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1HE GtWUllAN. Monc\.a)( March 26. 20U
The Environment ----------------------------------------------------------------------------,------Concerns mowlt over • , • .>', rural water supply •
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Ann GodwIn, Port Harcou1 and TOlIn FodIII:l, l..a&os
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Nations offer new proposals in New York's Rio+20 negotiation "".....-HlIuKl&
&. Hi;J&Wn. CdiIClf ~ 11!GOTIAl1ONS on the out· 1'4come documf'nt for "RiouO" resumed laSt Wftk, with counUi6 adv.mclng ImIny ~ pr:opos.lls dlat will shapr me direction of how the world will movt' me sustainable dev~Jopmrnl agel}iii forward. Countries ha~ rublOlnf'd addhlonal comlllf'nlS slncr the Initial round of negoc~· tkms for the PJo+20 outcome document ~ in l.anwry. Tht "zero JUll- of Ihr OUI· come document, f'miLled: "The Furull' We Want: W~ ~ on moJ'"C! than 6,000 p;lges or submissions from Unhed N.llions Member States, civil sodf'ty groups. busines.scs and Olilf'rs. This round of nrgOlJ.atlons continues Ihrough March 27 .11 Unll~ Nations He.dQuane~ and is q~. ~ to nolll' me documem furAsastanl
ther.
Thr nl'goriilUOns acr divided 1010 a round of -infonnal IIlfom1<1l- f\eKod,ulons from March 19 to D, and an Imersessional meeting from 26 to 27 March_ In ~don to kty negotiations, tht time prricx1 alsO pn:M<les meo~unlty for a wide range of sldr rvems organu:ed bydifferentgroups 10 present topks related to Rlo+20. Moll' than 100 presidents
The negotiations for Rio+2Q will lead to major dec~ sions by government leaders and others that will set the global agenda for reducing poverty, advancing social equrty and ensuring environmental protection.
Rio+2Q provides the opportunity to move forwarn on solutions to address urgent global challenges. and prim~ ministr~ along with thousands of bUSiness CEOs, parllamentil!laJ1S. mayo~ United Nations officlafs, non-gov~rnmenti1l organlsiltion lr.aders, acadf'mics, renown~ arons and I1!P~ scnr.llives from many Olhu groups will come togf'ther for Rk>t20 - the Unllm NaLiOns Conferencr on Sust.a.lnable I>f'velopmenl - to br h~1d in lun~ 20-22, 20tl. Some 50,000 people a~ uproed 10 panlclpille In th~ COnreJl!Iln:, with thousands more expect~ in Rio dr }ilInr:lro in the lead-up to and al the lim~ of tMronfrIl"nQ. The next Sleps for finalising me Rl0+20 outcome docu, ment will occur during a !legOllallng session 10 br held inNewYorknext month from April n 10 May 4, with a filwl round laking placr in Rio from lune 13 to IS. spronQu~ in addition to the proposals .by counnies. me Unitt.:! NallOns Secrelilry. GeIll!JilI's High-levrJ Panel on Global SustalnabiIJry hilS made 56 rt(omm~ndatlons 10 advance sustalnabiUry. Including a rrcommendarion
atBr Da 2D12 F~ Job ~ ~
IOmovt' towards a "nrwpolllInl f'conomY- that would change the way the world marures economic progress 10 Include sodal and rnVlron· menr.ai eJ(tl'ITlaiilies. 1hf' Il'ason we are gatherIng here now is bKa~ at RlO+lO we must agree on solutions to major global chal1~nge5 for thr sa\r of f'Yeryone, with an f')'C' towards tomorrow's gelll'rations; the Unilf'd Nations Rlo+20 Secretiuy.ceneral, Sha lolang. said -RJo+20 can br the moment whm _ say we delermined the future wr want. I urgf' rveryonr to realise the opponunili~s affordf'd at Ri0+10 and to seize them now.More [han 100 p~idf'nLS and prime ministers, along with thousands of business parliamentarians, n1<1yers, United N.uions offiCials. non-governmenlil1 organ!sJ,tlon leatlrJ'S. acaoemlcs, ~nowned an1ru and representatives from many ocher groups will co~ together for Rio+20 - thr United Nations Conrerf'ncr on SUSlainable Developmenl - 10 ~ held
