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Can Casinos go green? Renewable energy initiatives in the gambling industry

Michael Simire
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Can Casinos go green? Renewable energy initiatives in the gambling industry

The shiny lights, the endless slot machines, and the 24-hour activities of casinos may be symbolic of glamour and fun, but they do have a heavy environmental toll. The gambling industry is one of the resource-intensive sectors in the hospitality sphere, and you will find out why this is the case right here. The race towards achieving a greener future means that casinos must ensure they clean up their act.

Casinos
Casinos

Due to this growing awareness, there has been a surge in sustainability projects aimed at reducing environmental footprints. Whether casinos in Las Vegas can be green or not is no longer the question, but rather how quickly the relevant changes can be implemented and how effectively the physical side of gambling, which attracts millions of visitors annually, can be improved without altering the very nature of the experience. 

With consumers expecting more accountability from the brands they patronise, even the best casino sites are being judged not solely based on their game choices and promotional offers, but also on how they conduct their operations sustainably.

Energy Requirement of Casino Operations

The size of the casinos is such that hardly any other businesses can compare with it. Las Vegas and Macau are significant destinations in themselves; they attract thousands of guests, numerous restaurants, theaters, shops, and convention centres all in one place. The energy demand is gigantic. Lighting facilities, air conditioning, slot machines, surveillance security, elevators, and even indoor waterfalls need a constant energy supply.

Similar to regular casinos, online casinos, although less resource-intensive, are dependent on massive data centers and server networks to accommodate thousands of simultaneous players from different parts of the world. The greenhouse effect of crypto casinos and live dealer games has increased with high-definition video streaming and the environmental costs associated with casinos that accept crypto transactions.

Due to such dependency on energy, the issue of casinos has become central to the debate over the environmental responsibility of corporations. The good news is that a significant number of operators are taking steps by doing renewable energy and using sustainable building.

On-Site and Solar Power

Investment in solar energy is one of the most popular methods used by casinos that want to minimise their carbon footprint. The rooftop solar panels are increasingly being used to reduce the use of fossil fuels in sunny places such as Nevada. Other resorts have even established solar farms whose primary purpose is to supply energy to these resorts during periods of high energy demand, such as peak hours.

Locally generated solar energy helps casinos stabilise their energy costs, and the power needs do not significantly impact the local power grids. Using smart energy management systems, operators have discovered that they can now view the usage on a real-time basis, optimise power distribution and evaluate the surpluses of the energy to be used at night or other times of elevated load.

Such relocations not only benefit the environment but also contribute to saved operating costs. By cutting energy expenditure, casinos can spend on other fun features, matter of fact their customers, their digital tech or other provisions-all the time increasing their green profile.

LEED Certification and Sustainable Design

Emergent casino projects are being made increasingly sustainable. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification has been used as the benchmark for green building in the commercial real estate industry, and several casino resorts have achieved it.

The set of features that can be used in sustainable design is versatile and it contains not only the energy-saving HVAC systems and emissions-free materials but also water-conserving plumbing solutions and the use of natural daylight. These are some of the aspects that casinos can significantly reduce by incorporating them into their construction and renovation strategy.

Even waste-to-energy systems have been installed in some properties that collect heat and convert organic waste into usable fuel. Some have included green roofs, charging stations of electric vehicles, and recycling plans on a complete sustainability plan.

Cloud Efficiency and Online Casinos

Online casinos in the online world are also examining how to operate more sustainably, in terms of cloud computing and energy-efficient server infrastructure. The adoption of green data, which relies on renewable sources of energy, is increasingly prevalent among top platforms.

Although the online casinos still have a lower environmental impact compared to their land-based cousins, the ever-growing popularity of online games implies that their sustainability must be taken into account at an earlier stage of development. The operators, who invest in green hosting solutions and minimise the use of unnecessary data, can decrease their impact and capture the attention of eco-friendly players.

Further, part of the trend is that incorporate sustainability into things such as branding and customer communication as using promotions that advocate environmental causes, or promising contributions based on customer actions.

Regulatory Powers and Pressure

Regulatory authorities and governments are also intervening in the promotion of greener casino operations. To promote this efficiency, some areas require new energy standards for commercial buildings, such as those in the entertainment and hospitality sectors. These standards require casinos to improve insulation, upgrade lighting, and adopt energy-efficient machinery.

Another force is public opinion. With the constant increase in awareness of climate change, consumers are becoming more inclined towards businesses with which they resonate. This change of opinion is particularly evident among a younger population that is both online and environmentally conscious.

Those casinos willing to implement the policy of transparency in terms of sustainability and effectively advertise their attempts will receive a competitive advantage. It can be proven with certification, energy reports, or community-oriented collaboration, but establishing trust and loyalty requires a genuine appreciation of green activities.

So, What Lies Ahead?

Although encouraging gains are being made, challenges lie ahead. Renewable energy systems are expensive to install upfront, and not every casino owner and operator possesses the funds and foresight to dedicate themselves to sustainability. Environmental objectives may be neglected in competitive markets due to the pressure to focus on short-term revenue.

