Some environmentalists have called for increased sensitisation to address the rate of air pollution in the country.
The environmentalists made the call in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.
Mr Gafar Odubote, the Network coordinator, Africa Region, Let’s Do it world (LDIW), an environmental non-profit organisation, said more efforts must be put in to educate Nigerians on the dangers of air pollution.
“In sensitising Nigerians on the dangers of air pollution, we need to speak the language people understand.
“We need to tie the issue of air pollution to people’s current and day-to-day challenges.
“We should be made to understand how it impacts negatively on human health. The key message of air pollution is most times not directed to the grassroots.
“Most people see air pollution as ambiguous, they do not understand what it means.
“They think since air pollution does not concern their sources of livelihood, it has nothing to do with them but in fact it does,” Odubote told NAN.
He said until Nigerians were educated on the climatic effects of air pollution, they will only see the trend as a myth.
“When we talk about climate change effects or climate action, people just see them as big nomenclature that does not concern them.
“In the advocacy against climate change, we must go back to the drawing board to communicate the dangers effectively.
“We cannot keep telling people in the market about greenhouse gases effect without breaking it down to their level.
“We must explain how air pollution impacts on their income, health status, the cost of food item and so on for them to have an attitudinal change.
“We must also address the sources of air pollution in society to enable us nip it in the bud. From industrial waste, vehicular fumes, bush or refuse burning.
“We must find sustainable ways to reduce these air pollution sources,” Odubote added.
Also speaking, Mrs Anita Nana-Okuribido, an environmental sustainability expert, reiterated the need to build capacity and training on air pollution to curb the trend.
Nana-Okuribido insisted that educating Nigerians on the negative implications of air pollution would help to curb the growing rate of across the country.
“Awareness creation is key in curbing the rate of air pollution generally. We must embark on capacity building and teaching Nigerians on the dangers and effects of air pollution.
“Most people tend to take for granted what is happening in their environment, forgetting that what happens in the environment actually informs what we eat, what we breathe in, the clothes we put on and our wellbeing.
“Everything we do affects our environment, even painting the walls and all the fumes it exudes can be an agent of air pollution.
“When we plant trees, we can help prevent and curb air pollution and thereby protecting our environment. Let us plant trees and protect the environment.
“To prevent continuous air pollution we should talk green, act green, use green, and eat green. Living sustainably can help curb the rate of air pollution,” Nana-Okuribido said.
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