Widespread flooding has hit southern regions and states in Myanmar, displacing tens of thousands of people and submerging infrastructure facilities.
Flooding in Myanmar. Photo credit: AP Photo/Thein Zaw
The water levels of rivers in 13 towns across the four regions and states of Ayeyarwady, Bago, Mon, and Kayin in southern Myanmar have already surpassed their warning marks on Monday, July 29, 2024.
The report is according to the national weather agency reported as reported on Monday.
In Bago township of Bago region, a total of 18,210 people from 4,793 households had been evacuated due to flooding caused by continuous heavy rains in recent days.
The official daily The Mirror reported.
In Myawaddy township of Kayin state, 4,985 people from 370 households were taking shelter in 11 relief centres in the township due to the rise of Thaungyin River caused by incessant rains.
Railway tracks and highways in Ayeyarwady region and Mon state have been submerged, posing risks to travellers, while schools have been closed due to the floods.
In addition to the four regions and states in the Southeast Asian country, Taninthayi town in Taninthayi region experienced flooding on Sunday as a result of rising water levels of Taninthayi River.
It is caused by torrential rains, according to the report.
Local authorities, fire service personnel, and rescuers in the affected areas have been working together to evacuate residents and provide them with essential supplies such as food, drinking water, and shelter.
The Federal Government has ordered NNPC Limited (NNPCL) to sell crude oil to Dangote and other local refineries in naira.
Dangote Refinery
Mr Zacch Adedeji, Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), said this while briefingState House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Monday, July 29, 2024.
He said NEC approved that sale of petroleum products to approved local petroleum marketing companies be conducted in naira at the same fixed exchange rate.
The proposal also includes a settlement bank (Afreximbank) facilitating both trades by providing guarantees to NNPCL to cover the payment risk of local refineries and to Nigerian commercial banks for the payment risk of petroleum marketing companies.
“This approach will eliminate the need for international letters of credit, saving Nigeria substantial amounts of dollars,” he said.
Adedeji said the refinery sector was approaching a steady state of operations and required approximately 15 crude cargoes per month, translating to an annual supply cost of $13.5 billion.
“NNPC Limited (NNPCL) has committed to supplying four crude oil cargoes monthly, leaving the remainder to be sourced from international traders.
“Currently, these transactions are conducted in dollars, significantly straining Nigeria’s foreign currency liquidity,” he said.
He explained that strategic intervention was required to leverage the Dangote Refinery to stabilise the naira and restore price stability.
“To manage the significant foreign exchange (FX) needs for local refineries and petroleum marketers, it is proposed that local refineries’ crude oil purchases from NNPCL be denominated in naira at a fixed exchange rate for a minimum period of six months,” Adedji said.
According to him, the benefits of the proposal include reduction in foreign exchange pressure, as the previous scenario utilised $660 million per month, totaling $7.92 billion annually.
“With the proposed scenario, expenditures are projected to decrease to $50 million per month, equating to $600 million annually.
“This reduction will significantly alleviate the pressure on foreign exchange reserves, leading to an annual savings of $7.32 billion representing 94 per cent,” he said.
Adedeji said there would be reduced trade finance costs with annual savings of $79 million in Letters of Credit costs through Afreximbank’s payment undertakings for bilateral trades.
“The benefits include stabilised petroleum product prices as the forward-selling of crude oil and refined products at a fixed exchange rate unaffected by exchange rate fluctuations will stabilise pump prices.
“Stabilising petroleum prices will likely drive the appreciation of the NGN, as petroleum imports account for 30 per cent of Nigeria’s FX demand.
“Stable petroleum prices will lower transportation costs, reducing food price inflation and positively impacting interest rates and dollar/naira exchange rates,” he said.
According to Adedji, this strategy will eliminate government control and drive independence of the market as it aims to eliminate government intervention in the management of domestic petroleum prices.
He said it would further facilitate competitiveness and allow greater market predictability and stability.
“This model, subject to the settlement bank’s (e.g., Afreximbank) credit approvals, can be replicated for other refineries, facilitating the trade of 445,000 barrels reserved for domestic consumption and achieving energy security.
“This further ensures that strategic reserves are pegged at tolerable prices driving improved economic stability,” Adedeji said.
The Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) has said that, to mitigate climate change, there is the need to address methane emission.
Methane emission
Executive Director of the centre, Faith Nwadishi, made this known at a stakeholders and media roundtable on “Nigeria’s National Gas Plans for Non-Power Uses”.
