An environmentalist, Mr Adewole Taiwo, on Monday listed tree planting, use of alternative energy sources, and proper waste sorting as some strategies to mitigate climate change effects.
Taiwo, a Director at Recycle points, made the recommendations in an interview with Naturenews on Monday in Lagos.
He said it was imperative for Nigerians to clean up their environment and address climate change issues with more commitment.
“We must all take responsibility for our immediate environment, clear our drainages, bag our waste properly and sort recyclables.
“Some people still do not believe in the impacts of climate change just like some do not believe that the COVID-19 pandemic is real.
“However, the impacts of climate change are getting more glaring every day, for example the flooding we currently experience can testify that climate change is real and we need to carry out more awareness about it.
“The major challenge in sensitising Nigerians on the negative impacts of climate change effects has to do with lack of information, education and proper enlightenment among the people,” he said.
Taiwo urged Nigerians to practice sustainable lifestyles and habits to help curb the negative realities of climate change effects in the country.
He also encouraged the imitation and replication of developed countries strategies of mitigating climate change effects in their environment.
“To mitigate climate change effects, we can start by reducing our carbon footprint generation by making use of alternative sources of energy and fuel.
“We can also reduce the emission of green house gases into the environment when we live sustainably by walking where necessary instead of riding a car or vehicle.
“We need to plant more trees and reduce waste generation to curb the increasing greenhouse gas emission into the environment.
“We are imitating more developed countries in adoption of their strategies to mitigate climate change effects by observing some of these international events, already we have so many organisations that are now into renewable energy.
“We commend the German delegation in Nigeria doing everything possible to promote renewable and alternative energy sources in the country.
“We also have many non-government organisations embarking on tree planting and clean up with support from these developed countries,” Taiwo said.
According to the environmentalist, the government at all levels can play a vital role in curbing climate change impacts on the environment through policy implementation.
“We have lots of environmental policies out there but the problem has to do with government implementation.
“An important point to note here is that the world’s worst polluters are human beings and not plastics,” he said.