Moreover, there is the complex and costly work of retrofitting the existing older properties to newer energy systems. Most of the iconic casinos were built before the use of green standards, and it becomes a logistical problem to upgrade these facilities. In the case of these properties, incremental improvement may be the only viable option.

Ekiti adopts Sustainable Commodities approach to agriculture, forests

Michael Simire
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Ekiti adopts Sustainable Commodities approach to agriculture, forests

Ekiti State has taken a big step toward a productive and sustainable approach to agroforestry, becoming the latest jurisdiction to sign up to the Africa Sustainable Commodities Initiative (ASCI), a 10-country compact which puts producer countries in the driving seat for sustainable and deforestation-free development of both crops and forests.

Ekiti
Culturally protected areas like Ogun grove at Ire-Ekiti preserve rare trees and act as seed banks, which can boost biodiversity of the surrounding cocoa-farm landscape

Ekiti State has joined ASCI as it offers both a way of protecting the state’s environment, and also a way of enhancing livelihoods in line with Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s emphasis on maximising agricultural and rural development with grassroots impact.

Nigeria at a federal level has been a signatory to the Africa Sustainable Commodities Declaration since 2022, and while Edo State has been a member for much longer, the size and federal structure of Nigeria will mean that implementation of the ASCI Declaration has to happen on a state-by-state basis.

Ekiti State, which is located at the historic heart of Nigeria’s cocoa and timber industries, is looking for a way to both protect its environment and find growth opportunities on which the agricultural sector can be rebuilt. Rural development is one of the government’s six core policy objectives.

There is a huge opportunity in the current boom in commodity crops such as cocoa and oil palm which needs to be aligned with forest protection and reforestation objectives – this can be done because there are real win-wins for Ekiti’s farmers and livelihoods, while keeping its forests standing.

Once one of Nigeria’s foremost states for production forestry, Ekiti has suffered extensive deforestation in the past but still has important areas of forest and biodiversity, while more tree cover is needed to increase resilience against climate change and erosion.  Equally, the resurgence in agriculture, especially small and medium enterprises, needs to be given what it needs to grow strongly.

For Ekiti, this means careful and coordinated planning between agricultural and forestry interests – in the past, an ad-hoc approach had thrown up numerous contradictions, misunderstandings and compromises – and had neither delivered agricultural growth nor slowed forest loss.

ASCI and its principles can be used as a tool to coordinate this planning, and the land use/ land cover survey which has just been completed in partnership between the State, UK FCDO and the international NGO ProForest helps to carefully zone activities tothe most suitable locations, and to recognise environmentally sensitive areas, as well as to identify degraded forest land which can be reforested or released for agroforestry, according to local community needs and comparative advantage.

Ekiti is fortunate to have islands of biodiversity such as sacred forests and mountaintops to integrate into these plans – adding to the richness of its protected areas. It has recognised 10 such as Community Protected Forests but there remains the crucial need to protect these sacred areas for their cultural importance and community use.

Ekiti State also has Nigeria’s only private tree growers’ association, which is helping to promote the growing of both exotic timber species and endangered indigenous trees. Joining up all of these parts in a consolidated action plan under ASCI means that Ekiti can realise its agricultural vision of secure livelihoods for its population, whilst preserving the forests and sacred groves for its population of the future, and for the benefit of the world in terms of carbon sequestration and protected biodiversity.

ASCI’s facilitator in Ekiti State is Dr. Yemi Akinyugha, Technical Advisor to the Governor on Green Economy and Ecological Matters. You can follow developments in the State on social media at (FORESTRY COMMISSION AND COMMISSIONER OF AG SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES)

IBAT Alliance celebrates investment of $2.5m in nature data

Michael Simire
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IBAT Alliance celebrates investment of $2.5m in nature data

The Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT) Alliance on Monday, June 30, 2025, announced that its 2024 investment in biodiversity data reached a record level of $2.5 million – an increase from $1.2 million in 2023. The growth has reportedly consolidated IBAT’s position as a leading curator of authoritative biodiversity data.

IBAT Alliance
The IBAT Alliance 2024 investment in biodiversity data reached a record level of $2.5 million

This increase in investment – more than double the figure generated in 2023 – is said to be significant for two reasons.

First, it means that vital funds will be reinvested back into three of the world’s most authoritative biodiversity datasets, supporting critical updates and maintenance:

  • The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA)
  • The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
  • The World Database of Key Biodiversity Areas (WDKBA)

This ensures access to credible, science-based global biodiversity data for accurate screening and reporting, enabling meaningful action for nature. It also helps build a more complete picture of the state of nature globally, enhancing understanding of threats to biodiversity and driving tangible conservation action.

Secondly, the growth in funds demonstrates that businesses and financial institutions around the world are investing in authoritative biodiversity data and incorporating it into their decision-making. This is driving real action on the ground at an ever-increasing scale. By year end, over 200 private sector organisations had used IBAT to access biodiversity data, and in doing so provided critical funds that are used to further their development.

The datasets available through IBAT are used for early risk screening, setting goals and measuring progress towards global biodiversity targets such as those in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. They support businesses in understanding the impact of their activities on the natural world, in assessing these impacts, as well as dependencies and risks and aligning with regulatory and disclosure requirements.