The roundtable was organised by CTA in partnership with Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI).
She said that Methane was responsible for about 25 per cent of the human-caused global warming experienced today.
“It is over 80 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.
“Therefore, addressing methane emissions is crucial in mitigating climate change and its impacts.”
Nwadishi said that reducing methane emission had multiple benefits including reducing a potent greenhouse gas, while adding that capturing and utilising methane could generate additional revenue streams.
She said that gas played a critical role in Nigeria’s energy strategy, especially in non-power sectors such as heating, cooking, industrial processes and as petrochemical feedstock.
“Nigeria’s ambitious climate targets aim to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060, and gas is considered a critical transition fuel in this endeavour.
“However, the viability and sustainability of using gas in non-power applications remain areas of significant concern and interest.”
Nwadishi added that it was essential to critically examine the technical and commercial viability, risks and emissions implications particularly methane emissions associated with these plans.
Programme Officer NRGI, Mr Ahmad Abdulsamad, said that there was the need to use gas to unlock the transport sector.
He said that the institute was trying to collectively highlight and mainstream issues ranging from risk of over investing in gas exploration, to see the way forward for Nigeria.
Dr Evans Okoro, Assistant Director, Development and Production at Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), also made a remark at the event.
He said: “Every country is setting up plans for energy transition. Nigeria has a plan for that too. There is a lot of gas in the country.
“We have a reserve of over 209 trillion cubic feet of gas. Some of those gasses are used for power and non-power sources.”
He said that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) encouraged the utilisation of domestic gas.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe destroyed 12 illegal refining sites and two reservoirs in airstrikes in Abia and Rivers states.
Illegal refining activities in the Niger Delta
The Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, AVM Edward Gabkwet, who made this known in a statement on Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Abuja, said the NAF had intensified efforts to minimise the activities of oil thieves and other economic saboteurs in the Niger Delta.
He said that the armed reconnaissance undertaken by the aircraft revealed several illegal refining sites located in many fenced households at Umueze in Abia.
He said the information was subsequently relayed to ground troops for further exploitation and necessary action.
According to him, the illegal refining sites, which were subsequently destroyed, were observed hidden under thick vegetations around Owaza.
“Thereafter, the crew followed the river line down to Komkom and Okoloma in Rivers State, where nine illegal refining sites and two reservoirs were discovered and destroyed.
“In total, 12 illegal refining sites and two reservoirs were destroyed.
“The sighting of illegal refining sites in fenced living environments is indicative of the sophistry of the illegal oil refining trade that would require other means beyond air strikes to checkmate,” Gabwet said.
He said that those engaged in these acts, especially in fenced living environments, should be reminded that such illegal activities were dangerous to human lives and health as well as the environment.
“Be that as may, armed reconnaissance missions as well as destruction of illegal refining sites will continue unabated until crude oil theft and other forms of economic sabotage are reduced to the barest minimum,” he said.
King Charles III hosted Mukhtar Babayev, the Minister of Ecology of Azerbaijan and the President-designate of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), at Clarence House, the royal residence in Westminster on Friday, July 27, 2024.
King Charles III with Sultan Al Jaber, the President of COP28 (second left); Mukhtar Babayev, the President-designate of COP29 (left); and Ana Toni, the Brazilian National Secretary for Climate Change (right)
The visit was part of a broader engagement with the COP Presidency Troika, a newly established collaborative body comprising leaders from the current, incoming, and future COP presidencies.
The COP Presidency Troika includes Sultan Al Jaber, the President of COP28; Mukhtar Babayev, the President-designate of COP29; and Ana Toni, the Brazilian National Secretary for Climate Change. This triad of leadership represents a significant step in fostering an unprecedented level of cooperation among COP host states.
The primary goal of the COP Presidency Troika is to ensure continuity and build upon the progress made at previous conferences. Their collaborative efforts aim to maintain momentum in global climate negotiations, strengthen the implementation of agreed measures, and create a cohesive bridge between successive COP meetings to drive forward the international climate agenda.
In November 2024, Azerbaijan will host COP29, a decision finalised during the COP28 plenary meeting in Dubai on December 11, 2023. Baku is anticipated to become a major global hub for climate discussions, with preparations to accommodate approximately 70,000 to 80,000 international attendees.
