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How Paris Agreement empowers women to act on climate

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How Paris Agreement empowers women to act on climate

Governments, institutions and agencies are increasingly considering ways in which women and gender considerations can be better integrated into climate action planning. The Paris Agreement and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals agreed last year are said to be accelerating this trend, according to a IUCN Global Gender Office Analysis

Women sell mango and sweet potato jam at the food processing shop in Bantantinnting, Senegal. They produced the jam with a Multifunctional Platform Project (MFP) introduced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), helping women and girls to no longer spend several hours a day gathering firewood or collecting water. MFP is a diesel engine to which a variety of end-use equipment can be attached, including grinding mills, battery chargers, vegetable or nut oil presses, welding machines and carpentry tools. Bantantinnting, Senegal, Photo courtesy of the United Nations Photo Gallery
Women sell mango and sweet potato jam at the food processing shop in Bantantinnting, Senegal. They produced the jam with a Multifunctional Platform Project (MFP) introduced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), helping women and girls to no longer spend several hours a day gathering firewood or collecting water. MFP is a diesel engine to which a variety of end-use equipment can be attached, including grinding mills, battery chargers, vegetable or nut oil presses, welding machines and carpentry tools. Bantantinnting, Senegal, Photo credit: United Nations Photo Gallery

Women around the world, particularly rural woman, experience energy poverty more acutely than men. Women expend extensive time and labor on fuel collection and are often exposed to the health risks of unsafe use of biomass fuels for cooking and other household duties. Good policies and initiatives can improve their plight.

Research by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) shows that of the 160 national climate action plans (“Intended Nationally Determined Contributions” or “INDCs”), 38% explicitly mention “women” or “gender” in the context of national ambitions. Thirty-one INDCs reference a gender dimension for both mitigation (efforts to curb emissions) and adaptation components of their commitments and four countries specifically address gender in mitigation.

The IUCN’s Global Gender Office says 44% of the “Low-Emission Development Strategies” (LEDS) developed by governments require either a commitment to integrate gender into national policies or a linkage between gender inequality and vulnerability to climate change.

This trend is even more evident in the eight detailed Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) design documents available. NAMAs refer to any action that reduces emissions in developing countries and is prepared under the umbrella of a national governmental initiative. They can be policies directed at transformational change within an economic sector, or actions across sectors for a broader national focus. Seven of these documents include mentions of “women” or “gender” in the proposed objectives or outcomes.

 

National Climate Action Plans Vary from Country to Country

Gender considerations within national climate action plans (INDCs) pair national climate priorities with women’s circumstances and are therefore diverse. For example, in the mitigation component of Senegal’s INDC, the country recognizes that bettering the access of households to improved energy sources will alleviate women’s domestic workloads. The Dominican Republic acknowledges the role of woman as agents of change towards a low-carbon future. Jordan’s INDC proposes a comprehensive approach to gender equality across all development sectors and calls for gender-equitable benefits from climate finance mechanism.

Senegal, the Dominican Republic and Jordan are responsible for very little of the world’s GHG emissions, compared to countries such as the United States and China, yet are demonstrating leadership in gender equality.

However, the 61 INDCs that mention “women” and/or “gender” only account for 18% of the world’s GHG emissions (according to 2012 data). This statistic perhaps reflects an international consciousness of the gender and climate change inter-linkages within development.

In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), more than two-thirds of people lack access to modern energy sources, thus gender-responsive INDCs and other mitigation activities provide crucial opportunities to improve women’s livelihoods, and engage women in and engage mitigation activities in the region. Seventy-five percent of the INDC submissions from SSA countries have a gender/women keyword mention, outperforming all other regional groupings.

 

Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs)

Given that releasing information regarding NAMAs is voluntary and at the discretion of governments and project sponsors, it is difficult to make a comprehensive assessment of NAMA documents. Yet, with access to only eight detailed NAMA design documents, seven include mentions of “women” or “gender” in the proposed objectives or outcomes.

 

Cameroon’s NAMA Promotes Clean Cook Stoves

Given that releasing information regarding NAMAs is voluntary and at the discretion of governments and project sponsors, it is difficult to make a comprehensive assessment of NAMA documents. One of the seven detailed NAMA design documents analysed by GGO and that mentions of “women” or “gender” in the proposed objectives or outcomes is from Cameroon.

In that country, nearly 80% of the population relies on biomass energy for household cooking, which contributes to both deforestation and an increased exposure to indoor air pollution – with women among the most affected. Cameroon is developing a NAMA focused on promoting access to improved cook stoves to improve women’s health outcomes while simultaneously reducing pressure on forests.