IBAT was developed and is maintained by the IBAT Alliance, a coalition of four of the world’s most influential conservation organisations: BirdLife International, Conservation International (CI), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC).

This level of investment from IBAT has enabled Alliance partners to update, expand and improve critical, science-backed biodiversity data that supports policies and decisions for people and nature. For example:

  • The investment allows Alliance partners to develop new approaches to improving data quality and accessibility, ensuring that researchers and decision makers the world over can continue to depend upon these resources. It also enables partners to build and strengthen relationships with data providers on the ground, helping them develop their capacity and therefore securing data streams for the future.
  • Over 600 new Key Biodiversity Areas were identified in 2024, with a particular focus on South America and Africa. The countries in these regions are among the most biodiverse in the world but have typically been underrepresented. Capturing the new data will ensure that their unique landscapes and wildlife – and the local communities that depend upon them – are given due recognition and consideration in policies and planning.
  • In the World Database of Protected Areas, data updates have been completed for around 100 territories across all global regions, enhancing knowledge and showcasing conservation progress.
  • The funding has enabled comprehensive assessments of nearly 170,000 species for the IUCN Red List, from the Philippine eagle to the black rhino and the sunflower sea star. The categorization used in Red List data helps inform conservation efforts, with real results. For example, the Iberian lynx has been reclassified from Endangered to Vulnerable thanks to targeted conservation efforts. Red List data are also being used to benefit human health, enabling scientists to better understand the distribution of medicinal plants and of animal species that may be vectors for zoonotic diseases.

This work will continue into 2025 and beyond, building a more complete picture of biodiversity and the natural world as a foundation for action.

Ed Ellis, Head of IBAT, said: “It is fantastic and inspiring that IBAT has been able to invest a record $2.5 million into biodiversity data in 2024, surpassing investments made in previous years. This contribution to the sustainability of world leading biodiversity data plays a crucial role in ensuring these datasets continue to be updated and expand, increasing our understanding of the health of our planet and the species and places most in need of conservation.

“The growing use of IBAT encouragingly shows that more private sector actors are recognizing the importance of incorporating biodiversity into their operational decisions and highlights that key role that businesses can play in bending the curve on biodiversity loss.”

Martin Harper, CEO, BirdLife International, said: “The fantastic embrace of IBAT in the past year has allowed us to make vital improvements to functionality and user experience within the World Database of Key Biodiversity Areas. This will make it even easier for businesses to make informed decisions about their operations for the benefit of nature. It will also allow us to keep growing the network of KBAs which underpin global commitments to protect 30 per cent of land, freshwater and sea by 2030.”

Dr Grethel Aguilar, Director General, IUCN, said: “The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is often referred to as the barometer of life – such is its value in assessing the extinction risks facing animals, fungi and plants around the world. Investment from IBAT allows us to maintain the IUCN Red List as a vital resource for governments, businesses and scientists alike.

“The investment supports the addition of new species groups to the IUCN Red List, updates of previously assessed species and improvements to systems and data. Overall, I’m delighted to see IBAT make such an important contribution to our mission – both financially and through the provision of trusted tools and services to State and non-State actors, as we seek to mobilise a whole-of-society approach to deliver high-integrity nature-positive outcomes.”

Patricia Zurita, Chief Strategy Officer, Conservation International, said: “Ever since IBAT’s creation in 2008, our partnership has proven the appetite private companies have for making the right decision for nature and their business using tools like IBAT. The scientific rigour that is the foundation of IBAT data, plus the combination of these datasets and their analysis, is what makes IBAT a key partner to the private sector in pursuing a more a sustainable future. As a founding partner, Conservation International is delighted to see more investment going into the very foundation of IBAT.”

Neville Ash, Director, UNEP-WCMC, said: “The World Database on Protected Areas is the world’s most authoritative source of information on the coverage and state of protected areas. It is an essential resource for supporting governments and the international community to track progress towards area-based commitments in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

“Data on protected areas, made available via IBAT, are also used by businesses and financial institutions to support screening for biodiversity risks and to avoid harm to these important areas. IBAT is playing a significant role not only by supporting wise decision-making, but also by contributing to the much-needed investments to maintain these critically important global biodiversity data.”

Women leaders kick off 7th Global Women’s Assembly for Climate Justice

Michael Simire
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Women leaders kick off 7th Global Women’s Assembly for Climate Justice

The Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) on Monday, June 23, 2025, hosted the first day of the “Global Women’s Assembly for Climate Justice: Path to COP30 and Beyond” which features over 125 women policymakers, government officials, and community leaders from 50 countries advocating to advance global climate justice solutions. 

Osprey Orielle Lake
WECAN Founder and Executive Director, Osprey Orielle Lake

WECAN Founder and Executive Director, Osprey Orielle Lake, opened the Assembly by explaining the focus on women as climate leaders: “Women are not just fighting for climate justice, we are innovating it. Research shows that everywhere in the world, where women have greater agency and political power, carbon emissions are lower and social and environmental policies are more effective. Yet women remain vastly underrepresented in climate negotiations and decision-making.”