eros,
20 22lullr 2012.. Some 50,000 people all' expt'!l:rd to ranicip.1te In the Confell'nce, with thousands more expecled in Rio de l.anelro In Ihe ~d-up to and at me lime oflhe Conference.. Thr llf'godatkms for 1Uo+20 wtIJ lead 10 mal« d«:isions by government ~aders and others thaI will set the global agenda for redUCIng JXM'-~ advanang social eqully and ~nsuring C'nvironmemaJ prot«tion. Rio+20 provides the opponunlty to m~ forward on solutions 10 addr6S urgent global challrnges, such as lack of access to energy and w.at~r, unemployment. widening Iflf'quaiities, technol~cai Bilps, rapid urbanlsatlon, food insecurity, overftshing· and pollule<! oceans, and to boost sd~ntiflc and financial innovations, cOlpOralf' responslbllily and rcooomic Illarkf'u. Helping countnes and rommunities mov~ towards a
gnen economywhl1e~It'T·
.lung eJTons 10 eradicat'r poverty ;md pmmote susr.ainable d~lopl"tnt will br key ilmong RlO+20 discussiOns. Counrries will also be considrring me.uu~ 10 impfOYC thr rfff'Cdvr:ness of global institutions thai suppon sus. tamable df'mopmrnt df'vdopment thai Simultaneously promotes prosperity, impfOVH lhr quality of life and protrcLS the f'nvirenmM'
Slitt!!, filf'd a motion. which regnntd II1<1t Il'Sidt:nu in Lhr SLue v.ert: facing serious potablr water challenges, oo:asionrd by destruction of Wilrr pi Pf'S stnlcntres. A mf'mber representing Obio/AkpoCorutituencyl.Mr_ MartlnAmaewhulr6plainl.'d that during excavarion work, ~ral pipet arr be-en d~ ilddlng thai those who drstroyt'd thr public wa('~r supplY 11<1~ mnOnued to do so wrthout rdectioru
A MID concerns thill over 70 I\million Nigr:rt..ns lack poliIble waler supply; Stake-holders In thr country haVf' voiad criticism ~r ~m ments' failure to measull' up to their reponsibility In taCKling the water crisis currently In the count'l)t The stakeholders ranging from minister for Water onltseffeclonthr~le. Rtsourc~$, lawmakers, Similarly Exf'CUtiw Dil'l!Ctor, exprns and private sector Rural \\alrr and Sanitation organlsations Ian wrek., Initiative (RWASl). Mr. QLika bW:med gOVl!l1Unf'nu for the Okrkt: rl;unralned that COfpoor kYf'1 of water supptv in _rupcion, inslnce.rily of purIM counU)l adding that tnelr poK, poor malntrn.l1lCf' ru~ eHom Wf're below expecta· turr, low budgetary allocation. (ion, InadeQuale monitnring Mlnisler [or Wdler and evaluat!on of WilIrer Prot Resources, Mrs.. Sarah ens have bee:n the baneoTthe Ochrkpe, who spoke .III Ihr SC'Clor, they expressed wony launch of a privatf' panner- thill Nigena was far brhmd ship rHon br[wren, Coca achif'Ying Ih~ Mllienium Cor... Nlgena Umited, Drvr!opm.:nt Goal o[ Waler Gulnness Nigeria pic, TV for all by 20 1S, Danjunu Foundation and MinlSttr for Water olhrr organisations, statf'd Resources said, -it is not: thr that it was not thr responsi· responslbi hty of lhr Federal or the Federal GovenumnttoprovtdeWiller blllly Govtrnmf'1ll to pnMdewater for me loedl communlly, bUI for communities but It is the beatUSC" prople ha~ atrowed responsibility of Local and [hr stat~ dnd local gO\lf:rnSldle govt.'rnm~nts and that meI1lS IDshy away from thdr they Wf're falling shon of responsibility. upC'Ctilllons in providing ShC'smssed that the redrrsafe drinking water ror their al has had {() step In brcaUSC' dtizens.. sUl~ and klcal have not: livm Also lawmakers in Rlvers up to thf' lr responsibilities State In expressing their and that peoplf' need 10 chal· wony OVI!r lack of access to lengt' the lhelrSlate and local public water suppiy In the gOVl!mmenutodornoR.