 

Vanuatu’s NAMA Focuses on Rural Electrification

Oceans away, on the small island nation of Vanuatu – one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change – only one-third of households have access to electricity. Innovative gender-responsive approaches in mitigation actions are critical for this region to alleviate the interconnected development challenges posed by energy poverty, gender inequality and climate change.

Thus, Vanuatu’s energy-sector NAMA is focused on rural electrification also includes an intervention towards increasing private sector involvement in rural electrification and encourages fostering women-run enterprises.

 

Low Emissions and Gender Equity Go Hand in Hand in Bhutan

Of the 27 Low-Emission Development Strategies (LEDS) the Global Gender Office analysed, 12 either commit to integrating gender into national policies or the linkage between gender inequality and vulnerability to climate change. As an example of a best practice LEDS, Bhutan developed a Rapid Gender Capacity Needs Assessment to identify gendered needs in climate policy development and to provide sex-disaggregated data to inform decision making. Activities listed in the gender strategy include a stakeholder engagement and capacity training activities to increase women’s participation in the transport, waste and housing sector economies.

Rivers community deserted as Agip flow station burns

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Rivers community deserted as Agip flow station burns

Akalaolu is a small, sleepy and somewhat peaceful town in Ahoada Local Government Council of Rivers State. It could have passed unnoticed in the map but for the abundant petroleum resources the community is endowed with. There is, however, distress in paradise. If current developments are anything to go by, residents are lately abandoning their homes in droves as a mysterious fire burns endlessly.

Fire burning at the flow station
Fire burning at the flow station

The fire, which is burning at Agip’s Oshie Flow Station (Oshie Well 5), was said to have started when the station was blown up by unknown persons following the firm’s refusal to accede to their request.

According to a source close to a security firm working for Agip, trouble started following the arrest of one Mr Emma, an Agip contract community worker, for unspecified crimes. A local cult group was said to have written to Agip demanding for his release, among other demands.

IMG-20160214-WA0006Joy Anthony, a resident of the community, gave an insight into the incident. She said: “The fire started at about 12 am on Sunday 7th February 2016. The fire started to burn from an oil well.”

In response to the fire, Agip threatened to retaliate, she alleged. “The next day some boys were arrested and taken to the Agip Flow Station at Oshie. The boys made it clear that they knew nothing about the fire. But the security men saw a note at the burning oil well where the boys wrote their demands.”

When asked if she knew their demands, she said: “I don’t know their demands, because l have not read the letter. But l know that they wrote a letter to Agip.”

The letter is believed to have been written by a group called Winchmens, which wants Agip not only to release Emma, but to offer its members employment slots in the company, as well as money. The group has threatened further actions if its demands are not met.

A deserted community
A deserted community

Investigations revealed that the streets of Akalaolu community are deserted and indeed the entire community seem empty. Scores of security men comprising the Police, Civil Defense and Army were seen patrolling the streets and manning check points along the only road leading into the town.

Pastor Adepoju Michael of Trinity Baptist Church in Akalaolu said: “The fire is still burning till this morning and they have been unable to put it out.” He expressed concern over the fact that “many innocent people have been arrested.” According to him “even women are hiding themselves because of fear of arrest.”

One Ms Rejoice, a pregnant woman whose home is less than 50 meters from the burning, expressed fears about the safety of her home. “I don’t sleep here any more,” she said.

A woman bathing her child in a large, deserted compound, Mrs Adunwo Ameshi, said in response to a question: “As soon as l finish bathing my son we will leave this community.” Asked why she is leaving, she replied, irritated: “Did you see people as you dey come?”

But Joy Anthony seems to sum up the feelings of the community when she said: “We too no have good road, no hospital, no schools, no good drinking water for community.” But she still proclaimed the innocence of the community, saying: “We no sabi anything about the fire, l can swear for the community.”

Attempts to get Agip’s views have met a brickwall. When EnviroNews Nigeria visited the Oshie Flow Station on the 10th of February 2016, it met a safety worker who led the team fighting the fire at the well. He declined to comment, claiming not to have the authority to do so. He then directed the medium to one Mr Nwabueze, the supervisor in charge of the Flow Station, who also declined to speak on the matter. He suggested that the manager at the OB/OB Gas Plant in Omoku might be able to comment on the matter.

By Dandy Mgbenwa

WHO: Climate change may have helped spread Zika virus

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WHO: Climate change may have helped spread Zika virus

Warmer and wetter conditions facilitate transmission of mosquito-borne diseases, which may have added to spread, says lead climate change scientist. Oliver Milman writes in The Guardian of London

Dr Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum, lead scientist on climate change at WHO. Photo credit: graduateinstitute.ch
Dr Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum, lead scientist on climate change at WHO. Photo credit: graduateinstitute.ch

The outbreak of Zika virus in Central and South America is of immediate concern to pregnant women in the region, but for some experts the situation is a glimpse of the sort of public health threats that will unfold due to climate change.

