Govt boosts afforestation scheme, donates vehicles to consultants P.\l~--
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From Florence Lawrence, Ahuja
PJ1iE Federal government last 1 week intensified efforts at combating climate change impacts in the counay as it handed over vehicles to project consultants for the National Aforrestation Programme, which commenced in February 2011. The gesture is meant to boost the on-going N5 billion reforestation, afforestation and revegetation programmes, initiated by the Ministry of Environment and the Ecological Fund Office(EFO) approved by the president for all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory towards raising of one million economic tree planting in each of the states and Fer. President Goodluck\onathan
in a statement ear ief had
attributed the approval for the progamme as initiative of the Federal Government, which intends to restore the dwindling rain forest and help fight the global warming and climate change. The consultants, who are in charge of three states from the geo-political zones, received one of the 13 brand new Ford .DIC R.lnger 4 by 4 for immediate monitoring of the first phase covering nursery of the seedlings for the tree planting .in the second phase. At the handing over presentation in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary, EFO, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote represented by Mr. Habib Dankiidi said the project vehicles are to enhance speedy implementation of the projects. I She noted that this would provide means for the consult-
ants to connect and monitor the several projects sites spread across the county.
With the latest boost, the Federal Government is again seems set to realise its newly initiated afforestation programme meant to further combat the increasing challenge of climate change in the nation. She said: "The consultants are
therefore required to ensure proper and optimum utilisation of the vehicles for the purpose for which they were procured and equallr see that the vehicles are weI maintained throughout the project duration." Mrs. Odusote enjoined stakeholders for the realisation of the goals to consider themselves as partners in managing the environment, adding that contractors, consultants executing agendes and EFO monitoring teams should take the programme with urgency and importance it deserves. One of the consultant overSeein~ia, Enugu and Ebonyi, Mr. E eyong Nsa reiterated the ro e of the consultant in getting the job done on time. According to him, "we are using the vehicle to inspect and monitor the execution level of the project The consultants are equally soliciting assistance from the statesgovemmenrs to raise the seedlings that the _communities would plant The first phase is still on-going and expected to lapse this month before the commencement of planting, whdh comes under the second phase in June this year.
IPCC to launch groundbreaking renewable energy report THE Intergovernmental Panel 10n Climate Change (IPCC) is expkted to launch an extensive anq long-awaited report on renewable energy May g in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirotes. 1pe gOO-page Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation is Significant be~use it compares 164 seenan~s on renewable energy anq 15 the mostcomprebensive an~lysis ever of trenas and perspectives for renewa ble energy. Preceding the launch, from May 5 to 8, more than 100 governments will negotiate the summary for policy makers. The report comes after the launch earlier this year of WWFs vision for achieving a 100 per cent renewable energy future by 2050, the most ambitious scenario of any published so fur. This vision - The Energy Report - is based on a de(ailed scenario by energy consultancy Ecofys and shows the opportunities but also the challenges of such a development based on existing technologies. The Energy Report unfortunately came too late to be considered by IPCC authors for
inclusion In the IPCC analysis. Although unique in its epic ,cope, the IPCC therefore
underestimates the potential of deploying renewable energy even faster, especially when combined with top-level energy effiCiency, WWF said. "IPCC delivers a landmark report that shows the rapid growth potential for renewable energy - but unfortunately does not endorse a lOOper cent renewable energy pathway until 2050," said Stephan Singer, director for Global Energy Policy at WWF International. "WWFs reporr adds · that missing piece - a bold vision with a clear timeline. We need to be fast If we want to' tackle
pressing issues as varied as
energy security and efficIency, and at the same time keep cli3:~~~h~ld.'pe below the danger The 164 scenanos compared in the IPCC report show that renewable energy j~ projected to remain the fastest growing energy source. Renewables beat fossils in ·g lobal and regional availability; most of them will also ·see substantive cost reductions in the next decades, parricularly solar energy.