She continued to contextualise this year’s climate negotiations under the current political context, stating, “We can’t separate the failure of governments to act ambitiously on climate from institutional patriarchy and the global rise in authoritarianisms. And right now, this is playing out heavily in the United States. We are seeing rollbacks on environmental protections, attacks on reproductive rights, criminalisation of peaceful protests, and disinformation campaigns targeting climate and racial justice. To build the healthy and just world that we want, we must amplify women’s voices not just as participants but as the architects of a thriving future.”

Opening day speakers from South Africa, Norway, Fuji, Ecuador, and more emphasised the importance of bold climate action at this year’s COP30 in Brazil. The virtual event kicked off with WECAN and over 160 signatories – including Amazon Watch, Rainforest Action Network, Women Deliver, Canadian Senator Rosa Galvez, and New Zealand MP Debbie Ngarewa-Packer – releasing a Call To Action urging governments, financial institutions, and corporations to take effective and immediate climate action by enacting policies that match the scale of interlocking and accelerating climate and social crises.

South African Project Specialist and Social Justice Consultant, Zukiswa White, joined the Assembly from Bonn, Germany where she is part of a delegation attending the annual mid-year climate change conference, and offered an assessment of the political will for climate action that will inform COP30.

She stated, “We are in a political climate where inspired action and leadership feels lower than ever, despite this being a record-breaking year in terms of warming. Upholding systems that violate planetary boundaries and dishonor life, is a political choice. Delaying meaningful progress on achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement must be understood for what it is: it is a matter of politics. Our work is to make climate justice outcomes a political inevitability. Only our organising allows us to stand a chance to fight the lethargy of the UNFCCC, which is currently not fit for purpose, and move into implementation of policies that not only halt devastation but also champion democratic, gender-transformative, and community-based solutions.”

The Call to Action and the day’s speakers laid out priorities for climate action that nations need to advance in order to prevent catastrophic global warming, including: halting fossil fuel extraction and greenwashing in climate action, ending deforestation, and promoting women’s climate leadership and gender equity.

Adenike Titilope Oladosu, Executive Director of I Lead Climate Action Initiative, spoke on some of the everyday climate effects faced by women in her home country of Nigeria where drought caused by climate change forces women to walk for hours to access water, amounting to 40 billion hours a year across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Adenike’s organisation has supported 100,000 women to access resources that can help make their time more productive in the face of climate change and patriarchal policies that prevent land ownership and access to other necessities.

She stated, “When women have platforms, they become the true custodians of the environment and also become change makers in their society.”

Manufacturers urge Lagos to reconsider plastic ban decision

Michael Simire
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Manufacturers urge Lagos to reconsider plastic ban decision

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has urged the Lagos State Government to reconsider its decision to ban Single Use Plastics (SUPs), effective July 1, 2025.

Single-use plastics
Single-use plastics

Its Director-General, Mr. Segun Ajayi-Kadir, in a statement on Monday, June 23, said the decision is not informed by credible data and claims.

The state government had announced its plan to ban SUPs due to its adverse health and environmental impact.

Ajayi-Kadir, however, noted that the state Ministry of Environment had yet to publish any study to substantiate the claim.

He said that the ban, if allowed to take effect, would be riddled with adverse economic and social impacts on the state and the country.

The MAN D-G stated that, on the contrary, plastic was a versatile and highly durable material that supported mankind in various endeavours across industries.

He said that it was the failure of management of plastic waste that may result in adverse environmental and social impacts.

“MAN shares the global concern on the challenges created by plastic waste mismanagement.

“We recognise that a policy environment that enables circularity is indispensable in ending plastic pollution in Nigeria as a country and globally.

“The approach to achieving circularity in the plastic system needs to be life-cycle oriented, contextually relevant, and systemic, with strong consideration for the interaction of the societal system, human behaviour, and environmental impacts,” he said.

Ajayi-Kadir noted that the ban pronouncement process was not inclusive, participatory or consultative.

He said that addressing SUPs waste mismanagement through a ban would not bring a sustainable solution, but a replacement for the polluting material.

He noted that evidence had shown that the major cause of SUPs pollution in Nigeria, Lagos inclusive, was a function of inadequate waste collection and management systems.

Ajayi-Kadir said that enormous economic, environmental, and social benefits were associated with advancing circularity through improved recycling solutions.

“The global plastic recycling industry was valued at $55.71 billion in 2023 and projected to reach $114.18 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.3 per cent between 2025 and 2032.

“Providing an enabling environment for expanding mechanical and or chemical recycling in the state should be a major priority.

“Therefore, advancing provision for improving plastic waste collection is critical to fully harness the associated value.

“State governments need to support improved plastic recycling with infrastructure, especially the leasing of lands as dumpsites for sorting at scale to enable recyclers access plastic feedstocks,” he said.

The MAN D-G listed consequences of the ban to include adverse economic, operational, and social implications across the value chain.

Ajayi-Kadir emphasised that manufacturers understood the need to evolve into recent trends of re-usable plastic products, improved product design that aligned with circularity, and cleaner production processes.

He said the plastic industry sector under the association was committed to transitioning to newer business models, fostering expansion in mechanical and chemical recycling.

He added that the sector was also exploring the production of plastic from biomass and captured carbon, while adopting cleaner disposal systems.

“These developments should be enabled with the availability of circular feedstock and government incentivising investments in these circular solutions.