“Zika is the kind of thing we’ve been ranting about for 20 years,” said Daniel Brooks, a biologist at University of Nebraska-Lincoln. “We should’ve anticipated it. Whenever the planet has faced a major climate change event, man-made or not, species have moved around and their pathogens have come into contact with species with no resistance.”

It’s still not clear what role rising temperatures and altered rainfall patterns have had on the spread of Zika, which is mainly spread by mosquitoes; the increased global movement of people is probably as great an influence as climate change for the spread of infectious diseases. But the World Health Organisation (WHO), which declared a public health emergency over the birth defects linked to Zika, is clear that changes in climate mean a redrawn landscape for vector and water-borne diseases.

According to WHO, a global temperature rise of 2-3C will increase the number of people at risk of malaria by around 3-5%, which equates to several hundred million. In areas where malaria is already endemic, the seasonal duration of malaria is likely to lengthen. Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that carries Zika and other diseases, is expected to thrive in warmer conditions.

As climate change reaches almost every corner of the Earth’s ecology, different diseases could be unleashed. Increased precipitation will create more pools of standing water for mosquitos, risking malaria and rift valley fever. Deforestation and agricultural intensification also heightens malaria risk while ocean warming, driven by the vast amounts of heat being sucked up by the oceans, can cause toxic algal blooms that can lead to infections in humans.

“We know that warmer and wetter conditions facilitate the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases so it’s plausible that climate conditions have added the spread of Zika,” said Dr Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum, a lead scientist on climate change at WHO.

“Infectious agents in water will proliferate with more flooding. It’s clear that we need to strengthen our surveillance and response to a range of diseases. Globalisation, the movement of people, is an important factor too. In a world where we are disrupting the climate system we’ll have to pay the price for that.”

WHO estimates that an additional 250,000 people will die due to climate change impacts – ranging from heat stress to disease – by 2050, but Campbell-Lendrum said this is a “conservative estimate”.

“It is based on optimistic assumptions that the world will get richer and we’ll get better at treating these diseases,” he said. “We do need to get better at controlling diseases at their source and we do need to drive down greenhouse gases because there is a limit to our adaption. By moving to cleaner energy sources we will also help relieve one of the largest health burdens we have, which is the air pollution that kills seven million people a year.”

Until now, efforts to push back the threat of infectious diseases has been successful. Malaria, for example, used to be found in the New York area – and there is evidence to suggest it was once present in southern England; much earlier, the Romans used to retreat to the hills at certain times of the year to avoid mosquitos carrying the disease. Vaccines have been developed for a range of diseases including, belatedly, Ebola.

The eradication of threats like these makes wealthy western countries fret over outbreaks like Zika. As the world warms, there may be a lack of preparation for other diseases not currently considered threats.

“This is likely to become an equal opportunity crisis,” said Brooks. “The developing, poorer countries are impacted disproportionately but they deal with these diseases all the time, they are not surprised by them. But in Europe and North America, people have lived in a bubble where we think our wealth and technology can protect us from climate change. And that’s not true.

“The thing that worries me most is a death by a thousand cuts. I don’t think an Andromeda strain will wipe out all humans. But the amount of time, money and effort needed to combat these many different problems can overwhelm a healthcare system.”

So which climate-fueled diseases are likely to pop up next? Some experts believe that water-borne diseases could escalate, which would have significant consequences for countries such as Bangladesh – a low-lying nation with plenty of rivers that has a public health system already struggling to meet its population’s current needs.

“There’s not nearly enough attention paid to diseases that cause diarrhea, crypto spiridium, Hepatitis A,” said Aaron Bernstein, a pediatrician at Harvard Medical School.

“We’ve seen outbreaks of these diseases in the past due to extreme precipitation. The build environment we live in wasn’t designed for the climate we will soon be living in; when you consider half the world’s waterways have been engineered by man, they won’t be able to contain the extra water that will flood them.

“Flooding will certainly lead to mosquito-borne diseases but also cause water-borne diseases and also a lack of drinking water. People in Asia and Africa, particularly those living on the coast, will be very vulnerable, climate change could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back in terms of public health.”

UNFCCC boss, Christiana Figueres, bows out

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UNFCCC boss, Christiana Figueres, bows out

Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Christiana Figueres, will serve out her term that ends in July. She has chosen not to seek an extension of her appointment.

In a correspondent on Friday to non-party stakeholders, Ms. Figueres wrote: “I write to confirm that I will serve out my term as the Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC which finishes July 6, 2016 and not accept an extension of my appointment. As you well know, the Paris Agreement is a historical achievement, built on years of increasing willingness to construct bridges of  collaboration and solidarity across all boundaries.