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was established during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992, aimed at addressing human impacts on the climate system. The Conference of the Parties (COP), which consists of 198 member countries, acts as the highest decision-making body for overseeing the implementation of the UNFCCC.
COP meetings are held annually unless otherwise agreed, with the first conference taking place in March 1995 in Berlin. The UNFCCC secretariat is located in Bonn, Germany.
WaterAid Nigeria has charged stakeholders in Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos to ensure adequate and proper maintenance of the water and toilet facilities so as to encourage the donor to do more for them in the future.
Participants at the close-out meeting marking the end of the WaterAid intervention programme
Dr. Adebayo Alao, WaterAid Lagos Programme Lead, gave the charge on Friday, July 26, 2024, during a close-out meeting marking the end of the intervention programme.
According to him, the meeting signifies that WaterAid has officially handed-over the projects to the host communities and so the responsibility of maintaining those projects is now left to them.
The Programme Lead said: “These little interventions we have done in your communities, prove to us you can sustain it, you can even prove to us that without WaterAid you can do better. So, we implore you to go back to Sabo, Orimedu, Rolu-Parafa, Idera, Itamaga and Isiwu where we have those projects and ensure that they are working perfectly.
“With WaterAid, there is still plan to do another 250 public toilets in Lagos State, the papers have already been signed. WaterAid wants to be proud and say to the government, come and see the models we have in Ikorodu and replicate such across the state, I’m sure if that happens, Lagos State Government will be proud of you as well, that can only be achieved if you are able to maintain and sustain the ones you already have in your domain.
“WaterAid has presented awards to communities in countries like Zambia, South Africa, Mozambique and so on where they exhibit that with what we provide for them they are able to sustain it by working together to improve water sanitation and hygiene in their communities. We have seen how they are taking trainings on hygiene behaviour change and applying it in their communities and how they are enjoying good health, we have seen how they are taking the water safety packs, applying it to their communities and how they are having safe water system. It is possible with you too, you can achieve it, if you want to achieve it, WaterAid will support you but let us see you take the step.
“Most importantly, I want the I want the CDC Chairman to prioritise the issue of creating WASH account, this will go a long way in assisting WASHCOM members have enough resources in maintaining the facilities because after this meeting we won’t be able to spend anything on those projects again as we will be compiling our reports to send back to our donors,” Dr. Alao maintained.
While taking an overview of the project sponsored by Later-Day Saints Charities (CHC), Mr. John Nwamuo, WASH Manager Later-Day Saints Charities, noted that WaterAid did not implement the project.
“The project was government-led, what we did was to support the government to achieve this for the donor, this is not a stand-alone project, so WaterAid is implementing a Lagos WASH programme, and we are able to attract donors into Lagos State particularly with primary focus on Ikorodu North LCDA. We are only supporting the with resources and models for government to adopt and scale-up. We are doing all these to improve access to WASH services.
“Initially, with the project that started on February 2, 2023, targeted 13,000 beneficiaries but on completion, we are able to achieve 16,000 beneficiaries including women and children across six communities including schools and PHCs.
“The projects was able to showcase models that is Standard Operating Procedure for implementing result orienting models, example is the water facilities in Rolu-Parafa and that of Idera, they are different in appearance but both of them are giving the same quality services to the beneficiaries, the same applies to the toilet facility in Isiwu Junior Grammar School and that of Sawmill in Itamaga, all this shows that regardless of the context, they are all serving the required purpose,” he stated.
In his response, Prince Adeniran Ogunbanwo, WASHCOM Coordinator and Chairman Community Development Committee in Ikorodu North LCDA, while appreciating WaterAid Nigeria for the numerous interventions in the Council promised to sustain the project for good use of the residents of the communities.
He said: “We have a team that will be moving round those facilities to liaise with WASHCOM thereby assisting them with whatever challenges that is likely to come up and if they are not living up to expectations, we have to inaugurate another WASHCOM to manage the facilities, so they have no option but to deliver.
“On the issue of opening a WASHCOM account, most of them are in the process of completing the account opening formalities, we agree that saving money for the purpose of proper maintenance and management of the facilities is the way to do and we are adopting that approach, so all the facilities provided are in save hands so it’s sustainability is utmost in our hearts.”
In his submission, Ameen Olawale Ibrahim, Vice Chairman, Ikorodu North LCDA, said: “WaterAid has really done well for us with the provision of toilet and water facilities to eradicate open defecation and also improve our sanitation and hygiene practices, it is now left for us to manage and sustain the facilities to continue enjoying it, I can assure you that we shall make good use of these facilities and they shall be proud of us.”