“MAN will continue to work collaboratively with producer responsibility organisations as prescribed by the National Sectoral Regulations to fulfil our obligations across the country.

“It is therefore unhelpful and needlessly disruptive to introduce parallel arrangements in any state in the country,” Ajayi-Kadir said.

By Rukayat Moisemhe

GreenFaith launches initiative to facilitate Nigeria’s transition to renewable energy

Michael Simire
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GreenFaith launches initiative to facilitate Nigeria’s transition to renewable energy

GreenFaith Nigeria has unveiled the Africa Grassroots Women of Faith in Energy (AWFE) project as part of its efforts to promote climate justice, empower women and accelerate the nation’s energy transition.

GreenFaith
A group of faith-women during the official launch of the Africa Grassroots Women of Faith in Energy (AWFE) in Bodo, Rivers State

Launched in Bodo, a community in Rivers State that has been under a siege of oil spills and environmental degradation for many years, the initiative will also assist in encouraging the adoption of homegrown renewable energy alternatives.

The flagging off of the project in the country is said to be a testament to the momentum built during the Pan-African Multi-Faith Women’s Conference, which was hosted in 2024 by GreenFaith Africa in Accra, the capital of Ghana.

With this feat, Nigeria has joined other African countries in adopting the AWFE project, including Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This step also represents its collaboration with others to demand immediate action against the growth of fossil fuels, enforce corporate accountability, and emphasise women’s leadership in renewable energy alternatives.

Speaking about the programme, which was supported by Bread for the World, Dr. Pius Oko, the Regional Programme Manager for GreenFaith, said it marked a turning point for the locals, who are now demanding change after being traumatised by fossil fuels.

Despite the fact that Bodo was once a significant contributor to the nation’s abundant oil wealth, Dr. Oko bemoaned the fact that the community is still suffering from decades of oil spills, contaminated rivers, and lost livelihoods.

“The AWFE initiative seeks to equip women with the tools, voice, and leadership to champion a just energy transition, starting right here in Bodo,” he stated.

Maryne Warah, Global Director of Programmes and Director of GreenFaith Africa, focused her interest on the importance of a faith-based and women-led approach to addressing environmental degradation.

According to her, Nigeria, like many other frontline nations, is dealing with climate shocks, flooding, drought, and energy scarcity, all of which exacerbate poverty and hunger.

Warah, on the other hand, boosted optimism by stating that “women of faith are rising to demand real solutions that are locally owned, inclusive, and sustainable.”

Mrs. Rose Baribeop, the Bodo women’s representative, issued an unambiguous call to action, demanding that all new fossil fuel exploration and extraction in Ogoni and elsewhere be halted immediately.

“Oil companies must clean up their mess, pay reparations, and vacate our communities,” she asserts.

Baribeop advocated for increased investment in women-led, community-based renewable energy solutions, climate finance, and green jobs.

Rev. Sister Lilian Chibiko voiced her displeasure of the fact that more than 85% of Africa’s fossil fuels are exported at the continent’s expense.

“Communities like Bodo are left without energy, drowning in pollution and poverty,” says the Catholic nun who serves as the AWFE project’s focal point for women.

The AWFE project’s launch is expected to help establish grassroots energy circles to advocate for equitable clean energy access, train faith-based women leaders to deploy clean energy in homes and community centres, and demand oil company reparations, Ogoni land cleanup, mangrove restoration, and support for women-led economic initiatives.

In conclusion, the grassroots women of faith made a joint appeal to the Nigerian government and international stakeholders, urging an immediate halt to new fossil fuel projects and related financing in favour of a scaled-up, just energy transition that is affordable, accessible, and locally controlled. They are also looking for additional funding and financial instruments to help women-led renewable energy ventures.

By Etta Michael Bisong, Abuja

Nigeria looks to industry in a bid to limit plastic pollution

Michael Simire
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0
Nigeria looks to industry in a bid to limit plastic pollution

Amble down a side street or canal in Nigeria’s bustling commercial capital of Lagos and chances are you’ll find empty water sachets, used takeaway containers and other types of plastic packaging.

Nigeria
Nigeria has embraced the extended producer responsibility as a strategy to tackle plastic waste pollution

The litter is symptomatic of a larger plastic pollution crisis gripping the country of 227 million people, the most populous in Africa.

But things could start changing within the next few months. Nigeria is poised to introduce a series of regulations – developed with support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – that will make companies that produce and use plastic packaging responsible for countering plastic pollution. Packaging is the single-largest source of plastic waste in the country, according to government data.

Nigeria is one of a growing number of countries that have embraced this type of legislation, known as extended producer responsibility. Pioneered in Europe more than three decades ago, extended producer responsibility regulations have helped some countries counter a wave of waste from plastic packaging and products, which was swamping municipalities. Nigeria’s leaders are hopeful the legislation will do the same there.

“Extended producer responsibility as a strategy shifts the responsibility of waste management to the producers, adopting the polluter pays principle,” said Innocent Barikor, Director General of Nigeria’s National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency.

During the last two decades, plastic production and plastics imports have surged in Nigeria, overburdening the country’s municipal waste management systems. Most of plastic waste in Nigeria is either burned, dumped in the open or tossed into water bodies, research suggests.

