Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) and WaterAid Uganda (WAU) have partnered to implement a three-year water and sanitation project in Bulangira Town in Kibuku District worth one billion Uganda Shillings equivalent to $2.8 million.
Over half of all people in developing countries suffer at any given time from a health problem caused by water and sanitation deficits
“Bulangira is a challenged town with minimal infrastructure to support social services and limited access to land for water and sanitation services for the underprivileged. When WaterAid alerted us of this situation, we decided to come in to help deliver proper access to clean safe water through our Water of Life programme,” said Julie Adell-Owino, Representative of the EABL Foundation.
The “Bringing Safe Water and Sanitation” project will be implemented in partnership with Sanitation Solutions Group, Bright Technical Services, Kibuku District Local Government and Bulangira Sub-county. The first phase starts this year with a feasibility study and other start-up activities.
“The main objective of the project is to provide sustainable and equitable access to safe water and sanitation to Bulangira small town residents. The project includes construction of a water scheme, institutional latrines, mobilisation of communities on water, sanitation and hygeine (WASH) behavioral change, advocacy and measures to improve the management and coordination capacity of the town authority,” said Spera Atuhairwe, Country Representative, WaterAid Uganda.
In a bid to leverage stakeholder participation ownership and eventual sustainability, Uganda Breweries, the EABL Foundation and WaterAid Uganda organised a one-day start up workshop in Bulangira town to launch the project and ensure ownership, leverage support and commitment to various project outputs by partners in line with the donor expectations.
The majority of people in Bulangira have no access to safe water, with water coverage at 62% compared to the 100% Millennium Development Goal target in Uganda for urban and small towns. This has led to the continued use of unsafe water sources such as springs that are highly contaminated. In addition, the sanitation coverage is low; many residents lack convenient private latrines and residents are forced to practice open defecation. The other challenges faced include increase in housing deficit, poor quality informal structures, inadequate services such as solid waste management, and inadequate financing.
Currently, Bulangira town has only one deep borehole and a spring well serving the entire town of five villages, which has no functional water supply system. The poor households in the small town buy water from vendors for between UGX 200-500 per 20-litre jerry can, depending on whether the season is wet or dry – which is 10 times more expensive than water supplied by the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC).
In regard to sanitation, residents in Bulangira practice illegal and indiscriminate dumping of solid waste into water sources and small streams hence posing a serious threat to public health and the environment. Construction of latrines by residents is challenged by loose, sandy soil texture, solid rock and a high water table which presents latrine design challenges. All these, coupled with inadequate private sector engagement, poor planning and coordination, exacerbate the water and sanitation problems of Bulangira town.
The Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) have signed an agreement to strengthen the cooperation between the two organisations in minimising the illegal killing of and related illegal trade in elephants and other CITES-listed flagship species in sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific region.
John E. Scanlon, the Secretary-General of CITES. Photo credit: cities.org
The agreement was signed in the context of the project known as MIKES (Minimising the Illegal Killing of Elephants and other Endangered Species), funded by the European Union.
Speaking following the signing ceremony,John E. Scanlon, the Secretary-General of CITES, said, “This enhanced collaboration between IUCN and the CITES Secretariat draws upon the comparative advantage of both organisations in advancing our collective efforts to minimise the escalating poaching of, and growing illegal trade in, elephants, as well as to protect other CITES-listed flagship species, such as rhinos, great apes and marine turtles. Through this enhanced collaboration, CITES will benefit from IUCN’s presence on the ground in African elephant range States, as well as in the Caribbean and the Pacific, in stepping up efforts to minimise the illegal killing of these flagship species.”
Echoing these sentiments,IUCN’s Director General Inger Andersensaid, “Poaching and illegal wildlife trade have reached unprecedented levels in recent years, pushing many of the most iconic species to the brink of extinction and undermining years of conservation efforts. This is a global challenge which can only be tackled through collective, international action.
IUCN’s Director General Inger Andersen. Photo credit: pinterest.com
“As the world’s largest conservation organisation, IUCN is committed to building effective partnerships to deliver viable solutions to this burning issue. We highly value our close cooperation with the CITES Secretariat in implementing the CITES MIKES Programme and other conservation initiatives. This new agreement will reinforce our collaboration, and provide new opportunities to build upon our mutual strengths. It will also bolster the efforts of IUCN’s global membership to address the illegal wildlife trade, and conserve elephants and other threatened species in African, Caribbean and Pacific States.”
