris Agreement, which Azerbaijan supports, greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced by 35% by 2030. This means that the volume of emissions of heat-trapping gases should decrease to 51.3 million tons compared to 1990.
This requires a reduction of about 12% compared to the levels recorded in 2021. Data from the State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan indicate that the majority of heat-producing gas emissions in the country are related to the energy sector. In 2021, greenhouse gases released by the energy sector accounted for 81.2% of Azerbaijan’s total greenhouse gas emissions.
The World Bank’s report on climate indicators in Azerbaijan highlights the importance of the country achieving its decarbonisation goals:
“Economic diversification and a more dynamic private sector are required in Azerbaijan to define and implement a clear course on decarbonisation. It should be noted that the sectors important for the green transition, including energy and water supply, are dominated by state-owned enterprises, which employ half of the country’s workforce,” the report states.
From the latest indicators for 2021, it is evident that compared to 1990, greenhouse gas emissions in Azerbaijan have decreased by only 26%.
According to the World Bank’s database, global greenhouse gas emissions increased by about 50% in 2020. In the two largest economies of the world, the United States saw a 3% decrease in emissions between 1990 and 2020, while China experienced more than a fourfold increase.
Events like COP29 and the significant decisions made there to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are very positive. However, everyone can contribute to maintaining the heat and gas balance through small, individual actions. For example, companies can adopt the following practices in line with environmental awareness and sustainability principles:
Utilise renewable energy sources. Companies can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by transitioning from fossil fuels, which constitute a large portion of their energy consumption, to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydroelectricity, and biomass.
Energy efficiency measures should be implemented to reduce energy consumption and thereby decrease greenhouse gas emissions. For instance, energy consumption can be minimised by using building insulation, energy-efficient lighting systems, and high-efficiency appliances.
Maintaining a sustainable supply chain should also be a key objective. Companies can lower their greenhouse gas emissions by considering environmental factors in all supply chain activities, using sustainable materials, and choosing environmentally friendly suppliers.
There are significant gaps in the areas of recycling and waste management. Recycling waste can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When waste is recycled, it can be reused, thereby reducing the overall amount of waste and preventing the generation of harmful gas emissions.
Social responsibility is crucial for all these efforts. Companies can reduce traffic and greenhouse gas emissions by adopting environmentally friendly practices and allowing employees to work from home as part of their social responsibility initiatives. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is essential for a sustainable future.
The involvement of countries, presidents, official representatives, and both small and large companies in this effort will be beneficial from both ecological and economic perspectives.
COP29 President-Designate Mukhtar Babayev and Simon Stiell, the executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), have signed the Host Country Agreement between Azerbaijan and the UNFCCC, marking the latest milestone in preparations for the successful delivery of COP29 in Azerbaijan in November 2024.
COP29 President-Designate Mukhtar Babayev (left) and Simon Stiell, the executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), signing the Host Country Agreement
The agreement, it was gathered, highlights Azerbaijan’s commitment to delivering an accessible, inclusive and transparent conference that reflects the needs and priorities of all parties and during which all voices will be heard.
Azerbaijan’s commitment to hosting COP29 is a clear indication of the nation’s growing sensitivity to climate change issues, Sevinj Fataliyeva, a member of the COP29 Organising Committee said during a conference titled “Women’s Education in a Green World: From Yesterday to Today”.
Fataliyeva highlighted the direct impact of climate change on women’s work processes, stating, “Women play a leading role in managing natural resources. They are not lagging behind in green technologies and steps towards developing a green world.”
She reminded attendees that the 2015 Paris Agreement also raised the issue of increasing women’s activities in these areas.
Fataliyeva emphasised the increasing participation of women in climate change conferences and events worldwide.
“This number is also increasing in Azerbaijan,” she noted. “The gathering of professional women in the COP29 organising committee shows that our country is on the path of development in this field.”
Moiz Farooq, a writer on Foreign Policy and Economy, stated that, under the leadership of Azerbaijan, COP29 will be a force for good connecting North, South, East, and West and mobilizing the international community to make progress on halting global warming.
“Azerbaijan has made green growth one of the key priorities of development. The President of Azerbaijan declared the 2024 as ‘Year of Solidarity for a Green World’ to foster momentum on climate action at a national level and beyond,” Farooq wrote.
According to him, Azerbaijan is a regional leader in green energy transition, adding, in recent years, the country has been prioritising green projects all over the country.
“They are developing smart cities and villages in the liberated territories. Garabagh and East Zangezur Economic Zones, Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic will be net zero emission zones by 2050. By 2030, the share of renewables in the installed capacity of electricity generation in Azerbaijan will reach 30%,” he noted.
A former lawmaker, Chief Sam Onuigbo, has called on community leaders and other stakeholders to take the protection of public infrastructure in their communities as their core responsibility.