“Governments deserve much credit for the remarkable outcomes of Paris, but so do you, the wider participants in the UNFCCC process. During many years you held the torch of the imperative high for all of us to see. Your support and your determination were unswerving. Your patience and your urgency were compelling.

“Much remains to be done, especially in the next five years, to ensure we turn good intentions to the reality we all want. I know you will continue to inject the energy, passion and perseverance into the process. You can count on me to do the same.”

Karen Christiana Figueres Olsen is a Costa Rican diplomat. She was appointed executive secretary of the UNFCCC on May 17, 2010, succeeding Yvo de Boer.

Aged 59, she was educated at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Christiana Figueres of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
Christiana Figueres of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

Temperatures may go beyond threshold for human survival, study warns

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Temperatures may go beyond threshold for human survival, study warns
Heatwave in Bangalore
Heatwave in Bangalore

If we don’t cut greenhouse gases, it’s not just storms and rising seas we’d have to worry about. The heat alone could kill a lot of us, warns Cheryl Katz in the National Geographic

If greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced, rising temperatures and humidity wrought by global warming could expose hundreds of millions of people worldwide to potentially lethal heat stress by 2060, a new report suggests.

The greatest exposure will occur in populous, tropical regions such as India, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. But even in the northeastern United States, as many as 30 million people might be exposed at least once a year to heat that could be lethal to children, the elderly, and the sick, according to the new study.

It’s the first study to look at future heat stress on a global basis, says Ethan Coffel, a PhD candidate in atmospheric sciences at Columbia University, who presented the results on Monday at the American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco. Coffel and his colleagues used climate models and population projections to estimate how many people could face dangerous heat in 2060—assuming that greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise sharply on a “business-as-usual” course.

The findings are based on forecasts of “wet bulb” temperatures, in which a wet cloth is wrapped around a thermometer bulb. Whereas standard thermometer readings measure air temperature, a wet bulb measures the temperature of a moist surface that has been cooled as much as possible by evaporation.

That reading depends on both the heat and the humidity of the surrounding air. It’s generally much lower than the dry-bulb temperature, and it’s a better indicator of the humid heat that humans and other large mammals find hardest to deal with.

The normal temperature inside the human body is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, or 37 degrees Celsius. Human skin is typically at 35°C. When the wet-bulb temperature of the air exceeds that level, it becomes physically impossible for the body to shed its own metabolic heat and cool itself, especially by evaporating sweat. Even a fit individual would be expected to die from such heat within six hours.

Today, even in Earth’s hottest, muggiest spots, the wet-bulb temperature does not rise above 31°C. (The highest dry-bulb temperature ever recorded is 56.7°C, or 134°F.)

But a study published in October by MIT researchers found that by 2100, in Persian Gulf cities such as Abu Dhabi or Dubai, the 35°C threshold of human survival may occasionally be exceeded—again, assuming that greenhouse emissions continue to rise unabated.

Where Heat, Humidity, and People Intersect

In practice, wet-bulb temperatures below the 35°C threshold are dangerous for children, the elderly, people with heart or lung problems—or anybody actively working outside. By the 2060s, according to Coffel and his colleagues, 250 million people could be experiencing 33°C at least once a year. As many as 700 million could be exposed to 32°C. For many people, those conditions could be lethal.

“You have a large portion of the world that’s very densely populated and potentially at risk,” says Coffel. “Populations which right now work primarily outdoors and have very little access to air conditioning. It’s hard to function outdoors in those kinds of temperatures.”

The MIT study concluded that wet-bulb temperatures of 32°C or 33°C could be expected to arise later this century in Mecca, for example, where they might sometimes coincide with the Hajj, when millions of pilgrims pray outdoors all day long.

But as rising temperatures push more moisture into the atmosphere, particularly near warming oceans, spells of extreme heat and humidity will become more frequent and intense in many parts of the world. Even residents of cities like New York and London could encounter future temperatures that are near the limits of what their bodies can tolerate, according to the Columbia researchers.

“Local ocean temperatures can be a really big driver for the extent of these high heat and humidity events,” says co-author Radley Horton of Columbia. “How far inland away from the coasts will we see some of these really deadly high heat and humidity events penetrate? Will this impact where people are able to live?”

Bryan Jones, a postdoctoral fellow at the City University of New York who also studies future heat exposures but was not part of the Columbia study, said its “projections of exposure to extreme heat stress seem very reasonable. In fact, they may even be conservative, depending on how populations in West Africa, India, and Southeast Asia are distributed in the coming decades.”