At the end of the session, Dr. Adebayo Alao with stakeholders in Ikorodu North LCDA selected Idera Primary School, Zumratu Primary School, Odogunyan and Erikorodo Primary School, Itamaga as the next locations to benefit from the next intervention programme by WaterAid Nigeria.
L-R: James Oyedele (ODS&WR), Ayo Adekoya (Council Leader Ikorodu North LCDA), Ameen O. Ibrahim (Vice Chairman, Ikorodu North LCDA), High Chief Adekunle Jaiyesinmi, Niyi Odugbesi (SLG Ikorodu North LCDA), Prince Niran Ogunbanwo (CDC Chairman), and Bola Adaramola (Councilor Ikorodu North)
In a related development, WaterAid has launched a project titled “Ikorodu North LCDA WASH Local Investment Plan”, a project that x-rayed the intervention programmes embarked upon between February 2023 and July 2024 and the five years.
In his remarks, Godfrey Iloha, WASH Manager (Microsoft), stated that the project, sponsored by Latter-Day Saints Charities, kicked off February 1, 2023, and close by July 31, 2024.
“Within this short period, we have been able to rehabilitate facilities such as Itamaga Sawmill Sanitation Facility, Sabo Sanitation Facility, Idera Water Facility, Ita-Oluwo/Orimedu Water Facility, Rolu Parafa Water Facility and Isiwu Junior Grammar School Sanitation Facility.
“With this launch, phase one of the project is officially coming to an end and interestingly it’s also marking the beginning of the second phase of the project where we will be focusing only on schools in Ikorodu North LCDA.
“So, we develop the Local Investment Plan (LIP) for the local government to help them focus on their water facilities and what needs to be done in ensuring proper sanitation delivery among residents of the council,” Iloha said.
He noted that the aim of the project is to combine service delivery interventions with institutional strengthening for improved and sustainable delivery of WASH services to address acute needs for vulnerable populations in the communities.
John Nwamuo, WASH Manager, Later-Day Saints Charities (LDSC), in his submission hinted that “the LIP is a strategic five-year plan that will assist the local government to achieve 100% coverage of communities in Ikorodu North LCDA to have access to clean water”.
According to him, the total estimate cost of the investment plan required to address the gap in water supply across five wards in the Council through the five years spanning from 2024 through 2028 is N2, 334,640,727.00. This represents the cumulative costs required to rehabilitate 135 public water schemes at N1, 880,689,500.00, and the construction of 15 new ones in locations of need at N200, 865,495 with an average cost of N13, 931,033.00 per scheme.
Other costs identified during the stakeholder Lifecycle Costing Workshop include: Capital Maintenance Expenditure (CapManEx) at N70, 669,128.38; Operations Expenditure (OpEx) at N173, 916,603.00; Expenditure on Direct Support (ExpDS) at N5, 000,000.00; Expenditure on Indirect Support (ExpIDS) at N3, 500,000.00, within a period of five years.
All these will be achieved through: Baseline Survey and Service Level Assessment; Technical Assessment of 135 Water Points across the 5 Wards; Validation Meeting; Institutional Arrangements Mapping and Lifecycle Costing Workshop,” Nwamuo stated.
James Oyedele from Lagos State Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources in his remarks urged the LCDA to own the document by keeping it close to their heart.
He said: “This is a document that if an investor comes in tomorrow and shows an interest, you can present this document to such an investor because it is every detailed. We thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for championing the autonomy of LGAs in the country, so they have no excuse not to implement such projects.
“We all know that if there is no water, there is no sanitation and if there is no sanitation, health implications will arise. I urge the authority of the LGA to archive this wonderful document and make reference to it anytime the need arises.”
On his part, Niyi Odugbesi, Secretary to Local Government, opined: “The intervention of WaterAid in this local government has afforded me personally the opportunity of discovering so many abandoned water facilities in our domain here. We did an assessment plan to determine what actually happened and we found out that those moribund facilities were not properly handed over to the host communities, we even have some communities that in actual fact did not request for those facilities as at the time it was constructed and delivered to them. But with the way WaterAid is handling the process the communities are taking ownership of these wonderful facilities.
