TheNewsGuru

Tag: Climate Change

  • Climate Change: Concerted efforts needed to stop menace – NIMASA DG

    The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside has stressed the need for collaborative efforts to tackle the scourge of climate change.

    Dr. Dakuku stated this while speaking at an event on climate change which was organized by Senator Florence Ita-Giwa led Cross Rivers State Calabar carnival award winning Seagull Band in conjunction with NIMASA and Heritage Bank recently held at the Oriental Hotel in Lagos.

    The DG who was represented at the event by the Agency’s Director of Marine Environment Management Department, Mrs. Sussana Asagwara said that climate change is now a serious global concern citing the recent Hurricane Harvey and Irma ravaging some parts of the United States as one of the effects.

    “Climate change presents a serious cause for concern to humankind. The frightening phenomenon has completely altered the atmospheric composition of the earth leading to an intense warming of the globe. It has continued to pose unquantifiable threat to human social, political and economic development. Of great devastating effects is the unprecedented destruction caused by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma in Texas and Florida respectively” The DG said.

    The NIMASA DG also added that the global effects of climate change had challenged every country across the globe to scamper for mitigating factors.

    “Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as it is now evident in over 193 countries including Nigeria. These countries are no longer standing aloof; they are taking heed to tame this monster. On a global scale, climate change is having profound impact on ocean warming, decrease in polar ice and glacier, increase in extreme storm events and their intensity, sea level rise and coastal flooding all of which severely affect lives in many regions of the world”

    Dr. Dakuku pointed out that the maritime which is international in nature depends on global regulatory framework to operate efficiently; he opined that shipping is the most environmentally sound mode of cargo transportation and a modest contributor to overall greenhouse gases emission.

    He stated that in the face of this global challenge that the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) which is the United Nations body saddled with the responsibility of formulating policies to regulate global maritime activities have joined worldwide efforts at addressing climate change through effective global regulatory frame work and adoption of realistic workable solutions such as the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) Annex VI which specifically deals with Air pollution.

    He also noted that Nigeria is one of the Countries expected to be most affected by the impact of climate change through sea level rise, coastal erosion, storm surges owing to the stretch of her coastline of about 853km.

    The DG disclosed that NIMASA has come up with various strategies which include implementation of the MARPOL Annex VI as well as the regulation of bunker fuels of vessels calling at our ports to check the level of sulphur emission fuels and other related gases of concern with which the engines might be running.

    The event which culminated by the awarding winning dance drama by Seagull Band titled “Climate Change… A time for Action” also had in attendance Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, Senator Ben Murray Bruce who was represented by his brother Guy Murray Bruce, The Olu Iwo of Iwo Oba Abdul Rasheed Akanbi as well as a climate change activist Desmond Majekodunmi amongst other notable dignitaries.

  • Climate Change: NPA reads riot Act on breach of environmental laws

    Climate Change: NPA reads riot Act on breach of environmental laws

    The Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA) on Monday warned stakeholders in the maritime and port industry to adhere to environmental laws, particularly marine waste laws or face severe sanctions.

    Speaking at this year’s World Environment Day celebration, (WED) in Lagos, Managing Director of the NPA, Ms Hadiza Bala Usman, said that there was a need to willingly and consciously comply with for national environmental laws and standards.

    Usman also said that employing environmentally-friendly technologies and methods in industrial processes and production could a long way in protecting and preserving the environment.

    Similarly, NPA’s General Manager, Health, Safety and Environment, Mr. Yusuf Ahmed said that it was the responsibility of everybody to protect the earth from negative environmental effects.

    According to Ahmed, humans are part of nature and intimately depend on it for survival on the earth.

    He said “We at the Nigerian Ports Authority are taking all necessary steps to ensure that our actions and those of our partners do not impact negatively on the environment, guided by the relevant national and international laws, regulations and conventions.

    “Our ultimate objective is attaining port environments that are free of pollution, oil/chemical spills and biohazards.

    “We are happy with the understanding and cooperation of our partners in this regards and urge them to sustain it.

    “We therefore have a responsibility to protect the earth from negative environmental effects through such conscious actions as afforestation, reducing wastes at source, proper waste disposal and management and generally reducing all forms of pollution,” Ahmed explained.

  • India’s pathway to selling only electric cars by 2030

    India’s pathway to selling only electric cars by 2030

    While the United States is walking away from the historic Paris Climate Agreement, India is making a bold vow to start selling only electric cars by 2030.

    India is one of the world’s most polluted countries. Its energy department said in a blog post that it has set the “ambitious” target to stop selling gas-powered vehicles in an attempt to clean up its air.

    As the country’s economy has boomed, new industries and commuters have spewed pollutants in the air at staggering rates. Now, its 1.3 billion residents are suffering. One estimate says India’s air contributes to 1.2 million deaths per year. Doctors have said breathing the air in New Dehli, the nation’s capital, is like smoking 10 cigarettes a day.

    India’s energy minister, Piyush Goyal, said recently that the country will help facilitate the electric car effort by offering subsidies for a couple of years. “After that,” he said, “the cost of electric vehicles will start paying for themselves.”

    The government’s National Electric Mobility Mission Plan wants annual sales of electric and hybrid cars to hit 6 million to 7 million by 2020.

    That’s music to the ears of Elon Musk, CEO of electric car powerhouse Tesla, who touted the decision on Twitter Thursday.

    Tesla hasn’t actually entered the Indian market yet, but Musk has frequently talked about his plans to open up shop there. He said earlier this year that it could happen by summer, but those plans appear to be delayed.