Nigeria’s new extended producer responsibility regulations will make companies part of the solution to addressing this pollution, not only municipalities. The regulations would require companies that produce, import, distribute and sell plastic packaging to fund what are known as producer responsibility organisations. These non-profit entities would then be tasked with reining in pollution from packaging, which is the source of 63 per cent of all plastic waste in the country, according to one government document, the National Guideline for the Implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility Programme on Packaging (Plastic).

The extended producer responsibility regulations also call on companies to develop alternatives to plastic packaging and launch programmes to reuse containers. As well, plastic producers will be required to fund recycling efforts, make their packaging easier to recycle and use a minimum amount of recycled content.

Nigeria is now developing a plan to implement the regulations, with the support of UNEP. They are expected to come into force within the next few months, says Barikor.

Some countries have had extended producer responsibility laws for more than five decades. Along with plastic, the legislation has been used to rein in pollution from paper, batteries, appliances – even car parts.

One study from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found some long-standing extended producer responsibility regulations have helped bolster recycling rates, relieved financial strain on overwhelmed municipalities and provided stable sources of funding for anti-pollution efforts.

One country that has seen success is France, which began applying extended producer responsibility laws to household waste in the early 1990s. The regulations have been credited with helping to drive up recycling rates. Today, France recycles 67 per cent of household packaging and 27 per cent of plastic, according to Citeo, a producer responsibility organisation in the country. The global rate for plastic recycling is 9 per cent, finds the OECD.

The French regulations have also spurred companies to address the root causes of plastic waste, encouraging firms to develop refill programmes, embrace more eco-friendly designs and find alternatives to plastics in certain products.

However, experts say extended producer responsibility by itself is not enough to end plastic pollution. They say it should be part of a larger suite of policy changes, including the phasing-out of unnecessary and problematic plastic products, the promotion of re-use or refill programmes, an overhaul of product design standards, and the improvement waste management standards.

“There is no single solution to plastic pollution,” says Elisa Tonda, the Chief of the Resources and Markets Branch at UNEP. “But extended producer responsibility is one of several important tools because it helps channel much-needed financial resources and business solutions into addressing this mounting crisis.”

UNEP provided Nigeria’s government with advice on how to structure and implement its extended producer responsibility regulations for plastic packaging. The effort received financial support from the Government of Japan and the Norwegian Retailers’ Environment Fund.

More than 40 food and beverage companies, along with plastics industry representatives, have already joined Nigeria’s Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance, a producer responsibility organisation, says Barikor. He expects those numbers to rise once the regulations come into force.

Several companies have taken steps to reduce plastic pollution, including by switching from coloured to clear plastic bottles, which are easier to recycle, he adds. Others have begun using up to 50 per cent recycled material in their packaging.

Challenges remain, though. Many plastic producers are still unaware of the programme and the Nigerian government needs to strengthen its ability to track compliance with the regulations, officials say.

“We won’t be shy to say that we need more capacity and more support for logistics in order to make this happen,” says Barikor. “However, with the collaboration and support of other federal government ministries, departments and agencies, as well as private and international organizations, we are confident to have a great, positive impact.”

By 2029, Nigeria is aiming to dramatically increase the amount of plastic products it collects and recycles. Among other targets, Barikor says bottles made from one common type of plastic, polyethylene terephthalate, should contain 25 per cent recycled material. That’s a nine-fold increase from today.

“We feel we have a programme that can work for the country, and if fully implemented, will make a positive difference in the lives of people and for the state of the environment,” says Barikor. 

Climate groups call for accountability, ambition from COP30 Presidency

Michael Simire
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Climate groups call for accountability, ambition from COP30 Presidency

In a press conference held on Monday, June 23, 2025, leading voices from the climate justice movement responded to the COP30 Presidency’s plenary session at the UN climate talks in Bonn.

Andre Correa do Lago
COP30 President, Andre Correa do Lago

Activists and climate groups are urging a stronger, more accountable path forward, gathering earlier in the day holding banners calling for the tripling of renewable energy, a full and fair phase-out of fossil fuels, and the inclusion of Indigenous and traditional leaders at the heart of COP30 decision-making.

At the press conference, speakers from across the Global South emphasised that the world cannot afford another summit of empty promises. They called on the COP Presidency to deliver the tripling renewable energy capacity and phase out fossil fuels in the negotiated outcome, and for Indigenous and traditional people to meaningfully participate in the leaders’ segment and official agenda.

Monday’s messages were clear: 1.5°C is a lifeline, not a target to be negotiated. The Global North must deliver new, additional public finance to meet its climate debt, and frontline communities must be empowered as leaders in global climate governance. Only through ambition grounded in justice can COP30 deliver the outcomes the world urgently needs.

Alia Kajee, Global Campaign Project Manager, 350.org, says: “At home in South Africa, 88 people died in flooding just this month. Droughts, storms, and heatwaves are intensifying. Food and energy costs are rising while a handful of billionaires profit and prop up the industries that pollute our lands, air and waters while the vulnerable carry the burden of climate impacts and the cost of life. We ask the COP30 Presidency: Will you match our courage, or will you let history remember you as the government that wrote sophisticated letters, but failed to walk the talk?”

