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To avert environmental calamity in the magnitude of Coronavirus pandemic, the Partner, Chijiokeifediora & Co, Chijioke Ifediora has called on countries not to wait for rise in sea level, increase in acidic rain, death of sea plants and cancerous effects of environmental pollution before taking swift action in response to climate change.

In a statement, Ifediora said governments and stakeholders must pay equal attention to COVID-19 and climate change.

He, therefore, called for investment in alternative energy sources for households, cars and industries such as solar energy, hydro and windmill as a means to help tackle healthcare challenges.

He asked that legislations on the use of electrical cars, trains and other means of transportation be reintroduced.

Ifediora explained that before Coronavirus outbreak, climate change has been a major issue on the global scene, with less action taken since the landmark Paris Agreement.

“The agreement was executed to combat climate change and to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments needed for a sustainable low carbon future. The Paris Agreement in its Article 2 states that “the agreement seeks to strengthen the global response to climate change, reaffirm the goal of limiting global temperature increase to well below 2 degrees Celsius, while pursing efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees,” he said.

Ifediora, however, noted that the carbon emissions from cities, which are harmful to the environment and humans who directly or indirectly orchestrate has, to a notable extent been curbed due to the pandemic.

To him, the COVID-19 pandemic has elicited a distinct global response. “From governments and businesses taking on new roles, responding to the crisis, to the complete change in how we work, travel and socialise.

“There is undeniable change. It slowed the world down, if not on partial static state. With fewer cars on the roads, closure of businesses, lockdown of seaports and closure of airports, hence there proportionally became less carbon emission or green house gases around the world,” he noted.

In the wake of the 2020 World Earth Day, the Federal Government has called for scaling up all efforts to preserve and restore natural ecosystems, enhance waste management systems and mitigate climate change.

The Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor who made the call to mark the World Earth Day, also wants a renewed and concerted global action to end the COVID-19 pandemic.

The World Earth Day is celebrated every April 22, annually, and this year’s commemoration marks 50 years of the modern environmental movement started in 1970 that gave a voice to an emerging public consciousness about the state of our planet.

Ikeazor noted that “it is a day that stimulates worldwide awareness of climate change and the environment and should therefore enhance stronger government political commitment and massive public action to address all environmental issues, including Covid-19 deadly pandemic.”

According to her, climate change represents the biggest challenge to the future of humanity and the life-support systems that make the world habitable.
The Minister disclosed that to mark the event here in Nigeria, “we will focus on inspiring, sensitizing and enlightening Nigerians to take action to mitigate on climate change in line with this year’s Earth Day theme – Climate Action, and see the opportunities it presents.

“This year will be the first Digital Earth Day largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in light of this, the Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the British High Commission in Nigeria will be organizing a webinar to present National climate action, discuss the relationship between climate change and health, as well as sustainable recovery from COVID-19. It is the first of its kind and we are taking advantage of technology to reach people in Nigeria and beyond with our message.”

She continued: “Climate change is a reality that is having disproportionate negative impacts on especially the poor in developing countries mostly felt in our local communities here in Nigeria.”

She expressed optimism that there is however, a growing recognition that affordable, scalable solutions are available now to enable us all to advance to cleaner, more resilient societies and economies, turning the challenges of climate action into opportunities.

Against the backdrop that COVID-19 has been reported to be a zoonotic disease that passed from animal to human, the Minister believes that Nigeria is on the right track in addressing coronavirus disease as well as other life threatening diseases such as Lassa fever and the likes.

She said the Federal Government has scaled up its commitment to taking action to mitigate, adapt and promote the capacity for resilience to the impacts of climate change in the country, through the ratification of the Paris Agreement, strengthening existing institutional framework to ensure effective coordination of climate change activities and other actions.

The minister stated that the Environment Ministry, through the Department of Climate Change, in fulfillment of the Paris Agreement has developed a draft Sectoral Action Plan (SAP) for the implementation of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

She said: “We are currently reviewing the National Policy on Climate Change for more effectiveness with readiness for Nigeria’s National Adaptation Plan Framework for Climate Change (NAPs – Framework).

“Also, there is a sustained effort to sensitize the citizenry to adopt clean technologies to meet Nigeria’s emission reduction target; even as we have developed the National Forest Reference Emission Factor Level (FREL) and submitted it to the UNFCCC.

“We are thinking ahead because we want the environment to be a priority as we recover from COVID-19 to enable us build a healthier and more sustainable future,” she said.

Ikeazor further revealed that the Ministry also developed a Climate Change Resilience Action Plan for the Lake Chad Basin, and then incorporated climate change components into the Disaster Risk Reduction Policy for Nigeria, in conjunction with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), among other actions taken.