Over recent years, there has been a surge in illegal trade in wildlife, with elephants, rhinos, pangolins and some precious timber species among the most heavily affected. The illegal trade in these species is global in nature and is taking place at an industrial scale. Over 100,000 elephants are estimated to have been poached for their ivory from 2011 to 2013 across the African continent. In 2014, 1,215 rhinos were killed for their horns in South Africa alone – a figure that has risen alarmingly since 2007 when just 13 rhinos were poached.
In combatting illegal wildlife trade, States are increasingly being confronted by transnational organised criminals, and in some cases rebel militia and rogue elements of the military, which have been driving poaching and illegal trade destined for illicit markets. The same illegal infrastructure is used for the illegal trafficking in drugs, weapons and humans.
Increasing collective efforts are underway to combat wildlife crime, yet it continues to be a major problem worldwide, estimated by some to be worth up to 20 billion U.S. dollars a year. This ranks it amongst some of the most serious transnational crimes, including people and arms trafficking.
The new CITES-IUCN agreement will build upon the active participation of elephant range States in the CITES Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) programme over the past 15 years, but with an enhanced focus to include other CITES-listed flagship species threatened by illegal trade, and extending operations to the Caribbean and Pacific regions. The new CITES MIKES project also includes initiatives aimed at strengthening the capacity of wildlife management and law enforcement agencies to combat poaching both within MIKE sites and at the national level.
The civil society declares its official position regarding Nigeria’s actions ahead of Paris 2015 after a two-day forum held recently in Abuja, the federal capital city
Mr. Atayi Babs, National Coordinator, Climate and Sustainable Development Network of Nigeria (CSDevNet)
We, the representatives of Nigerian Civil Society under the aegis of Climate and Sustainable Development Network of Nigeria (CSDevNet), held a two-day National Consultative Workshop on Nigeria’s Road to Paris: INDCs & SDGs.
The meetings, which took place from the 12-13 of August 2015 in Abuja drew participants from CSOs, Media, Regional and International Development Partners, grassroots community practitioners, trusts, farmer cooperatives, pastoralists, youth, women and faith-based organisations.
Recognising the role of Nigeria to speak with one voice along with other African countries on the Road to Paris and desirous that this one voice should be that of and be informed by realities of the local communities; and the fact that non-state actors contribution to the UNFCCC and the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) processes and its outcomes is essential for informed policy formulation and monitoring of its implementation at all levels;
Appreciating the progress our leaders have made in coming up with a fair funding framework and tax justice mechanism at the 3rd Finance for Development Summit (FFD3) summit in Addis Ababa. The Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA)
Acknowledging the outcome of the 15th Ordinary Session of AMCEN held in Cairo February 2015 which recognises the role of African civil society in actively participating and contributing to the INDC process,
Affirming the authority of the Nigerian Civil Society and communities, as the expression of the sovereign will and voice of the people;
Concerned that the Post-2015 process in Africa is experiencing needless delays, slow response to INDCs submission, lack of robust preparation and inadequate participation of civil society;
Noting that the urgency for action is underpinned by climate science and the window of opportunity for avoiding dangerous climate change is rapidly closing.
Participants at the conference
We hereby declare and adopt the following as our position on Nigeria’s Road to Paris: INDCs& SDGs:
That Nigeria’s preparations on the Road to Paris leave much to be desired as the country is yet to experience sufficient mobilisation and involvement of all non-state actors in the build-up to a new climate treaty.
That time is fast running out for Nigeria as processes for successor frameworks to the Kyoto Protocol and the MDGs are at advanced stages and other countries are already preparing for the implementation of these global development frameworks, the world will not wait for Nigeria. Urgency is required if these frameworks must deliver its intended outcomes for the country.
That with the less involvement of the civil society, the media and gender representatives in Nigeria’s INDCs drafting, the process cannot be said to fully underpinned by the four guiding principles of inclusion, equity, people-centeredness and environmental sustainability.
That now is the time to lay strong foundations for the future and ensure that Nigerian perspectives are strongly reflected in the INDCs and Post-2015 development framework. Such framework must anchor on a genuine global sustainability and low carbon development pathway, and must reflect the integrated link on social, economic, cultural and environmental dimensions of development. Any development agenda that fails to integrate these dimensions in a balanced way is not feasible for addressing present and future development challenges in Nigeria.