Claudio Angelo, Head of International Policy, Observatório de Clima, says: “Brazil is the best presidency you could get for a climate conference, given the context we have today with wars and the expansion of fossil fuels everywhere. The issue is more that there is a lot on their plate right now.

“They do have a plan, and they are trying to innovate in a COP format, but the issue is that simply the context is not favoring much ambition right now. But it’s not game over yet. If one country can do it, at a climate conference, especially looking at the last three presidencies, Brazil can deliver – but it can’t do it alone.”

Cacique (chief) Ninawá Inu Huni Kui, says: “We are here to reaffirm that we are not invited to simply occupy seats at global decision-making tables; we are holders of ancestral knowledge and guardians of the territories that guarantee life on the planet. Indigenous peoples and local communities are not spectators in the climate debate: we are protagonists and have the right and commitment to guide paths towards fair and sustainable change.

“This is not an option. It is a vital necessity for each and every one of us. Let’s transform this global battle into a joint and equal action, so that all voices are heard and all strategies are strengthened by the Indigenous and traditional presence.”

Dr Sindra Sharma, International Policy Lead, Pacific Islands Climate Action Network, says: “I am born of and a product of the Pacific, a region that did not cause this crisis, but is paying for it every day. It’s been 10 years since the Paris Agreement, and what do we have to show for it? In every country, planetary boundaries are being crossed, emissions keep rising, and fossil fuel subsidies are not falling.

“The problem is not a lack of science; it’s a failure of political will. For us, the 1.5C limit is a red line. As we move toward COP30 we hope this is the moment we can reclaim 1.5C, as our time is running out. We’ll continue to defend 1.5C and the science. But know this, our resilience is not your excuse to not act. We must maintain the required ambition.”

Tobacco control efforts protect 6.1bn people – WHO report

Michael Simire
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Tobacco control efforts protect 6.1bn people – WHO report

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday, June 23, released its report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025 at the World Conference on Tobacco Control in Dublin, warning that action is needed to maintain and accelerate progress in tobacco control as rising industry interference challenges tobacco policies and control efforts.

tobacco smoking
According to scientists, tobacco smoking is dangerous to health

The report focuses on the six proven WHO MPOWER tobacco control measures to reduce tobacco use, which claims over 7 million lives a year:

  • Monitoring tobacco use and prevention policies;
  • Protecting people from tobacco smoke with smoke-free air legislation;
  • Offering help to quit tobacco use;
  • Warning about the dangers of tobacco with pack labels and mass media;
  • Enforcing bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; and
  • Raising taxes on tobacco.

Since 2007, 155 countries have implemented at least one of the WHO MPOWER tobacco control measures to reduce tobacco use at best-practice level. Today, over 6.1 billion people, three-quarters of the world’s population, are protected by at least one such policy, compared to just 1 billion in 2007.

Four countries have implemented the full MPOWER package: Brazil, Mauritius, the Netherlands (Kingdom of the), and Türkiye. Seven countries are just one measure away from achieving the full implementation of the MPOWER package, signifying the highest level of tobacco control, including Ethiopia, Ireland, Jordan, Mexico, New Zealand, Slovenia and Spain.

However, there are major gaps. Forty countries still have no MPOWER measure at best-practice level and more than 30 countries allow cigarette sales without mandatory health warnings.

“Twenty years since the adoption of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, we have many successes to celebrate, but the tobacco industry continues to evolve and so must we,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “By uniting science, policy and political will, we can create a world where tobacco no longer claims lives, damages economies or steals futures. Together, we can end the tobacco epidemic.”

The WHO Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025 report, developed with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, was launched during the 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards for Global Tobacco Control. The awards celebrated several governments and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) making progress to reduce tobacco use.

“Since Bloomberg Philanthropies started supporting global tobacco control efforts in 2007, there has been a sea change in the way countries prevent tobacco use, but there is still a long way to go,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies and WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries. “Bloomberg Philanthropies remains fully committed to WHO’s urgent work – and to saving millions more lives together.”

The WHO Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025 report reveals that the most striking gains have been in graphic health warnings, one of the key measures under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), that make the harms of tobacco impossible to ignore:

  • 110 countries now require them – up from just 9 in 2007 – protecting 62% of the global population; and
  • 25 countries have adopted plain packaging.

WHO warns, however, that enforcement is inconsistent, and smokeless tobacco packaging remains poorly regulated. The new report is accompanied by a new data portal that tracks country-by-country progress between 2007–2025.

Despite their effectiveness, 110 countries haven’t run anti-tobacco campaigns since 2022. However, 36% of the global population now lives in countries that have run best-practice campaigns, up from just 19% in 2022. WHO urges countries to invest in message-tested and evaluated campaigns.

Taxes, quit services and advertising bans have been expanding, but many improvements are needed:

  • Taxation: 134 countries have failed to make cigarettes less affordable. Since 2022, just three have increased taxes to the best-practice level.
  • Cessation: Only 33% of people globally have access to cost-covered quit services.
  • Advertising bans: Best-practice bans exist in 68 countries, covering over 25% of the global population.