Heat Is Already a Big Killer

Heat already kills more people than any other form of extreme weather. In the past decade, heat waves that featured wet-bulb temperatures between 29°C and 31°C have caused tens of thousands of deaths in Europe, Russia, and the Middle East.

Last summer more than 2,300 died from extreme heat in India, where air temperatures reached 122°F. High humidity and temperatures topping 116°F also proved deadly in Egypt this year. And work stopped for several summer days in Iraq while thermometers hovered around 120°F.

Air conditioning protects those who have access to it and can afford it. The spread of high-heat-stress events is likely to produce a surge in demand, says Horton. Air conditioners don’t function as efficiently in humid conditions, however—and as long as the electricity for them is generated with fossil fuels, they add to the underlying problem.

The other approach to coping with dangerous heat, Coffel says, is “reorganising your society, like when you work outside, like giving people the day off when it’s hot.”

Neither air-conditioning nor staying inside is an option for other large mammals, which are affected by climbing heat and humidity in much the same way as humans. The impact on them is a “wild card,” says Horton. Little research has been done.

King of Morocco approves COP22 Steering Committee

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King of Morocco approves COP22 Steering Committee

King Mohammed VI of Morocco has approved the appointment of the COP22 steering committee members, chaired by Salaheddine Mezouar, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation said on Thursday.

King Mohammed VI of Morocco
King Mohammed VI of Morocco

“On Thursday February 11, 2016, HM King Mohammed VI appointed Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar as the chair of the COP22 Steering Committee. The Sovereign also approved the appointment of the 11 members of this committee, which will be in charge of the preparation and organisation of the 22nd United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP22), scheduled on November 7-18 in Marrakech”, the Foreign Affairs and Cooperation ministry pointed out in a statement.

Besides Mezouar, the committee will be composed of Abdelâdim Lhafi (commissioner), Aziz Mekouar (ambassador for multilateral negotiations), Nizar Baraka (president of scientific committee), Hakima Haité (special envoy for mobilisation), Driss El Yazami (in charge of civil society pole), Faouzi Lekjaa (in charge of financial pole), Samira Sitaïl (in charge of communication pole), Abdeslam Bikrate (in charge of logistics and security pole), Said Mouline (in charge of public/private partnership pole) and Mohammed Benyahia (in charge of side-events pole).

The same source noted that upon high royal instructions, an inter-ministerial committee has been created in order to accompany the organisation of this important international event.

The committee is composed of the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Interior, Agriculture and Fisheries, Industry, Commerce, Investment and Digital Economy, Energy, Mining, Water and Environment, and Economy and Finance.

The King also provided guidelines to ensure the full involvement of the government, State, non-State, public and private stakeholders to guarantee the success of this landmark event to combat climate change, the statement added.

The leader also gave guidelines to reaffirm the different commitments of the Kingdom regarding the protection of the environment, development of renewable energies and the fight against climate change, and the defense of the interests of developing countries, especially African and small island States.

He further gave guidelines to coordinate different actions with the French presidency of the 21st United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP21) in conformity with the “Tangier Call”, the statement concluded.

Lagos adopts bottoms-up approach in Badagry plan implementation

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Lagos adopts bottoms-up approach in Badagry plan implementation

In line with the policy of inclusion of the current administration in Lagos State, residents of Badagry have been urged to cooperate with the government and support its plans to turn the axis into a haven for commercial activities through the implementation of the Layout and Master Plan for the area.

Tpl. Wasiu Anifowoshe
Tpl. Wasiu Anifowoshe

Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Town Planner (or Tpl.) Wasiu Anifowoshe, who made the call on Thursday at a Stakeholders’ Forum in Badagry town, emphasised the need for residents to embrace government plan to prepare the axis to accommodate future migration of people and businesses from different parts of the state.

He however warned that the success of the proposed plan for Badagry Division depends largely on the cooperation accorded government by beneficiaries, saying: “Let me however state at this juncture that government’s achievements depends largely on the total cooperation of the people. Everyone must therefore be ‘progressive’ and ‘embrace positive change’,”

Responding to complaint of bureaucratic bottleneck in getting planning permit, Tpl. Anifowoshe said that the process is not difficult if relevant documents are presented on time, disclosing that government has moved a step further to introduce E-planning as a way of easing the submission of building drawings electronically.

Anifowoshe, who is also an architect, explained that the Ministry is making moves to develop modalities and consideration that could be given to people who have erected their buildings already but want to have government permit document.

In his remark, The General Manager of Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority, Tpl. Olutoyin Abdul, said that government is trying to avoid haphazard development, but plans to create more employment opportunities and increase the value of properties in a way that will encourage commercial and industrial development.

Abdul added that government is aware of issues of global acquisition, title documents, land regularisation, excised villages, layout approval, and Development Guide Plan, among others issues facing the axis, and will do all within its power to address them.