That Nigeria should without delay set out how it intends to reduce emission from now until 2020, and set long term climate targets to make sure we limit temperature increase to below 1.5°C. That in communicating its INDCs to UNFCCC, it should be clearly stated that ambitious climate targets needed to keep us within the emissions budget should be shared based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.
That a strong Nigerian voice is needed to ensure that the next global framework truly reflects Africa’s priorities and needs as the time for Nigerian civil society to forge alliances and constructively engage all state and non-state actors in demanding for climate action and a sustainable Nigeria is now!
That in recognition of the implications of leadership at regional and global levels the world bestows on Nigeria, we must begin to demand immediate and countrywide mobilisation and awareness activities on the Road to Paris processes and extensive collaboration between Government and Civil society at all levels.
WHAT WE WANT TO SEE IN THE NEW AGREEMENT
ADAPTATION
Given that the consequences of and responses to the 2 degrees warming challenge vary significantly across African countries, and are often concentrated where resources are the scarcest, a coherent and comprehensive approach on adaptation under the UNFCCC is a precondition to an efficient and fair global response.
Adaptation efforts should systematically and effectively address gender-specific impacts of climate change in the areas of energy, water, food security, agriculture and fisheries, biodiversity and ecosystem services, health, industry, human settlements, disaster management, and conflict and security.
FINANCE
The finance chapter of the new agreement should aim to ensure that the post-2020 financing framework encourages a dramatic scale up of climate investments and provides support to the world’s poorest. Developed countries made a commitment at the Cancún climate summit to mobilise US$100 billion annually by 2020 to finance mitigation and adaptation actions in developing countries. Parties have agreed that the Green Climate Fund (GCF) will be one of the main instruments to channel this finance. Pledges to GCF are urgently converted to commitments so as to quickly start addressing the climate financial needs of the developing countries.
Keeping global temperatures below the 2 degree warming ceiling will require an economy-wide shift in investments from business-as-usual to low-carbon, climate-resilient models. Predictable international support mechanism to addressing climate change especially in developing countries and switching to low-carbon development pathways by all parties should underpin the new climate agreement in Paris.
LOSS & DAMAGE
The establishment of an international mechanism to provide expertise to help developing nations cope with loss and damage caused by climate impacts will remain an exercise in tokenism until the mandate and scope of the mechanism are strengthened to meet the needs of the vulnerable.
In agreeing to establish a loss and damage mechanism, countries have accepted the reality that the world is already dealing with the extensive damage caused by climate impacts, and requires a formal process to assess and deal with it, but they seem unwilling to take concrete actions to reduce the severity of these impacts. The Paris agreement should underscore the need for loss and damage.
TRANSPARENCY
The transparency framework under the new agreement will have components on mitigation, adaptation, and finance. Progress has been made since Cancún on the transparency of mitigation. Developed countries have been requested to report biennially on mitigation policies vis- à-vis targets and a mechanism for peer review has also been set up.
Looking ahead, as mitigation targets and policies are to be determined at the national level in the INDCs, establishing a transparent and credible framework for communicating between parties will be important to ensure that information disclosed will help to build trust, reputation and reciprocity. Lima signalled how difficult this would be, as countries rejected a process for scrutinising their INDCs in the coming year before these are inscribed in the 2015 agreement.
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
Developed countries must remove intellectual property rights, pay full incremental costs of technology transfer to protect developing countries and contribute for peaking and declining of global emission. We oppose efforts to sell rather than transfer appropriate technologies, or to strengthen rather than relax intellectual property rights.
Developed and developing countries should support the adoption and development of indigenous and locally innovated technology as well as ensuring efficiency in technology transfer and deployment.
With a membership of over 300 organisations cutting across the six geo- political zones in Nigeria, Climate & Sustainable Development Network of Nigeria (CSDevNet) brings together organisations, comprising grassroots community practitioners, trusts, federations of slum dwellers and pastoralists, home based caregivers, youth, media, women and faith-based organisations, including those working on child welfare, the elderly, people with disabilities and those focusing on livestock and animal welfare, to commonly promote and advocate pro-poor, climate-friendly and equity-based responses to climate change.
