The 27-nation European Union will end the use of amalgam in dentistry in 2025, the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry (WAMFD) has disclosed.
Charlie Brown, President of the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry
President, WAMFD, Charlie Brown, made the disclosure in a correspondence titled “We win deal to ban amalgam across Europe!” on Thursday, February 8, 2024.
Brown wrote: “We did it: Today, our 14-year campaign resulted in the European Council and Parliament striking a deal to end the amalgam era in the 27-nation European Union!”
He pointed out that, under the deal, which will be formally adopted in the coming months, WAMFD obtained three major wins in the European Union.
He listed these to include:
Amalgam use ends in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and all other EU countries on January 1, 2025 – just 11 months from now! (The law retains narrow, time-limited exemptions for a few smaller Member States to adjust their insurance.)
Amalgam manufacturing and imports are phased out on a timetable, cutting off the supply of this mercury product in the EU.
Dental amalgam exports are banned next year too – so the EU will no longer allow amalgam sellers to dump their toxic product in Africa or Latin America.
Brown added: “When we started our campaign abroad, the EU was the largest user of amalgam in the world and the pro-mercury European dental associations were dug in. We had our work cut out for us. So, we assembled a team from most of the 27 Member States, who kept knocking on government doors. We went to Brussels and Strasbourg repeatedly. We submitted reams of comments to scientific committees, the European Commission, and other decision-makers.
“We outshone the opposition at the pivotal sequence of hearings held by the European Commission. Our persistent campaign won the 2017 EU regulation that banned the use of amalgam in children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers, and then we kept pushing for the victory we won today!
“We had the resources to fight this sustained battle thanks to you. To you, our donors and supporters, I express my sincerest gratitude on behalf of our entire team.
“With momentum on our side, we turn to the United States. Amalgam use is still rampant in the U.S., especially in government programmes that implant this mercury product into soldiers and sailors, American Indians and Native Alaskans, and low-income children and institutionalised individuals. But the U.S. government does pay attention when the EU acts. So, now’s the time to bring this European victory home to the USA!”
Dental amalgam is a dental filling material used to fill cavities caused by tooth decay. It is a mixture of metals, consisting of liquid (elemental) mercury and a powdered alloy composed of silver, tin, and copper.
Dentists have reservations about using dental amalgam because of the elemental mercury content. The release of vapour mercury can be absorbed by the lungs, causing permanent and irreversible damage.
President Bola Tinubu says his administration is revolutionising agriculture to make Nigeria self-sufficient in food production and a net exporter of agricultural products.
President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria
He disclosed this when he received a delegation from the Global Tijaniyya Movement, led by Khalifa Muhammad Mahe Niass, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, on Sunday, February 11, 2024.
The President also said his administration would support plans and efforts to give ease and succour to Hajj pilgrims.
He emphasised the importance of spiritual endeavours in nation-building, underscoring his administration’s commitment to supporting religious activities.
He highlighted the need for collaboration between political and spiritual leaders to advance the nation’s interests and promote unity among the people.
On agriculture, the President outlined plans to bolster agricultural productivity through various initiatives, including the expansion of farmlands, provision of low-interest loans to farmers and investments in irrigation infrastructure.
“We are dedicated to equipping hospitals with modern equipment, providing healthcare professionals with training, and ensuring social welfare for every citizen, including comprehensive health insurance coverage.
“Nigeria will become a net-exporter of food. We are bringing thousands of tractors. Food production will be greatly expanded through aggressive mechanisation. We must be productive as a people. That is the Sunnah and the principles I grew up understanding,” he said.
Tinubu commended the Global Tijaniyya Movement for their support and prayers, emphasising the importance of collective efforts in building a better Nigeria.
Niass, the Khalifa of Tijaniyya, speaking on behalf of the delegation, commended the President for his unwavering commitment to Nigeria’s peace, progress, and stability.
He expressed confidence in the President’s leadership and conveyed the fervent support and prayers of members of the Global Tijaniyya Movement to the Nigerian leader.
During their visit, the delegation offered prayers for the nation’s progress, unity and prosperity, and for Almighty Allah to grant Tinubu wisdom, strength and success.
The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) says it is collaborating with the German Government to mitigate potential risks associated with the development and deployment of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).
