Environment Day: Varsity don urges urgent measures to tackle environmental challenges

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BY SAIFULLAH MAHMUD, JUNE 08, 2022 | 01:05 PM


Prof. Nasiru Idris, Dean, Faculty of Environmental Science, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, on Tuesday called on government and relevant stakeholders to take urgent steps toward addressing environmental challenges in the country.

Idris made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja while celebrating the annual World Environment Day marked on June 5, since 1972.

NAN reports that the Day is the largest global platform for environmental public outreach and is celebrated by millions of people across the world.

Idris expressed the desire for collaborative efforts to ensure strong and effective restoration of planet earth.

He said that this year’s theme: “Only One Earth”, was aimed at creating more awareness on importance of living in harmony with nature.

He said that collaborations among relevant stakeholders, both local and global, would help to implement the environmental policies and programmes effectively.

“There is a need for urgent action to address these pressing issues.

“The celebration will strongly provide an awareness campaign which will encourage people to put in place more measures to address the challenges.

“One of the measures is tree planting within our immediate environment so that we can connect people with nature.

“Also, when you plant those trees, ensure they are maintained; for any one tree cut down, ensure it is replaced without delay.

“The celebration is also a route to protecting this unique and beautiful planet, making it to remain a comfortable home for humanity,” he said.

Idris said that marking the day had been a major forum to address environmental issues ranging from marine pollution, human overgrowth, wildlife crime, among others.

He said that the theme was very critical as plants and animal species were facing extinction, urging stakeholders to remain focused and work on the theme.

“Clearly, 2022 is a year for urgency, ambition and action to address the crisis facing our nature.

“So, I am encouraging all relevant stakeholders to accelerate, amplify, engage and support government to take action on critical environmental challenges facing the planet.

“This is necessary so that we can preserve and restore the only earth we are having and in return, the ecosystem will provide us with its services.“The services include food availability, water supply, fresh air, among others,” he said.

The don regretted the rate at which human activities were destroying the ecosystem, adding that the stakeholders needed to intervene to reduce such.

He listed the damaging activities to include deforestation, bush burning, construction activities, mining, encroachment, among others.

According to him, the Environmental Day is designed to help raise worldwide awareness against environmental threats and to ensure that the problems are tackled from the grassroots.

“This day, we can start changing our lifestyle so as to reduce our carbon footprint, unite for a safe environment and for a better tomorrow,” he stated.

NAN


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