CSDevNet aspires to unify and coordinate isolated civil society efforts on climate change advocacy in Nigeria to ensure that people-centred response mechanisms are accorded desirable attention and relevance as climate change is increasingly mainstreamed in national and global poverty reduction and sustainable development strategies and actions.
Apparently determined to find a lasting solution to the social development and reproductive needs of youth in the country which had hitherto been neglected, the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) has unveiled documents that will assist governments to address the needs in a deliberate evidence-driven fashion.
President of NAS, Prof. Oyewale Tomori
The documents are the product of a project titled: “Mobilising official support for developing, implementing and sustaining livelihood and life skills development among the youth” conducted by the Academy.
Ekiti and Nasarawa were selected as pilot states where a survey on assessing the social and reproductive health needs of the youth and development of the livelihood and life skills of the youth (a strategic plan) were conducted.
Specifically, the strategic action plan, expected to span a two-year period (2015-2017), was intended to make available to the government and relevant Ministries and Development Agencies (MDAs) a document that is state-specific based on the identified needs, to be used in the design and delivery of programmes and interventions that will positively address the youth problems and challenges.
The initial needs assessment was conducted to identify the specific needs of various categories of youth in the two states selected for the intervention.
At a Media Roundtable held in Lagos on Friday, August 28, 2015 where the published project reports were officially unveiled, Principal Investigator, NAS, Prof. Akinyinka Omigbodun, said that in Nigeria, 70 percent of the population can be classified as the youth, with 60 percent of them living below the poverty line.
L-R: Principal Investigation Officer, Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) Youth Development Project, Prof. Akinyinka Omigbodun; President of NAS, Prof. Oyewale Tomori; Academy Secretary, Biological Science, Prof. Temitayo Sokunbi; Principal Consultant, Lonadek, Dr Ibilola Amao; and Academy Secretary, Physical Sciences, Prof. Domingo Okorie, presenting Project Report on NAS-Youth Development Project, at a Roundtable with the Media, in Lagos …on Friday, August 28, 2015. Photo credit: Sunday Eshiet
He said although there are youth development policies at the national and state levels, there appears to be a gap between policy making and policy implementation.
“While the government may have put structures and programmes in place for youth empowerment and development, it would appear that these have not reached the average Nigerian youth whose life they are meant to impart.
“This trend has left the youth feeling neglected and disenfranchised. If adequate attention is not given to this group of Nigerians who are at once full of untapped potential, yet very vulnerable, the nation’s future will be at risk,” he explained.
Omigbodun said NAS, with support from the Ford Foundation, designed the project in the two pilot states to develop strategic plans for youth development in collaboration with stakeholders from the states’ ministries responsible for education, science and technology, youth development, finance, health and women affairs.
Besides that, representatives from the legislatures of the two states and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working with the youth were also involved in the process.
The Principal Investigator added that the relevant stakeholders in the states participated in the drafting of the document and have also pledged support and commitment to ensure that the activities specified therein would be executed through the provision of resources and mobilisation of relevant support.
The study population in the project consisted of in-school youths aged 10-24 years in selected private and public rural and urban secondary schools, out-of-school youths aged 10-24 years in rural and urban communities, science teachers, stakeholders/key persons in the state ministries, NGOs and physically-challenged persons, among others.
In a keynote address on the theme: “Investing in youths and building their capacities-pathway for national transformation,” Dr Ibilola Amao said Nigeria has about 60 million youths that can be engaged in agriculture based on the large landmass of the country.
She underlined the need to invest in research and development and close the gap between academia and industry.
President of NAS, Prof. Oyewale Tomori, then unveiled and presented the project reports to journalists.
Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, has said that the state will prepare master plans for its three major cities: Umuahia, Aba and Ohafia.
L-R: Dr. C. L. Odimuko (Past President of the NITP), Dr. Femi Olomola (National President of the NITP), Chief Ude Oko Chukwu (Deputy Governor of Abia State), Mr. Lekwa Ezutah (2nd Vice-President of the NITP), Deacon Chibueze Nwaogwugwu (Chairman, Abia State Chapter of the NITP) and Elder O. C. Aguwa (Permanent Secretary, Abia State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Renewal)
The governor made the declaration recently through his deputy, Mr Ude Oko Chukwu, during the 2015 Annual Luncheon of the state’s chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) held in Aba, the state’s commercial nerve centre, on Thursday, August 20, 2015. The theme of the luncheon was: “Improving the quality of life of Abians through Physical Planning.”