    India is anxiously awaiting Tesla’s arrival. Even the head of Mahindra, India’s leading electric carmaker, told Musk he’ll welcome the competition.

    “The more the merrier — and greener,” Anand Mahindra wrote.

    Plans to aggressively expand the number of electric cars on the road is just one of a number of ways India is trying to go greener. The government is also underway on major pushes to expand its solar energy capacity.

    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also doubled down on his commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement after President Trump rebuked the pact on Thursday.

    He was in France on Saturday meeting with French President Emanuel Macron, who also strongly condemned Trump’s decision.

    “Paris Agreement is a shared legacy of the world. It will benefit the future generations as well,” Modi wrote on Twitter.

     

     

    CNN

     

  • Paris Agreement: Implication of Donald Trump withdrawal

    Paris Agreement: Implication of Donald Trump withdrawal

    President Donald Trump announced recently that he would begin the process of withdrawing the United States from the historic Paris Agreement, the world’s first global plan to address climate change.

    The historic agreement, approved in December 2015, commits nearly 200 countries to pursue all efforts to limit global temperature increase to 1.5°C to stave off some of the worst impacts of a warming planet.

    Even in a developing country like Nigeria it is becoming clear that the transition to a low carbon society is inevitable. Shifts in international geopolitics will only determine the pace of that transition and at what level temperatures will peak.

    The US withdrawing from the Paris agreement will delay the transition and could lead to temperatures peaking at higher levels, with concurrent climate change impacts on millions of people, but it cannot stop the economic transformation that is already underway.

    Ibrahim Usman Jibrin, Nigeria’s Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Environment, has said Nigeria will not pull out of the agreement.

    “Despite the pulling out of the United States from the Paris Agreement, I want to state categorically that Nigeria joined the Agreement as a Sovereign country taking into account its national circumstances and convection in a global approach to tackle climate change. Nigeria is committed to the provisions of the Paris Agreement as it is in National interest,” the Minister said.

    Ramping up Nigeria efforts to combat climate change will also help to address developmental challenges through building new industries in the low carbon sector and increasing the resilience of vulnerable communities to extreme weather events and other climate change impacts.

     

  • Climate Change: We are not pulling out of Paris Agreement – FG

    The Federal Government has said that Nigeria is not going to follow on the heels of the United States of America and pull out of the Paris Agreement which is seen as a turning point for global climate policy.

    This was disclosed in a statement signed and issued on Friday by the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Environment, Ibrahim Usman Jibrin.

    According to him, Nigeria entered into the Paris Agreement as a sovereign state hence will remain committed to its provisions taking into account its national circumstances and interests.

    The statement reads in part: “Despite the pulling out of the United States from the Paris Agreement, I want to state categorically that Nigeria joined the Agreement as a Sovereign country taking into account its national circumstances and convection in a global approach to tackle climate change.

    “Nigeria is committed to the provisions of the Paris Agreement as it is in National interest.”

    The Paris Agreement is a consensus within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) dealing with greenhouse gas emissions mitigation, adaptation and finance starting in the year 2020.

    The aim is to limit global temperature rise to 2C above pre-industrial levels by 2100.

  • Trump withdraws U.S. from Paris Climate Accord

    President Donald Trump has withdrawn the country from the historic Paris Climate Accord dealing with greenhouse gas emissions mitigation, adaptation and finance starting in 2020.

    Trump, in a nationwide broadcast on Thursday, said U.S. would either seek re-negotiation or remain withdrawn from the agreement that went into effect on Nov. 4, 2016.

    Trump had promised to make his decision known this week on the Paris Climate Agreement, which as at May 2017, 195 members of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, had signed and 147 had ratified.

    “The United State under Trump will continue to be the cleanest and the most environment-friendly country on the planet.

    “To fulfil my solemn duty to protect America and its citizens, the United States will withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord but begin negotiations to re-enter our way into Paris Accord.

    “Or in really entirely new transaction or terms that are fair to the United States, its businesses, its workers, its people and its tax payers.

    “So, we are getting out but we will start to negotiate and we would see if we could make a deal that is fair and if we can, that’s great and if can’t, that’s fine.

    “As President, I can put no other consideration before the wellbeing of the American citizens. The Paris Climate Accord is simply the latest example of Washington entering into an agreement that disadvantages the United States.

    “For the exclusive benefits of other countries, leaving American workers, who I love, and tax payers to observe the cost in terms of job loss, low wages, shattered factories and vastly diminish economic production.

    “Thus, as of today, the United States would cease all implementation of the non-binding Paris Accord and the draconian financial and economic burdens the agreement imposes on our country.

    “This includes ending the implementation of the nationally determined contributions and very importantly, the Green Climate Fund, which is costing the United States a vast fortune.”

    According to him, compliant with the terms of the Paris Accord and the onerous energy restriction that is placed on the U.S. could cost America as much as 2.7 million job loss by 2025.

    Trump explained that he would immediately work with democratic governments to immediately get together and re-negotiate the Paris deal. But until we do that, America remains out of the agreement.

    “We will remain the leader of the world. The U.S. remains the cleanest country in the world, but we will not remain in the agreement at the expense of our citizens and our country.”

    He said the agreement was unfair to the U.S., adding it sought to cripple the U.S. and empower China, India and other developed countries, and called for a deal that is equitable.

    Trump pointed out that with the current agreement, China and India could continue to increase their pollution for a decade or two without penalty while the U.S. could not.