Dr Agnes Asagbra, Director-General, NBMA
Dr Agnes Asagbra, Director-General, NBMA, disclosed this at the training on risk assessment within the field of biosafety management on Monday, February 12, 2024, in Abuja.
She said that the synergy would boost knowledge exchange; the collective capacity to anticipate, evaluate and mitigate potential risks associated with the development and deployment of biotechnologies, genetically modified organisms, as well as other relevant applications.
“Throughout this training, we have the unique opportunity to engage with experts who have come all the way from Germany to share insights, and cultivate a deeper understanding of the principles and methodologies that underpin effective risk assessment frameworks.
“Today marks a significant milestone as we come together to delve into the complexities of risk assessment, a fundamental aspect of our efforts to ensure the safety of human and animal health, plant life, the safety of our environment, and the integrity of our scientific endeavours.”
According to her, the agency is committed to advancing understanding and practices in biosafety.
“The importance of robust risk assessment processes cannot be overstated, particularly in the context of biosafety, where the implications of our actions resonate deeply with public health, environmental sustainability, and socioeconomic well-being.
“The knowledge and skills gained during this training will not only enhance our individual capacities but also contribute to the broader mission of safeguarding public safety and environmental integrity within our respective spheres of influence,’’ she said.
Also, Mr Hermann Broll, Chief Scientific Officer, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment. said that to curb risk assessment on GMOs, there was need to know what people were eating.
“In this institute, we are responsible for not only risk assessment but also for risk management it is our own mandate to run the risk assessment, we work individually and don’t run risk assessment with companies.
“We also access consumer products for biological safety we also deal with risk communication we sensitise consumers on risk related products and what consumers should do to avoid risks.
“There is also a unit in our department dealing with nutrition; because food allergies is big issue in Europe; some persons have allergies against peanuts which is severe; so, it is important to identify peanuts in products to curb allergies,” he said.
The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has called for renewed collaboration with its Agriculture and Food Security counterpart toward achieving the nation’s food security mandate.
Delegates at the opening of the 30th meeting of the National Technical Committee on Water Resources and Sanitation in Abuja
Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Alhaji Shehu Shinkafi, made the call at the opening of the 30th meeting of the National Technical Committee on Water Resources and Sanitation in Abuja on Monday, February 12, 2024.
He spoke on the theme of the meeting: “People, Planet and Prosperity: Promoting Water Governance for National Food Security’’.
Shinkafi said that the collaboration was needed against the backdrop of the recently-declared state of emergency on food security by the Federal Government.
He also said that it was in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the government.
According to him, matters relating to food and water availability and affordability have been placed within the purview of the National Security Council.
He said that it was imperative to engage the security architecture to protect farms and farmers and the commitment to cultivate 500,000 hectares of farmland nationwide.
“To align with the state of emergency on food security, the ministry has introduced three flagship programmes: Water for Expanded Irrigated Agriculture Programme, Partnership for Expanded Irrigation Programme and River Basin Strategy for Poverty Alleviation (RB-SPA).
“Implementation of these programmes has already begun, marked by the launch of the dry season farming covering 120,000 hectares of land in Jigawa State in November 2023,” he said.
Shinkafi said that the initiative was aimed at creating between five million to 10 million jobs within the agricultural value chain, adding that it would address the rising cost of food and its impact on citizens.
He highlighted the crucial role of water governance in achieving national food security, stressing the need to harness impounded water in dams for irrigation activities and exploration of project models such as Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria of the World Bank.
The permanent secretary expressed gratitude to development partners and others for support, urging continued efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals in the water and sanitation sector.
A water resources expert, Mr Inuwa Kuta, said that achieving water governance for food security was essential and about deliberately putting programmes that would improve the lives of the population.
According to him, effective water governance is acknowledged as a key factor to impactful food security and socio-economic development of any nation.
He said that addressing water governance challenges in food security would be possible when water resources management would be ensured in all sectors of the economy.
Kuta called for more efforts to sustainably grow more food with less diverted water without degrading the ecosystem and by eradicating poverty and hunger by providing water for life and livelihood for all.
Mr Shubham Chaudhuri, the Country Director of World Bank, said that quality governance was vital to the achievement of food security.
Chaudhuri highlighted national food security as a priority of the current administration.
He, however, acknowledged the complexity of achieving the target solely at the federal level, and urged full participation from states.