Amid concerns over the alarming state of decay and broken-down infrastructure in urban centres such as Aba, and the deafening calls for a physical development blueprint to address the situation, Dr. Ikpeazu disclosed that the state government has commenced discussions with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) that will, in collaboration with consultants, drive the process.
Nigeria Programme Manager at UN-Habitat, Mr Kabir Yari, while describing the state’s intention as “both a welcome relief and development”, urged government and fellow professional planners to ensure that adequate resources are made available to implement the plans.
According to him, the challenge before the NITP is how to be a catalyst in breaking the current vicious cycle of inadequate planning and dysfunctional settlements to a vicious cycle of getting liveable, efficient and functional cities.
“I would recommend that you take the issue of plan preparation and plan implementation very seriously,” he stated, stressing that urbanisation and unplanned urban growth are associated with slums, informal settlements development, traffic congestion and inadequate basic urban services.
“Urbanisation dividend does not come automatically. The way urbanisation is planned and managed matters significantly. If cities are to contribute significantly as engines of growth, they must get necessary and adequate attention from the city authorities. This comes in terms of adequate resources – technical, financial and institutional capacities as well as tools and instruments to plan and manage cities,” said Mr Yari.
L-R: Dr Femi Olomola, Chief Ude Oko Chukwu and Mr. Lekwa Ezutah
National President of the NITP, Dr. Femi Olomola, disclosed that priority number one of his administration’s Seven-Point Agenda is the development of a Multi User Template for land Use Planning Report and Analysis (LUPAR) that will, among others, create no less than five million units of jobs annually nationwide.
He said: “The report shall be exclusively prepared by registered town planners (RTPs). It is planned to accompany applications for: building plan approval/permits, issuance of Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-Os), opening of corporate accounts with banks, incorporation/registration of new companies with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), insurance of buildings, issuance of license by the Department of Petroleum Resources for the development of oil pipelines.
“The concept is novel and calls for creativity. This is an example of an indigenous solution/response to an indigenous problem. You cannot get any textbook discussing this concept. We made it the theme of our Mandatory Continuing Professional Development Programme (MCPDP) for 2015. We will launch model copies of this report at this year’s Annual Conference and General Meeting in Ilorin, Kwara State in October.”
Shedding light on the linkage between LUPAR and the theme of the luncheon, Dr. Olomola added: “If out of the estimated five million units of consultancy jobs to be created nationwide 250,000 units are domiciled in Abia State, I have no doubt in my mind that this will surely lead to an appointment in the lives of Abia State RTPs that will prepare the 250,000 LUPAR reports and their clients will enjoy a faster decision-making process in the issuance of their physical development permits, issuance of C-of-Os, etc.”
L-R: Mr. Lekwa Ezutah, Deacon Chibueze Nwaogwuwgwu and Dr Femi Olomola
In a presentation titled: “Improving the quality of life through physical planning”, Dr. Moses Olubunmi Ajayi, a Past President of the NITP, concluded that the physical planner is a major determinant of the quality of life that people live in the urban areas.
He, however, added: “The physical planners have been trained to look at the overall group interest but, in as much as we insist on our individual interest to supersede group interest, we shall all suffer the consequences.
“If we want improvement of the quality of life in our cities, we must allow the physical planners to do their work and give them all the support as individuals, communities as well as different levels of government.
“The state of quality of life of our cities is the responsibilities of all of us and therefore I can say that we have found the enemy to a good quality of life in our cities and he is all of us.”
Deacon Chibueze Nwaogwugwu, Chairman of Abia State Chapter of the NITP, described as “a jinx that has been broken” the approval by Gov. Ikpeazu for the immediate commencement for the preparation of the Aba Master Plan, among others.
His words: “This, we know, has remained almost impossible over decades ago. This is the political will we have been expecting over the years to move the state forward. Our governor is indeed a man of his words and a man sent by God to Abians.
“Individuals, groups, communities, corporate bodies and non-governmental organisations are hereby encouraged to cooperate with the consultants when they start by giving them the necessary information and other assistance that will facilitate timely realisation of the Master Plan.”