Desert encroachment. .. a major problem in the Northern region
UN to phase out widely
used pesticide endosulfan D EPRESENTATIVES from 127 ~ovemments
meeting in
Endosulfan a widely used pesticide has been listed by United Nations as an organic pollutant to be eliminated worldwide. Representatives from 127 governments meeting in Geneva last week agreed to stop its use by 2012.
Health Organisation. UNEP was also requested to take over the PCB Elimination Network. Chief Executive Officer, Global Environment Facility (GEF),
Geneva last week agreed to add endosulfan to the United Nations' list of persistent ~~ni'\~fn:~~~ut, ig~~ngf~~ organiC pollutants to be eliminated worldwide. tions, UNEP has responded to disease vector control to com- Sustainable Solutions" on the The action puts the widely the need of those countries by bat mosquitoes carrying the opening day of the conferused pesticide on course for seeking to make the sound deadly malaria parasite. On ence, announced the GEF elimination from the global management of hazardous the basis of available scientif- would provide U.sS 250,000 in market by 2012. chemicals a development pri- ic, technical, environmental support to countries to The decision was among onty of the green economy in and economic infonnatiofl, it update their national implemore than 30 measures taken which all countries can fully saw a continued need to use mentation plans in response by Parties to the Stockholm and fair1y participate/' he DDT while effective alterna- to the adoption of new POPs to Convention. . tives were being sought and the Convention on Persistent added. In total, the GEF has in recent Endosulfan is an organochlo- implemented by an increasOrganic Pollutants (POPs) to years funded more than USS I rine insecticide used in crops ing number of countries. boost global action against worldwide. It is mainiy used on POPs. "Despite all efforts, malaria billion to address implementaThe parties agreed to list cotton, coffee and tea. remains one of the world's tion of hazardous chemicals endosu1fan in Annex A to the Endosulfan can act as an tragedies with almost a million and waste cluster agreements. Seven new Stockholm Convention, with specific endocrine disruptor, causing fatalities every year. All means Convention .regional centtes exemptions. When the amend- reproductive and developmen- are needed to combat this vecment to the Annex Aenters into tal damage In both animals and tOf," said Victoria Mupwaya, were endorsed by the conferan . director of the Environmental ence, in Algeria, Kenya, India, force in one year, endosulfun h u m Council will b~come the 22nd POP to be of Zambia. Iran, Senegal, South Africa and "New POPs present new challisted under the Convention. The first assembly of the the Russian Federation. The A Party m~y extend the phase leng~s, ~s we'i,lfeusuai(y .d!,alGlobal Alliance for Russian region centte is condion the Russian out perioe;! of the pestiCIde by Ing with chemicals th~t are still - Alternatives to DDT, held on 26 tional five years b\lt -only for a small widfly ' used commercially," April 2011, concurred with the Federation's ratification of the number " uses. said Jim Willis, the newly WHO findings. Although there Convention. Karel Blaha (Czech Republic) liThe conference recognised appointed Executive. Secretary is no deadline for the eliminawas elected president of the that financial and technical of the Basel, Stockholm and tion of DDT, the goal of the conference on the opening day. SUPPO" Is required to facilitate UNEP-part of the Rotterdam Alliance is to reduce reliance on Osvaldo Alvarez (Chile) was the replacement of the use of Convention Secretanats. DDT for disease vector control eleCted to serve as president of endosulfan in developing "Parries have· demonstrated by strengthening countries countries and countries with that they can find creative capacities to deploy safer alter- the 6th meeting of the confer2013. ence, to be held In economies in transition," said solutions to speed the elimina- n a t i v e s Over 700 took UN Under-Secretary·General tion of POPs and protect envipart in the and UNEP Executive Director, ronment and human health The conference requested Achim Steiner. from these dangerous chemiUNEP to take over administra- was held IIIn establishing a consultacills." tion of Jhe Global Alliance, in tive p[Qcess 01\ tillance fof the The conference evaluated the collabollj.tion wi~·,t!'e World 10: ~bi chemicals alid _waste: i:on~_ co~tin\Jed need.!~r DDT for
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