According to him, “The strategic framework for the Master Plan was based on essential future growth such as the expansion of Lagos-Badagry Expressway into 10 lanes, incorporating BRT Lane as well as provision of Light Rail, establishment of Energy City, Furniture Village, citing of Badagry Sea Port, International Market, Coastline for tourism, Agro-Allied Industry and several others.”

The Executive Secretary of Badagry West, Joseph Agoro, also advised the residents to see the development plans for the area beyond the current situation, noting that the fruits of the sacrifices that would be made for the plans to materialise would turn out to be a gainful investment in the future.

He said that the fall of the oil boom is a blessing to residents of the area as, according to him, Badagry is presently regaining its glory as a town to be reckon with because of its rich natural and tourism potentials.

Representative of the Akran of Badagry, Chief Dr. Wheton Ambe, the Agoloto of Badagry Kingdom, pleaded with the government to grant excision from the globally acquired land in the suburbs of the area, establish sub offices of the Ministry within Badagry, intensify enlightenment programmes and periodically monitor construction sites.

He advised government not to neglect the agricultural and tourism potentials of the area in the Master Plan, saying: “Government should assist in renovating all our heritage sites to international standard in order to generate more revenue.”

Present at the meeting were the Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Physical Planning and Urban Development, Setonji Davids; Special Adviser to the Governor on Civic Engagement, Kehinde Joseph; General Managers of agencies under the Ministry; Chief Consultant, Lagos State Material Testing Laboratories, Mr. Sola Famakin; Royal Fathers and Community Development Associations, amongst others.

Super Highway: Bulldozers destroy Ekuri community forest

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Super Highway: Bulldozers destroy Ekuri community forest

The Cross River State Government has commenced the clearing of the pristine Ekuri community forest, preparatory to the construction of a 260km, six-lane highway.

Snail farming in Ekuri forest community. Photo credit: thegef.org
Snail farming in Ekuri forest community. Photo credit: thegef.org

The dissipation of the forest is coming despite appeals by Ekuri community leaders to Governor Ben Ayade to re-route the course of the controversial road as, according to them, it will have telling consequences on the forest resources, which they claim is the major source of their lifestyle and livelihood.

Initially, the community was in support of the project, in the belief that having an arterial road passing by their community would bring to an end the perpetual struggle to secure access to the outside world through the earth road they had built by community effort.

But a Public Notice of Revocation signed by the Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development and published in a local newspaper on 22nd January 2016 decreed that a large piece of land bordering the proposed Super Highway from Esighi, Bakassi Local Government Government Area to Bekwarra Local Government Area of has been revoked for “overriding public purpose absolutely”.

Upon studying the notice and the line profile, the community found that some of the coordinates show that their forest, community lands and settlements would be taken up by the Super Highway and the right of way of 10 Km claimed by the government – beyond the 200 metres right of way allowed from the centre line on each side of the road.

In a petition to the governor, the community tagged the seeming usurpation as a case of “land grabbing.”

The Ekuri Community in the petition dated 6th February 2016 reminded the Cross River State Government that they had for centuries conserved and managed the forest for its rich biodiversity and ecosystems services not only for the community’s sustainable development but for the entire world.

“Since 1992, we pioneered formal community forestry in Nigeria and established the Ekuri Initiative (an NGO registered with the Federal Government) with a mandate in forest conservation, sustainable forest management, community development and poverty reduction,” community members stated in the petition.

The community therefore rejected the passage of the Super Highway through their forest and demand a realignment of the road.

But the petition appears to have irked the government. According to community sources, the letter received a quick but shocking response.

They said: “At the receipt of the protest letter, the governor has quickly sent a bulldozer this morning to Ekuri to begin the destruction of the Ekuri community forest in the name of the Super Highway. This is to show power and strength against poor communities and in defiance of the dictates of the rule of law.”

In a swift response, environmental activist, Nnimmo Bassey, has described the development as a challenge, not just for Ekuri Community but for the entire global community.

He stated: “If the world keeps quiet and allows the bulldozers to have their way, they would not only bulldoze the future of the Ekuri people, the act would entrench impunity, satisfy the lust for capital, promote deforestation in one of the last remaining pristine forest in Africa and blunt our collective hope for tackling global warming.”

Bassey, in a recent article titled: “Dialogue with Bulldozers at Ekuri Community Forest,” described the Ekuri Community Forest as an acclaimed example of how communities can sustainably manage their forest.

“Now, this forest is under threat from the state government that has embarked on the construction of a 260 Km, six-lane dual carriage super highway through their forest, using the highly controversial Land Use Act of 1979 as a cover for dispossessing the people of their land, forest and patrimony.”