Chairman, Local Organising Committee (LOC), Elder Nelson Nwaosu, expressed optimism that the physical, social and economic development of the state will be enhanced when the physical planning and management of Aba, Umuahia and Ohafia are handled by professionals in that field.
He said: “The profession of Urban and Regional Planning has come of age to rise to the challenges of quackery and the works of impostors. They can give to Nigerians the type of human environment which is conducive for living, work, recreational interaction in peace and harmony.
“They can also promote growth and development in all nooks and crannied of the nation. These are only achievable through creative thinking, proactive steps and effective management of resources both human and material at our disposal for the benefit of all and sundry.”
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Renewal, Elder O. C. Aguwa, commended town planners for their role in planning for healthy and functional cities in the state.
His words: “Your worthwhile efforts in promoting understanding between the town planners and the public on one hand, and between the town planners and the policy decision makers on the other hand, must be sustained – for there lies the source of success in changing the quality of life of Abians through physical planning. I, therefore, advise that the symbiosis which exists between your Chapter and the Ministry must also be sustained to achieve the desired improvement of the quality of life of Abians using the instrumentality of physical planning.”
Meanwhile, courtesy of a directive by the state government, the NITP has been grant a free one-hour airtime on radio on the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia to henceforth educate the people on the importance of physical planning. The first edition, which was a phone-in interactive programme, held on Monday, August 24, 2015.
Ahead of the crucial talks scheduled for Paris, France in December, current topics on climate change causes, consequences, management and adaptation will be tabled for discussion at an international training workshop scheduled to hold next month in Akure, Ondo State in Nigeria.
Director of WASCAL Centre, Prof Jerome Omotosho
Organised by the Department of Meteorology and Climate Science as well as theWest Africa Science Service Centre and Adaptive Land-use (WASCAL) Graduate Research Programme on the West African Climate System (GRP-WACS) of the Federal University of Technology (FUTA), Akure, the conference has “Climate Information for Adaptation and Policy Development” as its theme and will hold Monday 13th – Friday 18th September, 2015 at the institution’s WASCAL Centre.
The workshop, according to the organisers, targets staff of relevant policy making ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) like NIMET, NEMA, IITA, MoE, MoWR, MoA and NEC, relevant departments in higher institutions of learning, local government chairmen and House Committee on Environment.
The workshop will be facilitated by experts with more than two decades of experience in climate science activities with universities, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and other international organisations. The training will involve lectures, discussions and hands-on activities/exercises.
Main topics include:
Climate change: the science, causes and consequences
Climate change projection, variability and extremes
Climate change challenges, risks and opportunities
Politics and economics of climate change
Climate change mitigation
Climate change: adaptation, politics and governance
Climate change policy design and response
Director of WASCAL Centre, Prof Jerome Omotosho, said: “Climate change is a topical issue that has local, national and international dimensions. Climate change is certainly one of this century’s greatest destabilising forces which undermines our global economy, threatens our health and food security. The earth is currently affected by occurrence of record heat, drought, storms and fire.
“Climate change topics include sustainable agriculture and water resources, environment, energy, security, climate-related conflicts and the on-going climate negotiations and agreements. Taking reliable decisions in the face of consequences of climate change requires expert knowledge of what to do and a well-informed populace. This workshop will therefore deal with.
“At the end of the workshop, participants would acquire deep understanding of climate change and also the capability for incorporating climate change issues into decision-making and policy development and implementation.”
Rajendra Singh of India on Wednesday in Sweden received the Stockholm Water Prize for his innovative water restoration efforts, improving water security in rural India, and for showing extraordinary courage and determination in his quest to improve the living conditions for those most in need. H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden presented the prize to Rajendra Singh at a Royal Award Ceremony during World Water Week in Stockholm.
Rajendra Singh (left) receives the award
In its citation, the Stockholm Water Prize Committee said: “Today’s water problems cannot be solved by science or technology alone. Rajendra Singh’s life work has been in building social capacity to solve local water problems through participatory action, empowerment of women, linking indigenous know-how with modern scientific and technical approaches.”
On receiving the Prize, Rajendra Singh said: “I want to thank all in this world who work for water. Today I make a promise to dedicate the rest of my life to water conservation.”
Mr Singh lives and works in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The results of his work are without equal: in close cooperation with local residents, he and his organisation have revived several rivers, brought water and life back to a thousand villages, and given hope to countless people.