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Expens decry deforestation, seek community participation in REDD projects Conservallon j
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IN the wake of tM dl.'i'orHtahIon and form drgradation.
expens on rnvtronmml have
dKried Ibe rapid ddoruratlon and degradation of Nigeria's rainforest zoor_ n!ey recommended for (ommunlty participation and rJWiJr~nt In REDO projects actMties. sodilIloousbl and gender equl~ capacity buildfng of Jocj,l communities and other stakeholders, oprn Land Icn~ regimes and others. Srudies show that put tbr ralf' of In Nigf'rla defo~ta lion allSpercent per annum and biodiversity ~ very nch wtlh somf' 4, 600 plants. 8)9 birds. 27~ mamlmlJ speciC'S,. ~ ar~ 22 pnlmllr speacs. Including Ihrearened and rndangeird species such as the Cross R1Vf'r Gorillil, Drill and Prf'uss'sGucnon Monkey. Speald~ .III a thll."«l.ity worlcshop on Nigeria RIDOt (Reducing Emissions from bcforestallon and foresl Degradation ) Universlty,mf'f'ung of who is who on f'nvironmr.nt In Ca1Jbn last wrekcnd., lhe expens 5ubmitled thallhe time bas comr fOf NlgrrI.a 10 embr.tce:global programmes Ukr thr RfOOt Initiative_
'treselllll'S a paprr on "Background arid ConteJU for REDD+ In Nigeria," Prof.
francis dlsong of thf' Uniwrsny or ulabar said, "Nigeria 's fO rfSts aft' threal· enrd as Ihf' forest rover drdJned from appnwmalriy 24 million hrctam In 1916 to 15 million hf'CIall'S In t995., 10 9.6 millHm hl'Clilru In lOILForrst .md vegrlallon rf'sourcr s ha\'~ bHn dwln· dllng 0\It'T Ihr ~ars (and ) cur. renl defores[Alion ralr esll· mal~ .It 3.7 per cent is amongst d!r highest potwlly plating Ni£"eria 7th on 1M IlSI Gft'lenh<. USf' Gases (GHGs) emlnf'TS Ilue [ 0 land use change: tk said 1tEDD+ IS thcreforr very impol1:ant to Nlgnlil as Ihe coumry's forests and woodla nd~ currently covers about 9_6 mllllon hrctrrs
or
across~dlclimatemdwg.
C'tiIuon zores. Out 01 thU, Iv said 29 p ~r celli Is fo rest resftVe:S, 21.1 percenl nauonal PiIrl:s. 29 ~t cel1l communily toresi ~ .. tes while the ~Jnalnlng IS comprrs5f'd or giUnf' Il"Sf'f'ICS, I\olture Il!Sf"I'Vf'.S and plant..! Ions.. On the Ctl her band. ~ said, -.:hr ra~ of in Nigeria. ddor· estation Is put .11 1.5 per Cft'll pet' annum .15 sho¥m by SlUdy and theCrou River Sta~ defoiestauon ral r Is l.l percent pt'f annum-, btlr ~r pointed out lhat Ihl COllntryh.is roUN out som;: ~ulillion in yea.r 2009 thil[ ha ve lome relevance (0 RfOD+ iss ues..