According to him, some critics of the project such as the Rainforest Resource Development Centre (RRDC) had stated: “The blue prints of such a huge 260km six-lane Super Highway project running across the entire Cross River State of Nigeria was not made public before the commencement of construction at the ground breaking event. Significantly also, the blue print of the said project has not been made public till this moment. This is a contravention of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 of the National Assembly as well as other related legislations…”

Bassey, who is director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), stressed that other significant issues raised include the fact that no credible Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been conducted before the taking off of the project. According to him, the project threatens the Cross River National Park as the highway traverses the buffer zone of the forest.

“In its press briefing of 6th November 2015, the RRDC expressed the fear that, contrary to the requirement of the Land Use Act, no schedules of compensation (including the names of beneficiaries) had been made public.

“The risk is that this project could end up escalating rural poverty if the issues of compensations are neglected. This is so because the affected indigenous people and communities of Cross River State of Nigeria who own these resources could end up losing their sources of livelihoods, income and wellbeing, as well as their natural heritage and and territories.”

Why Lagos traffic must go slow on the environment

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Why Lagos traffic must go slow on the environment

The fumes. The horns. The shouts. Add those to the damaging pressure of vehicles on the built environment and you understand how the vehicle traffic situation in densely populated parts of the country comes at a huge cost to our natural habitat and health. That the traffic situation has had so much of an effect on the time, and thus, productivity of the average motorist which translates into less productivity for the society in general is well-known as this economic downside has been emphasised at several forms but what hasn’t been given the proportionate attention is the environmental cost.

Lagos traffic
Lagos traffic

Lagos State is the commercial capital of Nigeria, referred to as the “Centre of excellence” (one would be forgiven to mistake excellence for vehicular traffic) and no other place in Nigeria is the traffic situation as bad as the most densely populated state which continues to endure an overstretch of its resources by its geometrically increasing population. For passengers travelling into the country through the capital, it is not unusual that the longer journey is not the one from another continent into this one but that from the airport in Lagos to the final point of the journey, because of the huge traffic on the roads.

The natural environment is a direct victim of this anomaly in the city and this, while being partly an offshoot of the intense traffic situation, is as well a product of poor environmental management by relevant authorities. The high rate of release of CFCs into the atmosphere via fuming vehicles which, at times, are unbearable even to the lungs of nearby people, is a disgrace in this modern world. That this fuming situation has been allowed to go on unabated over time is another indication of environmental negligence. It is unthinkable that even when African neighbours have taken steps to de-smoke their air by looking to keep vehicles of high fumes off the roads, as in Ghana, we are still paying lip-service to it. The troposphere is badly polluted from these activities and aerial pictures show a marked distinction in purity between the third world and the developed areas so one expects that with CFCs as ammunition for global warming, this would be a key area in trying to limit climate change but alas, the rate of releasing fumes is only increasing, if anything and with the traffic situation still worsening, vehicles spend more time on the road, and consequently more of carbon monoxide emitted into the already polluted atmosphere.

Air pollution is not where it stops. The noise generated in an average “bumper-to-bumper” traffic is enough to make people develop the most severe of headaches. From the horn-blaring drivers of majorly commercial buses called “danfo” to their “conductors” who never stop screaming, there is the perfect set-up for disturbing the peace of any neighbourhood. The Lagos State Government, in the last year, had set aside a day for non-usage of vehicle horns in recognition of how its usage had been bastardised on the roads in the state; how effective it was is however another story. It was however commendable that it was felt necessary to act on the noise generated by vehicles in the state, and this must be encouraged for progress to be made.

The roads are not left out. The increased pressure on the roads brought about by a multitude of almost stagnant vehicles is again very damaging to the roads themselves. The Nigerian transport system, with an almost dormant rail sector, has always been pointed to as a problem of the roads with heavy-duty trucks having to ply same roads with saloon cars. What results is weakening of these roads, some of which were never of premium quality, development of potholes and consequently, the complete decay of the roads. So the cycle begins again: contract award, construction, heavy traffic, potholes, and death.

In some cases, the heavy traffic is a factor in causing motor accidents which sometimes result in collateral damage to nearby developments. In all, the built environment is not safe from the ills of the unfavourable traffic situation as well. So it clearly goes way down, as far as our habitat as a race is concerned.

Government in Lagos and beyond must address the issue of stagnant traffic on our roads, with as much environmental consciousness as economic. A stand must be taken, as a matter of emergency, and enforced against the emission of fumes by vehicles. Until that is taken seriously, whatever commitment made to the Paris Agreement by the Federal Government will look like mere talk. It is time to match talking with walking. Let the wise take heed.