He said that with an active portfolio exceeding two billion dollars in concessionary finances exclusively for the water sector, the World Bank had been collaborating closely with Nigeria, specifically the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation.
He mentioned the Transforming Irrigation Agenda in Nigeria as one of the supported projects, saying that it was designed to actualise national food security through irrigation and drainage development.
Mr Samuel Atang, the representative of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, pledged the commitment of Wike’s administration to prioritising access to water, sanitation and hygiene.
He said that the role of water infrastructure in the nation’s capital was crucial, and called for collective efforts to foster change.
The National Council on Water Resources and Sanitation, the apex policy-making body for the water sector, has been at the forefront of providing policy guidance for the sector.
The first-ever “State of the World’s Migratory Species” report was launched on Monday, February 12, 2024, by the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), a UN biodiversity treaty, at the opening of a major UN wildlife conservation conference (CMS COP14) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
CMS High-level Segment family photo
The landmark report reveals:
While some migratory species listed under CMS are improving, nearly half (44 per cent) are showing population declines.
More than one-in-five (22 per cent) of CMS-listed species are threatened with extinction.
Nearly all (97 per cent) of CMS-listed fish are threatened with extinction.
The extinction risk is growing for migratory species globally, including those not listed under CMS.
Half (51 per cent) of Key Biodiversity Areas identified as important for CMS-listed migratory animals do not have protected status, and 58 per cent of the monitored sites recognised as being important for CMS-listed species are experiencing unsustainable levels of human-caused pressure.
The two greatest threats to both CMS-listed and all migratory species are overexploitation and habitat loss due to human activity. Three out of four CMS-listed species are impacted by habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation, and seven out of ten CMS-listed species are impacted by overexploitation (including intentional taking as well as incidental capture).
Climate change, pollution and invasive species are also having profound impacts on migratory species.
Globally, 399 migratory species that are threatened or near threatened with extinction are not currently listed under CMS.
Until now, no such comprehensive assessment on migratory species has been carried out. The report provides a global overview of the conservation status and population trends of migratory animals, combined with the latest information on their main threats and successful actions to save them.
Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, said: “Today’s report clearly shows us that unsustainable human activities are jeopardising the future of migratory species – creatures who not only act as indicators of environmental change but play an integral role in maintaining the function and resilience of our planet’s complex ecosystems. The global community has an opportunity to translate this latest science of the pressures facing migratory species into concrete conservation action. Given the precarious situation of many of these animals, we cannot afford to delay, and must work together to make the recommendations a reality.”
Billions of animals make migratory journeys each year on land, in rivers and oceans and in the skies, crossing national boundaries and continents, with some travelling thousands of miles across the globe to feed and breed.
Migratory species play an essential role in maintaining the world’s ecosystems, and provide vital benefits, by pollinating plants, transporting key nutrients, preying on pests, and helping to store carbon.
Prepared for CMS by conservation scientists at the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), the CMS “State of the World’s Migratory Species” report uses the world’s most robust species data sets and features expert contributions from institutions including BirdLife International, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).
The main focus of the report is the 1,189 animal species that have been recognised by CMS Parties as needing international protection and are listed under CMS, though it also features analysis linked to over 3,000 additional non-CMS migratory species.
Species listed under the Convention are those at risk of extinction across all or much of their range, or in need of coordinated international action to boost their conservation status.
Amy Fraenkel, CMS Executive Secretary, said: “Migratory species rely on a variety of specific habitats at different times in their lifecycles. They regularly travel, sometimes thousands of miles, to reach these places. They face enormous challenges and threats along the way, as well at their destinations where they breed or feed. When species cross national borders, their survival depends on the efforts of all countries in which they are found. This landmark report will help underpin much-needed policy actions to ensure that migratory species continue to thrive around the world.”
While there have been positive trends for numerous CMS species, the report’s findings underscore the need for greater action, for all migratory species. The listing of species under CMS means that these species require international cooperation to address their conservation. But many of the threats facing these species are global drivers of environmental change – affecting biodiversity loss as well as climate change. Thus, addressing the decline of migratory species requires action across governments, the private sector and other actors.
Over the past 30 years, 70 CMS-listed migratory species – including the steppe eagle, Egyptian vulture and the wild camel – have become more endangered. This contrasts with just 14 listed species that now have an improved conservation status – these include blue and humpback whales, the white-tailed sea eagle and the black-faced spoonbill.