“Rajendra Singh has – through water – given people capacity and courage and thereby control over their lives and hope for the future. He has shown that sustainable development – environmental, economic and social – is based on wise water management,” said Torgny Holmgren, Executive Director of the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI).
The methods used by Mr Singh are modernisations of ancient Indian ways of collecting and storing rainwater. The methods fell out of use during British colonial rule, but have now brought water back to India’s driest state.
On the significance of the prize, Rajendra Singh said: “I spent the last 31 years with a spade in my hand, down in the earth, but now, this prize give authority to my work.”
Born in 1959, Singh is a well-known water conservationist from Alwar district, Rajasthan in India. He is often referred to as the “Waterman of India”. In 2001, he won the Ramon Magsaysay Award for community leadership for his pioneering work in community-based efforts in water harvesting and water management.
He runs an NGO called Tarun Bharat Sangh (TBS), which has helped villagers take charge of water management in their semi-arid area, through the use of johads, rainwater storage tanks, check dams and other time-tested techniques. Starting from a single village in 1985, TBS has helped build over 11,000 johads and other water conservation structures to collect rainwater, which has brought water back to over 1,000 villages and revived five rivers in Rajasthan. In 2008, The Guardian named him one of “50 people who could save the planet”.
The Lagos State Government has shut down 22 religious houses and three companies over noise pollution and environmental degradation.
Akinwunmi Ambode, Governor of Lagos State. Photo credit: ecomium.org
This is coming barely four weeks after it shut about 40 churches and mosques statewide.
Rasheed Shabi, General Manager, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), explained that government took the decision after inspecting some of the facilities that violated the state’s environmental law in different parts of the state.
He disclosed that a popular strip club was shut down and that it would never be reopen again, explaining that all his directives “to control noise pollution in the last two years have never been complied with.
“Ogba, being a mixed residential and industrial area, should have a decibel not exceeding 55 at night. The noise coming from Shakara is more than 100 decibel. And anyone exposed to 115 decibel of noise for about six hours will automatically go deaf. That is the kind of risk Shakara poses to the area,” he said.
He added that, so far, 55 religious houses had been sanctioned in the last three weeks, thereby expressing concern that churches were fond of going back to their old ways after a brief period of compliance.
Shabi said that government would begin to sanction churches by making them pay fines ranging from N50,000 to N100,000 before they are reopened, explaining that the agency “has been working with the companies in the last two years, to ensure voluntary compliance in the treatment of waste water.”
He added: “It is based on water pollution that the three of them (industries) were shut because they are dealing with waste processes. Before you can discharge your effluent into the environment, you must have treated with Effluent Treatment Plant to a permissible standard that we have in the state.
“One of the companies we sealed off is a pharmaceutical company. I did a research on three pharmaceutical companies in this state in 2014. I found that their waste water contains heavy metals, which is very dangerous to the environment. By the time it is bio-accumulated in the fatty tissues of animals, it will bio-magnify into human beings and that is a source of cancer.”
He said Dura Products Industries Nigeria Limited on Sanni Olabode Street, in Abule Egba, owned by a retired Group Captain, was also shut.
On Ayilara Street, Surulere, two churches: The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), God Royal Sanctuary, Lagos Province 3, Zone 15, Area 48 and another on its opposite, Tower of Praise Ministries International Praise Centre, were shut over noise pollution.
Others shut are Jesus Our Lord Divine Catholic Prayer Ministry, on 11 Anuoluwapo Street, Ilasamaja, where prayer session was ongoing at about 11am. Except for the pastor, all the worshipers are pregnant women, nursing mothers and their children. The residents complained over noise pollution and lack of clarity on activities carried out at the centre.
In Ogba, Thomas Salako Street, a Strip Club/Hotel, popularly known as Shakara Bar, was closed in violation of noise pollution and illegal siting.
The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), in collaboration with the Cross River State Forestry Commission (CRSFC), has secured funding from the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force (GCF) to execute a project aimed at curbing carbon emission.
Adeniyi Karunwi, Director General of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF)
The NCF and CRSFC accessed recently $65,000 from the GCF’s Governors’ Climate & Forests Fund (GCF Fund) to actualise a project titled: “Strengthening of Forest Carbon Assessment and Monitoring System for Cross River State, Nigeria.”