By Gbolahan Yusuf (Gbolly1992@gmail.com, @G1gbolahan)

Everything you need to know bout Zika Virus

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Everything you need to know bout Zika Virus

Experts say Zika has ‘explosive pandemic potential.’ Here’s what you should know, writes Abby Haglage in The Daily Beast

Zika is a mosquito-borne illness named for the forest in Uganda where it originates
Zika is a mosquito-borne illness named for the forest in Uganda where it originates

A mysterious virus called Zika is spreading rapidly around the globe, leading the World Health Organisation (WHO) to issue a global emergency. The mostly mild virus is raising concerns because of a condition it’s linked to called microcephaly, a birth defect characterised by an irregularly small head.

The outbreak began in Brazil in May 2015 and has since affected at least 1 million people in more than 30 countries. Experts say the disease has “explosive pandemic potential” and could infect more than four million by the end of the year.

If you’re just joining the story, here’s what you need to know:

What it Zika?

Zika is a mosquito-borne illness named for the forest in Uganda where it originates. American and European scientists unintentionally discovered it in 1947 while studying a rhesus monkey for yellow fever. It did not appear in humans until 1952 when it was reported in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania.

Is this the first outbreak of this scale?

Yes. The first major outbreak of Zika occurred in Micronesia in 2007. There were just 49 confirmed cases and no hospitalisations. The next was 2013-2014 in French Polynesia, which resulted in a total of 19,000 suspected cases. Experts estimate that the number of those affected in the current outbreak has already passed one million.

What happens to those infected?

In one out of five cases, nothing. Only 20 percent of those infected show symptoms – the most common of which include fever, joint pain, red eyes, and a bumpy rash. The illness is generally mild, rarely fatal, and typically gone in a week.

Why is it so dangerous?

Zika has been linked to two serious autoimmune and neurological complications. The first is microcephaly, a severe birth defect characterised by an abnormally small head. The underdeveloped brain can lead to a host of other problems, including behavioral delays, trouble walking, and blindness. There is no cure.

Second is Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a rare disorder in which the body’s immune systems attack its own nerve cells, resulting in weakened muscles or, less commonly, paralysis. Some recover fully from GBS, while others have it for life.

Is there proof that Zika causes these things?

No. Since the first major outbreak of the disease did not occur until 2007 there is limited research on the topic. At the moment, the virus is showing a stronger link to microcephaly than GBS, with Brazil reporting nearly 3,500 suspected cases in newborns since last fall.

It’s important to note that whether or not all of these infants have microcephaly remains unclear. Brazilian authorities have reportedly only tested 720 of the 3,448 suspected cases – of which, just 400 have been confirmed. Scientists are still trying to determine the reason for false positives.

How is Zika spread?

The main route of transmission for the disease is Aedes mosquitoes – “yellow fever mosquitoes,” which are distinguishable through white markings on their legs. They are most active in the morning and evening; at night they hide in dark, cool places. Originating in Africa, they now fly on every continent but Antarctica.

Can Zika be sexually transmitted too?

Yes, but its unclear how often this happens. Previous to the current outbreak, scientists had identified just two cases of sexual transmission. But this week in Texas, authorities confirmed that a man had been infected after having sex with someone who just returned from Venezuela.

Why didn’t scientists study that connection earlier?

They tried. A researcher named Brian Roy wrote a 2011 paper published in the journal of Emerging Infectious Diseases arguing that there was evidence of sexual transmission and that it warranted further study. His requests for additional funding to continue his work were denied.

Is it safe to travel?

U.S. authorities have issued travel warnings for the 20 countries in which Zika is spreading, suggesting travel to those countries be delayed indefinitely (especially for pregnant women). The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that those who travel take every precaution to prevent mosquito bites and practice safe sex.

Once someone has had Zika, how long does it remain in his or her system?

This is one of the biggest questions facing researchers. Most scientists agree that the virus remains in the blood for no more than a week, but they are generally unclear whether it stays active in other bodily fluids.

Of particular concern is semen, which was found to be carrying Zika in one man 10 weeks after he was diagnosed. On Friday, Brazilians scientists discovered the virus in saliva and urine as well, which is likely to prompt even tighter travel restrictions.

Is there a vaccine to fix this?

Not yet. Several groups of scientists have been hard at work on Zika vaccines for the past few years, but none are close to getting their medicine on the market. An Indian biotech firm which claims to have two Zika vaccines has requested that the WHO fast track the process of getting approval – which takes years.

How will we stop it?

The CDC and WHO are adamant that, despite its ability to be spread by humans, mosquitoes are the “real culprit” of Zika. Experts worldwide have been weighing in on possible solutions, with some suggesting we eliminate the yellow fever species of mosquitoes. Others have a more ambitious vision: “Kill them all.”

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