Most worryingly, nearly all CMS-listed species of fish – including migratory sharks, rays and sturgeons – are facing a high risk of extinction, with their populations declining by 90 per cent since the 1970s.
Analysing the threats to species, the report shows the huge extent to which the decline in migratory species is being caused by human activities.
The two greatest threats to both CMS-listed and all migratory species were confirmed as overexploitation – which includes unsustainable hunting, overfishing and the capture of non-target animals such as in fisheries – and habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation – from activities such as agriculture and the expansion of transport and energy infrastructure.
One key priority is to map and take adequate steps to protect the vital locations that serve as breeding, feeding and stopover sites for migratory species. The report shows that nearly 10,000 of the world’s Key Biodiversity Areas are important for CMS-listed migratory species, but that more than half (by area) are not designated as protected or conserved areas. Fifty-eight per cent of monitored sites important for CMS-listed species are under threat due to human activities.
The report also investigated how many migratory species are at-risk but not covered by the Convention. It found 399 migratory species – mainly birds and fish, including many albatrosses and perching birds, ground sharks and stingrays – are categorised as threatened or near-threatened but are not yet CMS-listed.
While underscoring the concerning situation of many species, the report also shows that population and species-wide recoveries are possible and highlights instances of successful policy change and positive action, from local to international. Examples include coordinated local action that has seen illegal bird netting reduced by 91 per cent in Cyprus, and hugely successful integrated conservation and restoration work in Kazakhstan, which has brought the Saiga Antelope back from the brink of extinction.
The “State of the World’s Migratory Species” report issues a clear wake-up call, and provides a set of priority recommendations for action, which include:
Strengthen and expand efforts to tackle illegal and unsustainable taking of migratory species, as well as incidental capture of non-target species,
Increase actions to identify, protect, connect and effectively manage important sites for migratory species,
Urgently address those species in most danger of extinction, including nearly all CMS-listed fish species,
Scale up efforts to tackle climate change, as well as light, noise, chemical and plastic pollution, and,
Consider expanding CMS listings to include more at-risk migratory species in need of national and international attention.
The UN wildlife conservation conference (CMS COP14) starting on Monday, February 12 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan is one of the most significant global biodiversity gatherings since the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (Biodiversity Plan). It will also be the first COP of any global environmental treaty to take place in Central Asia, a region home to many migratory species including the Saiga Antelope, the Snow Leopard, and many species of migratory birds.
Governments, wildlife organisations and scientists have come together at the week-long meeting to consider actions to advance implementation of the Convention. The “State of the World’s Migratory Species” report will provide the scientific grounding along with policy recommendations to set the context and provide valuable information to support the deliberations of the meeting.
Over the years, practitioners who design climate change interventions have continued to adopt approaches that allow community and strategic stakeholders participation to be only an avenue to extract information, rather than allowing for effective participation.
Flooding in Bayelsa, Nigeria
They often follow Rapid Rural Appraisal and Participatory Rural Appraisal approaches which have since been replaced by Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) allowing for effective participation in a development circle (from project conceptualisation to Monitoring and Evaluation).
At MAWA-Foundation, our experience in the field shows that climate change interventions do not imbibe community and strategic stakeholders’ participation, rather they are brought in at the middle when the ideas have already been conceptualised. The agenda is birthed and dropped on the stakeholders who know nothing about its origin.
As a result of poor participation by communities and strategic stakeholders the project is designed to serve, implementation becomes a huge challenge. And this leads to no success and sustainability in climate change intervention projects in communities.
We advocate for the adoption of effective community participation in climate change intervention projects because the community intervention is designed to serve, will be empowered through participation. And, in the process of learning through participation, members of the community will have a better understanding of the project and support its implementation. This will no doubt lead to success and sustainability as we have seen on the field. Also, allowing for community participation will increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the project implementation.
We are in a world where trust is rapidly declining. Communities no longer trust climate advocates who just storm their area, extract information from them, and walk away. And this has continued to affect climate intervention projects across communities, with the climate change intervention being the worst hit.
The only way to address the trust deficit among communities and climate advocates is effective participation. The kind of participation we are advocating for is the one that will help people to participate together in learning, and then act based on what has been learned, for better wellbeing of the community.
