The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has said it is set to support green manufacturing to reduce the negative impacts of production activities on the environment.
President of the Association, Otunba Francis Meshioye, who made the remark in Lagos, during the maiden edition of MAN’s Strategic Dialogue Session on Environment and Green Manufacturing in partnership with Natural Eco Capital, described green manufacturing as the current global phenomenon, which relevance in today’s business world remains enormous.
He said the Association was committed to encouraging and guiding its members to make significant progress in that regard.
To achieve this objective , he said MAN in January, created the Environment and Green Manufacturing Unit with the responsibility for creating awareness among MAN members on climate change issues and Environmental Management System (EMS).
He noted that the unit in providing members with strategies and necessary information needed to drive environmental sustainability was set to collaborate with relevant institutions and international agencies achieve its mandates.
“This novel unit amongst other things, would guide and encourage the seamless transition of members’ manufacturing processes through the assistance of relevant agencies and organisations to an eco-friendlier production environment.
“This can be achieved through the utilisation of leading technologies and practices on the environment and create mechanisms for sustainable development. It will be supporting and facilitating the adaptation of clean and renewable energy by manufacturers, while encouraging them to build and develop capacity in the environment and green manufacturing,” he said.
In his address, the Director-General, the National Environmental Standards Regulations and Enforcement Agency, Prof. Aliyu Jauro, noted that air quality had become a major concern in many parts of the world. This, Jauro said, led to the need for growing awareness to address air pollution and its impact on public health and the environment.
He said Nigeria, like many other countries, was already experiencing the impacts of climate change such as increasing temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and more frequent and severe extreme weather events (floods and droughts).
Jauro, however, said Nigeria had since taken steps to implement climate mitigation and adaptation measures, including the development of renewable energy sources and sustainable land-use practices.
“Since the ratification of the Paris Agreement, Nigeria has been very forthcoming in turning ambitions into implementable policies and aligning its environmental regulatory regime with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
There is a need to prioritise the implementation and enforcement of environmental regulations, as well as the development of policies and incentives to promote a low-carbon economy.
“Industries switching to cleaner technologies and transitioning to low-emission development are indispensable for achieving sustainable economic growth through pathways that yield reduced greenhouse gas emissions and other social, economic, and environmental benefits,” he said.
