By Fatima Saka and Bisola Adeyemo
The Nigerian Minister of Environment, Barr. Mohammed Abdullahi says there is no better time to reset our relationship with nature than now as the entire world is being confronted with an enormous problem that can be described as unprecedented, as the federal ministry of environment, with stakeholders and private sectors, commemorate the World Environment Day.
The minister, represented by Engr. Hassan Musa Permanent Secretary of federal ministry of Environment made this statement on Monday in Abuja, as he welcomed the special guests to commemorate the ceremony.
According to him, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) under-proclaimed the 5th June of every year World Environment Day to raise awareness on the importance of the environment to human survival and general wellbeing of our planet and the theme of this year: “OnlyOneEarth” with a clarion slogan: “together we can protect it” focuses on living sustainably in harmony with nature bringing transformative changes through policies and our choices towards cleaner, greener lifestyles.
Abdullahi added that Nigeria has submitted their National Determine Contribution (NDC) and contrary change Act which will bring a major policy and framework that will allow the ministry to tackle the climate change challenges; stating that with the energy transition programs, the ministry of environment is collaborating with the federal ministry of petroleum and power to see how to reduce the eminence of climate change.
The minister said the whole world is looking at climate change and it can be addressed from different angles of land defecation, degradation and also to reduce the temperature rate that is arising.
“All of these are damaging to the environment and because we have obligations to ourselves and to future generations, each and every one of us have a role to place on how to improve on the environment”, he stated.
Also, speaking Ms. Samuela Isopi, the European Union Commission Amb to Nigeria, said that, the EU is at the front of the world’s efforts to protect the environment and fight against climate change as they affect the of its citizens.
In her remarks, Emmanuelle Blatmann Amb to France Embassy expressed that, this is an opportunity to raise awareness on the major and most crucial challenge of the century. “What is at stake is our capacity to avoid the destruction of our planet.
“There is OnlyOneEarth” and yet we are using and abusing it over and over again, but “together we can protect it” she added.
However, a representative of United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Mr. Yemi Banjo affirmed that “The Earth is one of the seven planets and presently the only one proven to harbor life. The Earth is made up of about 71% water bodies and 29% of land. The environment comprises both living and non-living things, and unfortunately the environment has no borders therefore its sustenance becomes a collective effort for us all, irrespective of age, tribes, religion and orientation”.