We are particularly concerned about participation in the design and implementation of climate change intervention projects because it is the only way to facilitate dialogue and negotiations. You cannot throw ideas communities did not participate in conceptualising and want a better result from the community. No, it won’t work that way.
Based on our Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) knowledge and experience, we appeal to climate change advocates to allow for effective participation in the design and climate change intervention projects. This is the only way we can achieve effective implementation, success and sustainability.
For us at MAWA-Foundation and for other climate change advocates, participation in climate change intervention is most fundamental because it will lead to the following:
Community empowerment,
Increase project effectiveness and efficiency,
Accountability among the community and advocates,
Trust building among community and advocates, and
Facilitates dialogue and negotiation among the community, advocates, and governments.
The National Technical Committee of the Scaling-up Energy-Efficiency and Climate-Friendly Cooling in Nigeria’s NDC project convened in Abuja to deliberate and review the project’s workplan for 2024.
A cross section of stakeholders during the committee meeting in Abuja
This committee, a collaboration between the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) with financial support from the Clean Cooling Collaborative (CCC), aims to propel energy-efficient and climate-friendly cooling solutions across Nigeria.
Bringing together experts from various organisations, the technical committee serves as a platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing and strategy development to scale up sustainable cooling practices. The meeting provided a forum for stakeholders to align their efforts, ensuring a unified approach to achieving the project’s objectives.
The director-general of the ECN, the implementing institution for the project, Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, highlighted the committee’s overarching goal.
He emphasised that the primary objective is to accelerate the adoption of energy-efficient air conditioners with climate-friendly, low-GWP (global warming potential) refrigerants in residential, commercial and public buildings. This strategic shift aims to contribute significantly to Nigeria’s climate targets as outlined in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).
The meeting marks a crucial step in the implementation of the sustainable cooling project, emphasising the commitment of both ECN and UNEP to advancing climate-friendly solutions in Nigeria. By fostering collaboration among experts and stakeholders, the committee ensures a comprehensive and sustainable approach to meeting climate targets in the country.
As the project moves forward, the collaborative efforts of the committee will play a pivotal role in navigating the challenges associated with transitioning to energy-efficient and climate-friendly cooling solutions. The commitment to a cost-effective and sustainable transition underscores the importance of aligning climate goals with practical, implementable strategies.
The committee meeting signified a concerted effort to drive positive change in Nigeria’s cooling practices. By leveraging the expertise of diverse stakeholders, ECN and UNEP aim to contribute meaningfully to the country’s climate resilience and sustainability.
The project’s success hinges on such collaborative endeavours, reflecting a shared commitment to address climate challenges through innovative and impactful initiatives.
The Nigerian Conservation Foundation, (NCF) says only four per cent of the nation’s forest cover is remaining.
Community forest in Nigeria. Photo credit: UNDP Cambodia/Chansok Lay/Oddar Meanchey
Director-General of the foundation, Dr Joseph Onoja, said this on Saturday, February 10, 2024, in Calabar during a sensitisation programme on the adverse effect of unsustainable forest activities in Cross River State.
The theme of the programme was: “The Crisis of Forest Loss and Threats to Rural Economy in Cross River”.
Onoja, who was represented by Alhaji Mohammed Boye, Coordinator of the Northern Zone in NCF, said it had become expedient to sensitise forest holding communities in Cross River on sustainable ways of interacting with the forest to prevent deforestation.
According to him, in 2024, the foundation plans to train farmers on sustainable farming, a kind of farming that will not impact the environment negatively.
“The way people are harvesting resources in our forests including trees is something that we need to sit down, strategise and find a way for these activities to be done sustainably.
“While I recognise that the forest is a source of livelihood for many, we must also understand that it plays a very significant role in protecting the world against climate change,” he said.
He added that though he was a little disappointed that a lot of resources had been invested by NCF and its partners in the fight to save the forests and the situation had not changed much, NCF was still determined to educate and change the orientation of people.
Similarly, Dr George Oben-Etchi, Chairman of Cross River Forestry Commission, said the present administration in Cross River was highly committed to afforestation.
Oben-Etchi said the last time trees were consciously planted in the state as a government policy to revive the forests was in 2003, adding that, in collaboration with some non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the state planned to plant five million trees annually.
He noted that the state government had introduced the “permitteeship” system to regulate logging in the state and also employed 300 rangers to help police its forests.