Rep. Sam Onuigbo
He made the appeal at the August Meeting of Obuohia Obi-Ibere Development Union, Women’s Wing, held at Obuohia Obi-Ibere in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia, on Saturday, August 24, 2024.
Onuigbo, who is representing South-East on the Board of North-East Development Commission (NEDC), urged the people to join hands with the government to jealously guard public infrastructure in their domain against vandalism.
The former representative for Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency of Abia, expressed concern that some projects he attracted to his community and others were being threatened by vandals.
Onuigbo, the Chairman, Committee on Security, Climate Change and Special Interventions in NEDC, appealed to the youths, who indulge in acts of vandalism, to desist from them.
His appeal was in response to the concern raised by the women’s National President, Mrs Chinyere Sam-Onuigbo, in her speech at the annual event.
She had raised the alarm over the incessant cases of vandalism in the community, citing the continued destruction and stealing of equipment from the public hospital and school in the area.
She said that August meeting is not a political rally, but an avenue by grassroots women to collectively plan and strategise for the growth of their community.
According to her, this year’s theme, “let us rise and build according to God’s pattern,” references the need for us to continue to be critical support systems for growth in our society.
Sam-Onuigbo charged the women to pattern their efforts at building a strong and virile society after the instructions of God.
She appealed for support from well-meaning indigenes to activate the agro processing plant located in the community which, according to her, is the largest in the South-East.
The event featured march past, fashion parade, drama, cultural dance, novelty football match as well as needle-and-thread race, amongst others highlights.
The Federal Government says it will support states affected by flood with N3 billion to mitigate the effect of the menace.
Flooding in Makurdi, Benue State
Mr Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, disclosed this while interacting with journalists at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, on Sunday, August 25, 2024.
The minister spoke shortly after inspecting some areas affected by flood in Kebbi.
Edun said: “I will announce here that the National Economic Council has been proactive and has taken action in order to support all the states of the federation and the FCT with N3 billion to mitigate the effect of flood this year.
“That will put many states like Kebbi in a good position to be able to prepare their farmers to the all-important dry season farming, which we anticipate will be successful, well planned and well implemented.”
This, he said, would lead to success, paving way for food availability at reasonable affordable prices, adding that it would lower inflation and help to further stabilise the economy.
He expressed President Bola Tinubu’s willingness to assist them to maintain its level of security, resilience and to improve and increase its productivity and become the food basket of Nigeria.
Also speaking, the Minister of Economic Planning, Sen. Atiku Bagudu, lamented that the flooding had affected many local governments beyond what he saw when he visited the areas recently.
He, however, commended the resilience and confidence of Kebbi people, assuring that they would be mobilised to do better during the dry season farming.
The minister said that, apart from the N3 billion, the federal government had approved a Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund that would be used for funding, among other things, the Badagry-Sokoto Road.
“Kebbi is going to host the longest stretch of that road. Equally, irrigation and dams are important feature of that renewed hope infrastructure fund.
“So, irrigation facilities are going to be expanded along the whole stretch of the 1,000-kilometre road and significant part of the irrigation support will be in Kebbi,” he said.
On his part, Gov. Nasir Idris, pleaded with the federal government to assist the state because many rice farmlands in the state had been submerged by the flood.
He said: “They have gone to Wacot Rice Mill in Argungu and they have seen things by themselves. They also visited Matan Fada in Argungu and they have seen how the flood affected rice farmlands.
“Kebbi is the leading rice farming state in the country, because it is an agrarian state.”
The governor appealed to the two ministers to discuss with the president on how to assist Kebbi, saying that the state had the capacity to feed the entire nation and beyond.
According to him, in an effort to boost national food security, the state government has distributed fertilisers, seedlings, solar pumps, and CNG pumping machines to over 35,000 farmers free-of-charge.
He, however, said the rainy season came with a lot of challenges, with flood destroying farmlands.
“Therefore, we want the federal government to come to our aid because rice season farming is approaching.
“Already, we have started mobilising our farmers that immediately after the wet season harvest, the government is always ready to assist them to go back for dry season farming,” he noted.
The entourage also visited Dukku Water Treatment Plant in Birnin Kebbi.
Suriname has started trading UN carbon credits, called Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcome (ITMOs), as part of its climate pledge under the Paris Agreement. It has successfully completed all its Article 5.2, Article 6.2, and Article 13 requirements.
Marciano Dasai, Suriname Minister of Spatial Planning and Environment
Developed country governments and corporations can buy their ITMOs and, in return, Suriname will keep investing to protect their forests and biodiversity.
The country is beginning by offering 2021 REDD+ results which are eligible for transacting internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs) under the Paris Agreement. They are starting by selling 4,839,390 UNFCCC-verified REDD+ Results Units and hope to have 10 million for 2022 going forward.
