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Tuesday, March 1, 2011
THISDAY, Vol. 16. No. 5790, Page 45
PropertyNEWS
Nigeria's Climate Change Policy Overdue, Says Expert POliCY on Climate Olange for Nigeria is timely and perhaps verdue especially when the leadership position of Nigeria in Africa is oonsidered, experts have said. The conclusion was • reached at a crucial workshop on "the presentation of the draft Policy docwnent for validation through the Review and FInalization of the Draft National Oimate Change Policy Document by Experts and Stakeholders," which took place in Abuja, Jastweek. The ¢fic objectives of the stakeholders' validation workshop organised by the ACI Environment and Resources Limited, as Consultants to the Special Climate Change Unit of the .ederal Ministry of pwironment, were to review and adopt a draft National Climate Change Policy document. • Nigeria has many policies that are relevant to climate change such as the National Environment Policy enacted in 1989 and revised in 1999. However, towards the implementation of a National Policy, specific plans which have bearings to the Climate Change Policy have been elaborated. They include; drought and desertification (National Policy on Drought and Desertification; Drought Preparedness Plan, 2007); erosion, flood control and ooastal zone management (National Policy on Erosion, Hood Control and Coastal Zone Management, 2(05); National Sanitation Policy; forestry (Draft National Forest Policy, 20(6); and biodiversity protection (National 'Siodiversity Strategy and Action Plan,
ftj
2(04).
In addition, experts said there are several other policies and plans mostg sectoral in the areas of hnergy; Agriculture, Land Use, inaustry, Water Resources, Health, Transportation, Uman Development, among others whose provisions impinge directly on the res0lUtion of issues and problems of climate change ai1d which therefore must Oe viewed as companion policies/implementation plans to this National Cliinate Change Policy. The validation workshop was also called to present the zero draft policy document to experts and stakeholders; to review and validate the draft policy document with a view to malcin it more holistic, sustaina~le and all enoompassing; and to finalize deliberations on the draft policy document for climate change for Nigeria. The workshop'S participants in a communique signed by Hon. Eziuche Ubaru, Chairman, House Committee on Climate Change and by the
Stories by Bennett Oghifo
food security, water resources, publiC health, and habitat sectors are !hi' most vulnerable to climate dlange. "Notwithstandin the status of our country, ~ other developing oountries, under the current global climate change negotiations, we must begin to take steps to adapt to the. expected impacts of climate change. Following on the development of the First Natioria! in Communication November, 2003, it is !"'f"'ded that the Seoond National Communication would be
finalized before by the end of the first quarter of this year." Acoording to him, there
sustainable environmental management. "With such an approach, most of these poliCles will beoome adaptaticin options for NIgeria's
sustainable
economic
growth."
Welcoming participants, Permanent 5ecretaIy, Federal are various polides that can Pennanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, conaddress desertification Ministry of Environment, ~toclimatechange.ltAlh. M Sambo Basfiar said trol, forests and eoosystem observed that Climate is fi this regard that my "clirnate change is real, no adaptation, policy options change is a oitical issue to be Ministry commenced efforts more uncertainties. The realifor water resources, agnculdealt with and not a passing at addressing climate change ty has been proved by many ture and even the ooastal and "fad" as currently seems to in a respoIlSlve and strategic scientific eVldences. We are marine enviromnent that is be the attitude and that this manner guided by a number here as stakeholders to convulnerable to sea level rise. needs to change; and that of national development sult among ourselves and Government, he said recthere was the need for govognized the need to put in principles including poverty make inputs for the pupose ernment to develop strateaJieviation, access to basic of reviewing and finaliZing prace a comprehensive gies for the actualization of the draft National Climate unplementation strate~ that . amenities, job creation, rural the policy document on clidev~lopment, hi.unan. Change Policy document." will enable these poliCles to mate change for Nigeria. resource development and ." translate into meaningful The experts thus reoomimproved health, leading to • Continued on Pg. 47 inter-sectoral activities for mended that "necessary steps be taken for the integration of s~estions made at the w'r to produce a finalized policy document which should be presented expeditiously to the Federal !lxecutive Council for adoption and immediate implementation." They argued that there was "need to explore the various means , available for financing climate change adaptation and mitigation stratesies as well as set targets are unperatives for a successful implementation of the Policy Document; that capacity building on climate change