On her part, CP Caroline Olori, Conservator, Cross River National Park, appealed to indigenes of forest communities to own the forests and protect them against degradation.
She, however, appealed to NCF and the government of Cross River to involve more of the youth in the plan to restore the forest, adding that they were the major culprits of the deforestation activities in the communities.
His Royal Highness, Obhoro Obio Arong Owai, Clan Head of Esai Clan in Iko Esai, Akamkpa Local Government Area, said powerful illegal loggers entered the forests in their community without permission from them.
He added that they were willing to work with the state government in ensuring that only licensed loggers were allowed to log sustainably in their community.
He also appealed that the royalties due to forest communities be paid as and when due.
A legal practitioner, Mr David Fatile, has called on some residents of communities in Oshodi area of Lagos State to obey court order on waste disposal tariff.
Muyiwa Gbadegesin, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA
Fatile, a solicitor to Mr David Oriyomi, the Managing Director (MD), Excellens Links International Company, a waste management company, made the call in Oshodi during a news briefing.
He said that few group of individuals, not up to 0.1 per cent of the Oshodi communities’ residents had continued to breach court’s order, by maligning his client – Oriyomi, and his business – Excellens Links International Company.
The solicitor noted that the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) in 2022 increased waste tariffs across the state.
He said the increment was necessitated due to the cost of diesel and foreign exchange, coupled with some operational costs.
Fatile added that, in 2022, about six individuals filed a suit against Excellens Links and Tunap Company, both PSP operators servicing Oshodi environs, on the ground of increase in waste disposal tariff.
”LAWMA has to effect increase in waste tariff and my client being one of the franchisee of LAWMA, effected this increase in Oshodi community.
“So, it is this increase that these individuals, about five or six of them, led by Engr. Babatunde Faleye filed an action in court,” Fatile said.
According to him, on Dec. 18, 2023, the court strike out the suit, with the prayer that the claimants shall not use the social media to campaign against the business of the third and fourth defendants – Excellens Links International Company and Tunap Company.
He said the court also awarded the sum of N100,000; N50,000 each to the third and fourth defendants, as compensation for filing processes and appearing in court.
”Since Dec. 18, 2023, these individuals, which represent 0.1 per cent in the community, and claim that they filed the case on behalf of the resident of Oshodi, Mafoluku, Shogunle and Ewu-tuntun, have engaged in campaign of calumny against the business of my client.
”My client is very peaceful person, I have asked him that let’s file a contempt proceedings against these individuals, but he said I shouldn’t worry myself that they are his clients, they are his customers and that the matter will be resolved.
”So, I want to appeal to Engr. Faleye, and his co-labourers that they should respect the order of the court.
“The order of the court is very, very clear. Do not engage in social media campaign against the business of Excellens.
”This man has been granting press interview, has gone to social media; gone on WhatsApp; in fact the one that angered me was the posts sent to me by my client, asking the residents of Oshodi that they should not pay for waste bill for the months of January and February, circulating it in his social media.
”So, I want to appeal to Engr. Fatile not to engage in media campaign against the business of my client.
“If he does, we are going to initiate a contempt proceeding against him in particular, and all those who are his co-labourers,” the lawyer said.
On his part, Oriyomi, the MD of Excellens Links, said that in 2022, the price of diesel went up from N225 to N700 per litre, adding the it had even risen to N1,250 per litre presently.
He said this necessitated the regulatory body – LAWMA, to increase the waste disposal tariff from N450 to N900 per room; N1,250 to N2,000 per flat; and N2,500 to N3,600 per duplex.
Oriyomi said with the intervention from the Chairman, Lagos House of Assembly Committee on Environment and Parastatals, Mr Desmond Elliot, the fee was reduced by N100 across board.
The Global Environment Facility’s 186 member governments have agreed to invest $1.1 billion for international action on biodiversity, climate change, nature renewal, and pollution control, and met for the first time as Council of the new Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF).
GEF Council meeting
The GEF Council, meeting in Washington, DC, approved $918 million for 45 projects and programmes from the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund, including four blended finance initiatives involving the private sector and five Integrated Programmes designed to tackle complex challenges in their entirety.
Government representatives also endorsed $203 million for 21 climate change adaptation projects funded by the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF), which are part of a family of funds that also includes the GEF Trust Fund, the Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund, and the Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) Trust Fund.