“To whom much is given, much is expected, I want to assure WaterAid Nigeria of proper maintenance and sustainability of all the projects provided for us in Ikorodu North LCDA,” he promised.
Ameen Olawale Ibrahim, Vice Chairman, Ikorodu North LCDA, however promised to work with the LIP for the good of the entire people of the council.
The Taraba State Government under the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change partnered with the Nigerian Army Taraba State Chapter through the Greening Taraba Initiative to embark on tree planting exercise on Saturday, July 27, 2024, at the permanent site of the 6 Brigade Command in Jalingo, the state capital.
Taraba State Commissioner of Environment and Climate Change, Hajiya Aishat Barde (right), with Army Commander, Brig. General K.C. Uwa, during the tree planting exercise in Jalingo
The initiative aims to combat climate change and promote environmental sustainability in the region.
The event commenced with speeches from key officials, The representatives of Gov Agbu Kefas in person of Dr. Tafarki Agbadu, the Chairman, House Committee on Environment and Climate Change, Army Commander, Brig General KC Uwa, who welcomed the dignitaries by emphasising the importance of tree planting in mitigating environmental degradation, stressing the need for strong partnership between civilian and military authorities.
The Taraba State Commissioner of Environment and Climate Change, Hajiya Aishat Barde, highlighted the government’s commitment to enhance ecological balance, conserve biodiversity, and restore degraded lands as part of broader climate action mitigation measures.
Hajiya Barde appreciated Commander KC Uwa and his team for supporting the programme both financially and morally, informing the event that Nigeria through the Designated National Authority was committed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% unconditionally and 47% conditionally with international support by 2030 through its Nationally Determined Contributions, under the Paris Agreement.
Participants such as ALGON Chairman, Jauro Aminu Mafindi; Chairman, Zing Local Government, Prince Davoro; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Climate Change, Aminu Kotolo; Chief of Army Staff; senior officers of the Nigerian Army; Chairperson NAWOWA, Taraba chapter; Acting Project Coordinator, Taraba ACReSAL; and local community members, were encouraged to actively engage in tree planting and ensure nurturing the trees to achieve their purpose.
The initiative aims not only to improve the environment but also to provide economic benefits to the community through sustainable practices.
The commissioner further emphasised that the tree planting exercise is part of the state’s effort to increase tree cover, curtail climate change, and activity contribute to the global efforts to fight climate change.
The government has urged citizens to adopt sustainable habits, adding that the collaboration between military and environmental sectors demonstrates a unified approach to address climate security and peace as recognised nationally and internationally.
“The tree planting exercise reflects a proactive measure towards fostering a greener future. The inclusion of military personnel showed a shared commitment to address the pressing environmental and climate change issues,” said Kotolo in his closing remarks.
As the Climate Clock ticks down below five years, signalling that there is little time left to keep global temperatures below 1.5 degrees Celsius, activists in Nigeria, including young people, journalists, environmentalists, and social rights campaigners, have called on the government to phase out the use of fossil fuels and transition to renewable energy to address the negative impacts of climate change.
Activists during the 2024 Climate Emergency Day commemoration in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital
This demand, they argued, is critical given the enormous cost of climate change to the country’s economy, which is expected to rise. According to the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), Nigeria is projected to spend between 6 percent and 30 percent of its GDP by 2050 if no real adaptation action is taken to mitigate climate disruption.
Aliyu Sadiq, the National Coordinator of the Climate Clock in Nigeria, expressed his concerns about the figure, describing it as devastating.
Consequently, “we are demanding for the government to address the root causes of climate change by ending fossil fuels and investing more in renewable energy,” he declared at the 2024 Climate Emergency Day celebration in Abuja.
In addition to the foregoing, the environmentalists advocated for the implementation of policies and incentives that would discourage excessive reliance on fossil fuels and contribute to the economy’s transformation by increasing resilience in the face of climate change.
He recommended that solution-based actions be taken to reduce the carbon footprint of the citizens, continue to protect the planet, and make it better and safer for all people, including future generations.
According to Ibrahim Joseph, the Climate Clock’s Coordinator for West Africa, increasing public awareness is vital to inspiring Nigerians to take action in response to the climate emergency.
Joseph said this belief motivated him and his team to mark the celebration, use the opportunity to seek the halting of fossil fuel usage, and push for the adoption of cleaner energy technologies in Nigeria.
The eco-defender wishes to see more women participate in the climate conversation so that they can make sound decisions because they are more familiar with the environment.