The goal of the initiative, according to Adeniyi Karunwi, Director General of the NCF, is to improve Forest Carbon Enhancement (FCA) and other low carbon emission pathways and monitoring in Cross River State in compliant with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) decisions.
The GCF is a sub-national collaboration between 29 states and provinces from Brazil, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Spain and the United States. Over 25% of the world’s tropical forests are in GCF states and provinces, including more than 75% of Brazil’s and more than half of Indonesia’s.
The GCF Fund, a non-profit climate finance facility established by the GCF, began operations in 2013 through a generous grant from the United States Department of State.
The GCF seeks to advance jurisdictional programmes designed to promote low emissions rural development and reduced emissions from deforestation and land use (REDD+) and link these activities with emerging greenhouse gas (GHG) compliance regimes and other pay-for-performance opportunities.
Karunwi states: “The GCF focuses on all aspects of efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and establish lasting frameworks for low emissions development. It facilitates the exchange of experiences and lessons learned across leading states and provinces; synchronises efforts across these jurisdictions to develop policies and programmes that provide realistic pathways to forest-maintaining rural development; supports processes for multi-stakeholder participation and engagement; and seeks financing for jurisdictional programs from a range of sources, including pay-for-performance public finance, emerging carbon markets, and ongoing efforts to de-carbonise agro-food supply chains.”
He lists the objectives of the project to include:
Developing forest monitoring plan and establishment of a sufficient number of sample plots to estimate carbon stocks to an uncertainty level of 10% of the mean at a 90% confidence interval.
Carrying out research of wood density data and production of database for Nigerian species.
Identifying the most appropriate biomass equations, including validation of existing regional Allometric Equations (AEs) and/or conversion of existing volume of AEs to biomass functions.
Producing standard operations manual, based on initial manual developed by Winrock International and Cross River State Forestry Commission.
Training staff on carbon stock sampling, Permanent Sample Plots establishment and monitoring including data analysis
The maiden edition of the Rural Women Energy Security (RUWES) capacity enhancement workshop with the theme: “Practical Entrepreneurship and Financial Management Skill Training” commenced in Abuja on Tuesday, August 25 2015 to be rounded up Friday, August 28, 2015.
The forum has been described as a very important and laudable step in educating and providing clean, accessible energy solutions to peri-urban and rural people while developing sustainably towards a climate resilient and low carbon economy in Nigeria.
Graced by dignitaries, the opening day featured colourful scenes.
The high table: L-R: Engr. Mrs Bahijjahtu Abubakar (National Coodinator, Renewable Energy Programme of the Federal Ministry of Environment), Chief Mrs Felicia Sani (President General, Market Women Organisation), Sir John Odey (Chairman of RUWES Advisory Board and erstwhile Environment Minister), Mr Daouda Toure (Resident Coordinator, United Nations Systems in Nigeria), Mr Luka Jonathan Mangset (Director, Enterprises, Development & Promotions, representing Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Youth and Development) and Engr. mrs Valerie gberagba (representing President of the Nigerian Institute of Engineers – NSE)
Women from some states in the South West and South East
A cross section of participants
A drama sketch
Mr Daouda Toure making a presentation
The MC: Hajia Dr Amina Salihu of Oyster Consulting
Sir John Odey
Chief Mrs Felicia Sani
A rural woman hands over a bunch of firewood to Mr. Toure…On extreme right is Mrs. Halima Kolo Mohammed, the RUWES Admin Coordinator
…and the lucky woman gets, in return, a fuel (or energy) efficient stove
Another rural woman gets a solar lamp…
Sir John Odey, Mr Daouda Toure and Mrs Bahijjahtu Abubakar
Engr. Mrs Bahijjahtu Abubakar
Mrs Abubakar with Chinonye Obionwu (Gender and Developmental Research Group)
Mrs Abubakar stressing a point to Sir John and Mr Toure
Sir John, Mrs Abubakar, Mr Toure and Mr Mangset
Group photo with women from South West and South East states
Group photo with RUWES state coordinators
Group photo with internally displaced women
Representatives of CRC Ceceli C. Ejindu (MDG/Gender Desk Officer, FRSC): L-R: Funmi Philips, Ogaji Alhassan and Damaris Abu
Mrs Halima Kolo Mohammed (RUWES) with Mr Muyiwa Odele (United Nations Development Programme – UNDP)