Around 1.3 million people die from second-hand smoke every year. Today, 79 countries have implemented comprehensive smoke-free environments, covering one-third of the world’s population. Since 2022, six additional countries (Cook Islands, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sierra Leone, Slovenia and Uzbekistan) have adopted strong smoke-free laws, despite industry resistance, particularly in hospitality venues.

There has been a growing trend to regulate the use of e-cigarettes or ENDS – Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems. The number of countries regulating or banning ENDS has grown from 122 in 2022 to 133 in 2024, a clear signal of increased attention to these products. However, over 60 countries still lack any regulations on ENDS.

WHO is calling for urgent action in areas where momentum is lagging.

“Governments must act boldly to close remaining gaps, strengthen enforcement, and invest in the proven tools that save lives. WHO calls on all countries to accelerate progress on MPOWER and ensure that no one is left behind in the fight against tobacco,” said Dr Ruediger Krech, Director of Health Promotion.

Bonn climate talks: Civil society, Indigenous Peoples’ groups urge reform ahead of COP30

Michael Simire
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Bonn climate talks: Civil society, Indigenous Peoples’ groups urge reform ahead of COP30

As climate negotiators gather in Bonn for the second and last week of talks leading up to COP30 in Brazil in November 2025, more than 200 civil society and Indigenous Peoples groups have put forward bold reform proposals to make the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) more effective at tackling the climate crisis.

Bonn Climate Change Conference
Deliberations at the Bonn Climate Change Conference 2022

After more than 30 years of climate negotiations, the UNFCCC process appears to have consistently fallen short of achieving climate justice. In these three decades, global greenhouse gas emissions have steadily increased, intensifying the climate crisis and inflicting growing devastation on people and the planet, particularly in the Global South.

The United Call for an Urgent Reform of the UN Climate Talks presented on Monday, June 23, 2025, centres around five pillars, including one that urges the 198 UNFCCC Parties “to embrace the possibility of majority-based decision-making to break deadlocks when attempts at securing consensus have failed.”

The United Call also urges an end to the “trade show” that COPs have become, including through the establishment of an accountability framework to address conflicts of interest and curbing the undue influence of fossil fuel and other polluting industry lobbyists on the climate talks. In addition, the reform proposals aim to ensure inclusivity, increase transparency and accountability, and uphold human rights in the context of the climate negotiations.

The five pillars of the United Call for an Urgent Reform of the UN Climate Talks are: 

  1. Restore Power and Equity
  2. End the Trade Show and Stop Corporate Capture
  3. Move Away from Accountability-Free Blackbox Negotiations
  4. Respect and Protect Human Rights
  5. Align and Strengthen International Climate Governance

United Call Endorsers

The set of proposals is endorsed by four major networks: Climate Action Network (CAN), the Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice (DCJ), the Children and Youth Constituency (YOUNGO), the Women and Gender Constituency (WGC), and over 200 organisations, including the Centre for International Environmental Law, Corporate Accountability, Amnesty International, Oxfam, and Greenpeace.

Lien Vandamme, Senior Campaigner, Centre for International Environmental Law (CIEL), said: “For 30 years, the climate negotiations have systematically failed to deliver climate justice, undermined international law and allowed the fossil fuel industry to write the rules. The absence of agreed procedures for decision-making allows big polluting countries to hold the negotiations hostage. The lack of accountability gives a false sense of impunity. Yet, effective multilateralism is the only way out of the multiple global crises.

“This year is key, including with several international courts working on climate advisory opinions. The time is now for the UNFCCC to become the climate regime it should have been for the past decades: one centered around international obligation to prevent dangerous climate change and remedy related harm. All Parties must come together and radically choose fossil-free climate multilateralism rooted in justice.”

Camila Mikkie, Officer at social environmental programme at Conectas Direitos Humanos, said: “Brazil has placed itself at the centre of an important and necessary debate on reforming our climate regime at a pivotal moment of paradigm shift so that it can truly deliver on the implementation of the Paris Agreement and subsequent decisions, and ensuring justice for those most affected. The world now expects Brazil to lead the necessary changes.” 

Rachitaa Gupta, Global Coordinator, Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice (DCJ), said: “For 30 years, the UNFCCC has failed to catalyse meaningful climate action. Every single year. Inside the halls of the UNFCCC, it may seem as though it is just another year of business as usual, or as if there is no urgency. But outside these halls, this could not be further from the truth. At home, our communities are enduring incalculable loss and damage from the compounded impacts of the climate crisis.

“At home, emissions are reaching record highs year after year. At home, for many, the climate crisis is a fight for life and death. For the UNFCCC to become legitimate, it must fundamentally reimagine itself. It must reform. Anything short of this is continued complicity in the climate crisis.”

An Lambrechts, Biodiversity Politics Expert at Greenpeace International, said: “Thousands of people converge on climate COPs annually, hoping for decisions that will keep 1.5°C in sight, but that’s impossible if we don’t act to end nature destruction and fossil use at the same time. This means bridges with the CBD and other multilateral environmental agreements must be strengthened with urgency so that we can tackle the polycrisis the world is facing from all angles. This could then help ensure big polluters and nature destroyers who obstruct such decisions can be made to pay for the damage they’re inflicting instead of allowing them to block the changes we need.”

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