“Over the past 20 years, the government of Suriname has shown clear evidence of tackling the drivers of deforestation and emissions. Today, Suriname’s national REDD+ programme is successfully working. Our challenge is developing economically and providing services to its people while remaining a net-carbon remover for centuries to come,” said Marciano Dasai, the Suriname Minister of Spatial Planning and Environment.
Suriname is regarded as the most forested country in the world – over 93% forest cover according to a recent forest inventory assessment. Its forests remove over 20 million tons of mostly other countries’ carbon emissions every year. For free! At the same time, its energy emissions are around 4 million tons per year.
In preparation for the launch of its ITMOs sale, the ministry held a presentation on July 30 for the members of the standing committee of ROM of the National Assembly. The green development strategy is currently being developed and formulated under the supervision of ROM. This should ultimately result in an initiative law that will be submitted to the National Assembly in October 2024.
Fair Distribution of Financial Benefits
The revenue from sales will be overseen by an inter-ministerial committee, managed by the finance ministry, and audited annually. A profit-sharing mechanism will be established to ensure that revenues from the sale of carbon credits are shared fairly between investors, developers, and local communities. There will be transparent and regular reporting on the progress and impact of emission reduction projects.
“The money earned will be spent helping Suriname develop sustainably for future generations, and that includes remaining a net remover of carbon every year while respecting the Sustainable Development Goals and forest dependent communities,” said Dasai.
Suriname will undertake all the carbon accounting and reporting of their net carbon balance biannually under their climate pledge to the UN and remain fully Paris Agreement compliant.
The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) Lagos Chapter, on Saturday, August 24, 2024, unveiled the Lagos Home Gardening Initiative to promote food security in the state and across the nation.
L-R: Farmer Mufutau Oyelekan, CEO, Farm Fresh Agricultural Venture; Dr Atinuke Owolabi, Chairman, APWEN Lagos Chapter; Chairman, Onigbongbo Local Government Area, Oladotun Olakanle, at the unvieling of Lagos Home Gardening Initiative by APWEN Lagos Chapter on Saturday in Lagos
Dr Atinuke Owolabi, Chairperson, APWEN Lagos Chapter, said that the initiative was in alignment with the association’s support for the First Lady of Nigeria, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu’s, “Own a Garden” Competition.
Owolabi said this while delivering an address at the APWEN Lagos Chapter 2024 Public Lecture, Award and Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lagos.
The theme of the lecture was, “Empowering Nigerian Women Engineers and Communities to Promote Sustainable Agricultural Solutions and Food Security in Nigeria”.
She explained that the initiative was developed to promote essential skills for practical home gardening, focusing on empowering women engineers and local communities.
“APWEN Lagos Home Gardening Initiative aims to enhance food security, encourage self-sufficiency, and foster environmental sustainability through practical and accessible gardening practices.
“Through this initiative, we seek to build a network of well-informed and skilled individuals who can lead by example and drive positive change in their communities,” she said.
According to her, the home gardening initiative aims to equip individuals and communities with the knowledge and skills needed to establish and maintain home gardens, enhancing food security and promoting sustainable living.
Owolabi added that the programme would provide women engineers with hands-on experience and training in home gardening, integrating this knowledge with their professional skills to foster self-sufficiency and environmental stewardship.
The APWEN chairperson said that the association, through the initiative, would also engage grassroots communities by targeting primary and secondary schools.
She said that the young scholars would be introduced to the benefits of home gardening to create a culture of sustainability from an early age and ensure long-term community impact.
“This year has marked a significant milestone for our chapter. We have made substantial strides in advancing our mission to empower women in engineering and to support our communities.
“Our achievements stand as a testament to the dedication and hard work of each member,” she said.
In his remark, Chairman, Onigbongbo Local Government Area, Oladotun Olakanle, lauded APWEN Lagos for the initiative, noting that insecurity has impacted adversely on food production.
Olakunle urged Nigerian to embrace home gardening initiative in a quest to enhance food production and sustainability, noting that food security is key to food sufficiency.
Guest Speaker, Mufutau Oyelekan, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Farm Fresh Agricultural Venture, charged APWEN members and other agricultural engineers to develop and design agricultural tools for Nigerian farmers.
Oyelekan, also Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Lagos Chapter, expressed worry that the tools presently used in the country are produced from China.
He advised the female engineers to collaborate with fabricators to design the tools and also establish farms individually or as a group, as well as develop agricultural product processors to promote food sufficiency.
The keynote speaker, Prof. Akindele Alonge, Dean, Faculty of Engineering at the University of Uyo, urged the female engineers to confront challenges impeding food sufficiency across the country, while tapping into opportunities in farming.
Alonge is also Past National Chairman of Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers
He said that for the country to attain sufficiency in food, agriculture engineers must promote mechanised farming and leverage digital technology in farming.
He said that they must also build their capacities, network and collaborate with other professionals.
He urged them to participate in policy formation, maximise access to funding, technological equipment, and also take agriculture as a business.