and climate change-related issues espedally in respect to oombatlng hunger, poverty etc. should be ui'tdeitaken as adequately captured in the policy document; Oimate Change being a cross-cutting issue, there is need for a harmonization of already existing and disparate sectoral polides affectfig issues of climate change to give greater, more effective sustainable focus to the • R-L: Hon. Eriuclu! Uban~ Chairman, House Committee on Climate Change, Alh. M. Sambo Basfiar, Permanent Secretary, Federal draft policy document on cliMinistry of Environment, and standing is Dr. Chika Ukwe, Chief Executive Officer ACI Environment and Resources Limited at a mate change." stakeholders'validation workshop on climate change policy in Ahuja... recently The W,rkshop aclcnowledged the commendable efforts in producing the draft policy on climate change, 'with expectations that the observations made at this Workshop will be imputed ek of appreciation of the from the elite of senior engiects, power generation and ect after it has been coninto the final outoome. poteniliilS and rightful transmission, and in the oil neerins profeSSionals. ceived and formulated, not In an opening addfess, roles of the consUlting Conditions of membership and gas sector. in its conception or planMinister of Environment Mr. include requirement for 10 ACEN has oontributed in gineering industry by ning, let alone the preparaJohn Odey said the Federal successive governments 15 the development and reguyears post qualification tion of regional or sectoral Government has taken the the reason for the lingering lation of the practice of conexperience in design and development plans. challenge of climate change resistance by most of the supervision of important sultancy through the setting The Association of seriousfy because of to Its Nigerian public sector to of industry standards 01 engineering works - for prinConsulting Engineers potential impacts on the genoutsource engineering projcompetence and expertise, cipal partners; and liceriSe to Nigeria ACEN was founded eral environment and the ects to them, the AssoCiation practice from the Council for such as in the preparation of in 1971, and its formation socio-economic developof Consulting Engineers has the Regulation of of engagement conditions involved the participation of ment efforts. said. and scale of fees for consultEngineering in Nigeria about 12 oore professionals Climate change, Odey According to. its presiCOREN. A review of meminll engineering practice in led by Engr. F.A.O Phillips, said is aggravating problems NIgeria, which has been bers' profiles (indicates that an accomplished mechanisuch as deforestation and . dent, Engr. Ibikunle S. Ogunbayothenation'sindethe Nigerian consulting reoognised and endorsed by cal engineer who had to his land degradation, freshwater pendent consultin& profesOf Nigeria Society engineer twically has the credit 35 years meritorious shortage, food security and sionals do not have mputs in beSt of training in the secEngineers. It has a!so been service in the Nigeri<\I\ air ana water pollution. ''The the conception and manageondary and tertiary instituthe locaI industry's link to Railways, which culminated threat to these resoun:es, call tions both within and outment of public funded r.roiinternational best-practice in ·a tenure as Chief for concerted efforts on the ects. GOinll by prevailing side the country. Where through its active nlernberExecutive. Formal registrapart of stakeholders to make attitudes it 18 almciSt taken as ship of FlDIC since 1977. opportunities were given he tion as an association was the issue of climate change, a "oiminal abdication" for a hilS given a good account of !..ike FlDIC in the intemaobtained in 1979. ACEN priority in development Government Ministries, himSelf. tional arena, its operating applied for full membership planning and impleinentaDepartments and Agencies Nigerian consulting engiprinciples of independence, of FIDIC, and was elected in tion. Cfimate change will enJist the service of a conto neers have designed and oompetence / qualification 1977. From a list of 47 memaffect everyone." sulting firm for a project in and professional ethics have supervised many of the bers at the time of applicaHe said those already its full cycle, i.e. from ooncoun!<y's high-rIse buildearned for it a reputation of tion for FIDIC membership, affected by poverty, malnuception to completion, to ings, highways and bridges: credibility, and the larger ACEN has grown to be a trition and disease could face operation. Many MDAs national umbrella associaThey Illive also participated displacement and new hardengineering oommunity lias seem to regard the Nigerian tion of over 200 member oome to expect from it and in some C?f the ~ore oomplex ships. All sectors of sodooollsultant's rightful role to engmeenng projects such as finns. economic . development are its members, leadership in be in the design and superFrom the start, ACEN has setting the standards of provulnerable to climate the larse s:al~ d:nns and vision of elements of a projreservorrs, rrngation pro)fessional practice. consisted of membership change. Agriculture and
ana
Consulting Engineers Seek Govt Recognition
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