The GBFF, the latest addition to this growing GEF-housed portfolio, is expected to start funding projects related to nature loss and restoration by the end of 2024. It was launched at the Seventh GEF Assembly in August 2023, less than a year after parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity requested that the GEF create it to support countries’ efforts to meet the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework goals on halting and reversing nature loss.
Country representatives meeting as the GBFF Council reached agreement in Washington, DC on how donor resources will be allocated, and how projects will be designed and approved. During the Council meeting, Spain announced a new contribution to the GBFF, adding to previous contributions announced by Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan.
The GEF is the only multilateral environmental fund that is mandated to work across an array of challenges including biodiversity, climate change, desertification, and toxic chemicals including mercury. It was also selected last year to be a part of the financial mechanism to the new High Seas Treaty on biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, known as BBNJ.
A paper approved by the Council outlined initial guidelines for GEF support related to the High Seas Treaty, which will complement and build on both international waters and biodiversity investments. This support will include funding for enabling activities and ratification support that will help countries move forward quickly to enact the agreement.
“We are conscious of our unique role in environmental finance, and are committed to achieving lasting positive impacts by working in an integrated and inclusive way. The investments and plans approved by our member governments this week reflect this determined commitment,” said Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, GEF CEO and Chairperson. “The support the GEF is deploying stands out not only for its size and accelerating speed, but also its reach. We are breaking down silos to move the needle on the environmental challenges both donor and recipient countries are facing.”
The GEF Trust Fund work program – the second-largest in the multilateral institution’s history – is set to mobilize $7.5 billion in co-financing, including from bilateral government aid and multilateral development banks. It includes $530 million for Integrated Programmes for the ocean, food systems, transportation infrastructure, wildlife conservation, and critical forest biomes that have been designed to advance holistic action across sectors and borders.
The approved projects and programmes will contribute to global environment benefits across the board, with boosts for protected areas, landscape management, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, and terrestrial and marine ecosystems. They span 77 countries including 22 Least Developed Countries and 14 Small Island Developing States.
While most of the GEF Trust Fund support will be provided as grants, the work programme also includes $81 million for four blended finance projects that are set to mobilise $1.36 billion in outside investment.
In addition to approving funding for the new projects and programmes, GEF Council members also received updates from the GEF Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel and from the Independent Evaluation Office.
The Council of the LDCF and SCCF agreed to fund 21 projects that build on years of support for critical initiatives that are helping countries address their most urgent adaptation priorities in a way that helps local communities, strengthens policy frameworks, and advances environmental goals for the long term.
It was one of the largest work programmes in the more than two-decade history of the LDCF and SCCF, and comes two months after nine donor governments announced new contributions to the unique climate adaptation funds at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP28 in Dubai.
The GEF has since the Paris Agreement been mobilising and distributing resources to meet the urgent and specific climate adaptation needs of Least Developed Countries, Small Island Developing States, and other developing countries, following guidance and decisions from parties to the UN climate convention.
All GEF-supported projects and programs include an overt gender emphasis as required in the institution’s policies and guidance. This includes incorporating gender perspectives in project planning, working to ensure that women’s needs and potential contributions are taken into account, and that women benefit from work undertaken and can access related finance and other resources. Women, women’s groups, and gender experts are also key stakeholders in project and programme design and assessment. Inclusive conservation, including in partnership with Indigenous Peoples and local communities, women, and youth, is also prioritised throughout GEF policies and procedures, and as guiding principle for the funding it provides.
In the case of the GBFF, as much as 20 percent of the new fund’s resources will aim to support Indigenous-led initiatives to protect and conserve biodiversity.
Speaking at the Washington, DC meeting, Acting Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, David Cooper, stressed the need for Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women, and youth to be involved in the fund in order to work towards that 20 percent allocation for Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and to ensure that the work it supports is gender-responsive and addresses calls for intergenerational equity.
“Your contributions to this process are going to be very important,” Cooper said.
Dawda Badgie, Executive Director of the National Environment Agency of The Gambia and Co-Chair of the GEF Council, welcomed the agreement among countries to jointly address environmental issues that directly affect human well-being everywhere.
“These decisions can change peoples’ lives for years to come,” Badgie said, pointing in particular to support for coastal resilience and women’s livelihoods. “We have to act collectively about the challenges we are facing. They do not spare anybody.”