“Women are closer to the environment, and if we have more of them represented in government and the renewable sector, we will make more progress,” he noted.
Nigeria can transition to a greener economy, says Lauritta Boniface, co-founder of the Ecocykle Development Foundation (EDF). All the government has to do is provide the necessary political will in the form of policies, because little can be accomplished without these laws.
“Part of our demand is for more women to be represented in parliament because the effects of climate change are rooted in grassroots communities, and women are more vulnerable to its hazards,” she said.
The young negotiator, who is one of Nigeria’s representatives in the international climate debate, states in her submission that every little bit of action counts towards increasing Nigerians’ resilience to climate change and ensuring the country’s sustainable future.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, Senator Seriake Dickson, has described the Climate Governance Performance Rating and Ranking (CGPRR) of Nigeria’s 36 states project as a timely and innovative intervention.
Seriake Henry Dickson
Dickson spoke in Abuja shortly after receiving the report of the project which was launched by the Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP) in close collaboration with the Department of Climate Change (DCC), Federal Ministry of Environment.
Senator Dickson in his endorsement remark said: “This project will encourage increased climate action at the subnational level with resounding effect on national climate actions that will help Nigeria accelerate its commitment into achieving global climate change goals.”
The former Bayelsa State Governor stated further: “We have just concluded a two-day retreat of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Ecology and Climate Change which took place from July 25 to 26, 2024, in Abuja where we discussed how further stakeholders’ collaboration can help advance climate action in the country.
“This Climate Governance Performance Rating and Ranking report will now serve as a tool for further engagements as the Joint Committee embarks on its proposed engagements with the subnational and private sector and consequently spur more actions in the areas where gaps exist in specific states,” he said.
“I have reliably gathered that this report is the first-ever Climate Governance Performance Rating and Ranking of Nigeria’s 36 states, I am delighted to endorse it as a resource and tool for the advancement of climate change actions at the subnational level especially the local governments and senatorial districts where the most vulnerable communities experiencing the direct impacts of climate change are domiciled.”
Senator Dickson commended SPP, led by foremost Professor of Environment, Global Climate Governance & Public Policy, Professor Chukwumerije Okereke, the Department of Climate Change, Federal Ministry of Environment, and the entire Ministry, for embarking on such an outstanding and unique work which will now be the evidence-base for aggregated and improved subnational climate actions.
The Subnational Climate Change Governance Performance Ranking project evaluated the extent of climate change governance and performance in Nigeria’s 36 states using five key ranking criteria namely: climate institutions and governance; climate policy and action plan; climate budget and finance; climate change projects implementation and monitoring; and climate online visibility.
After months of rigorous reviews and scrutiny, Lagos State emerged the overall best state, with Gombe and Ebonyi occupying the second and third positions respectively. The winners were announced at a high-level event chaired by the Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal, on Thursday, July 26, 2024.
By Nnaemeka Oruh (Senior Policy Analyst, SPP) and Gboyega Olorunfemi (Project Lead, SPP)
Climate change is making work more difficult and dangerous for billions of people, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) said on Thursday, July 25, 2024.
People wash their faces amid hot weather, in Sanliurfa, southeast Turkey, July 16, 2022. Photo credit: IHA Photo
In Europe and Central Asia, the proportion of people exposed to excessive heat at work is low by global standards.
But this has increased more than in any other region of the world over the past 20 years, the ILO said.
Heat affects not only people who work outdoors such as in fields or on construction sites.
But there are also those who are employed in factories or who have to wear protective suits such as firefighters.
Almost 22.9 million people experience accidents due to heat at work every year, and almost 19,000 dies as a result, the report said.
Meanwhile 26.2 million people live with chronic kidney problems because they do not drink enough fluid at work.
Once temperatures reach 32 degrees Celsius, someone doing manual labour has to drink 0.85 litres of water per hour.
In 2020, 29 percent of workers in the Europe and Central Asia region were exposed to excessive heat at times.
The region spans from Portugal through Afghanistan to the western border of China.
This is 17.3 percent more than 20 years previously, the ILO said.
In all other regions of the world, the proportion was already significantly higher in 2020 and has risen less sharply.
The largest proportion is in Africa, where 90.2 percent of people are exposed to excessive heat at work at times, followed by the Arab states with 83.6 percent.
In total, 2.4 billion people worldwide are confronted with such heat.
