The OGEES Institute at ABUAD organizes awareness campaigns on climate change risks, impacts, mitigation, and adaptation. This awareness campaign was organized in 2023, World Environment Day: International Law Experts Call For Renewed Commitment To The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The recommendation was made at a public lecture to commemorate this year’s World Environment Day. World Environment Day is an annual event led by the United Nations Environment Programme and held annually on 5 June worldwide to promote global awareness of environmental issues.
Themed “Solutions to Plastic Pollution,” this year’s 2023 ceremony was organized by the Natural Resources, Energy and Environment (NREE) Committee of the International Law Association (Nigerian branch) chaired by Oluwaseyi Ebenezer, and held in partnership with the Institute for Oil, Gas, Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development (OGEES Institute), Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, Ekiti State, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) as well as the Ekiti State Ministry of Environment, NGOs and several Youth led Organizations in the state in concert with Triple Green Environmental Development Foundation (TGED Foundation). The ceremony featured a compelling keynote conversation with Professor Christina Voigt, a world-renowned professor of international environmental law at the University of Oslo, Norway, and the Chair of the IUCN World Commission of Environmental Law
Professor Voigt called on governments across the world, including Nigeria to actively adopt two complimentary strategies to combat plastic pollution and advance the SDGs. First is the bottom-up strategy of adopting homegrown solutions to plastic pollution, including through clean entrepreneurship innovation, and second is the top-down strategy of adopting and implementing international instruments on combating plastic pollution.
The keynote conversation was followed by high-level panel discussions featuring notable experts including Dr. Isa Elegbede of Geo Blue Planet, Switzerland, Dr. Adenike Akinsemolu of the Green Institute, Nigeria and Folakemi Jegede, a member of the NREE Committee who discussed the role of government and business enterprises to reduce plastic pollution through sustainable packaging, green procurement and emphasis on pollution control.
In his opening goodwill message, the President of the International Law Association (Nigerian Branch), who is also Vice Chair of the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights, Professor Damilola S. Olawuyi, SAN said “We have just seven years left for the attainment of all the SDGs, which places enormous responsibility on the new administration of President Bola Tinubu. A renewed commitment to the SDGs can be the foundation for attracting new global sustainability-related investments and financing, doubling our internally generated revenue and creating new green technologies and jobs that are needed to propel the Nigerian economy at these very challenging times. The way forward is to place the SDGs squarely at the heart of planning and decision making at all levels. As time and opportunities wait for no one, I hope the new administration will take prompt and active steps to refocus national planning on the SDGs, realizing that if we fail to do so, such financing opportunities will go to other ready markets.”
On her part, the Chairperson of the Committee, Ms. Oluwaseyi Ebenezer charged governments at all levels as well as the various stakeholders to not only curb plastic pollution but also to stretch their reach far and beyond to other environmental issues such as climate change and biodiversity loss through continued collaboration and partnerships in line with the ‘United Nations SDG 17 so as to create a greener and safer environment for us all.
This year’s celebration also featured a road campaign on plastic pollution across Ado Ekiti, the capital city of Ekiti State which took place on the 5th of June. The campaign was declared open by the Vice Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Prof. Elisabeta Smaranda Olarinde who in her speech stated the urgent need to address the adverse environmental impacts of plastic pollution and encouraged the public to embrace sustainability lifestyles. The road campaign was attended by a large number of people including notable stakeholders such as the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) as well as the Ekiti State Ministry of Environment, NGOs and several Youth led Organizations in the state.
In addition to spearheading research on climate change, the ABUAD Climate Change Symposium is organized by the Institute annually in partnership with local environmental groups. In 2022 edition, ABUAD, in partnership with Triple G Eco-Revival Solutions, as part of the World Environment Day (WED) 2022 tagged “Only One Earth” celebrations, provided targeted awareness and sensitization campaigns for children, youth, women, and stakeholders on the key impacts of climate change, and approaches for acceleration mitigation, adaptation and the review of the University Climate Change Action Plan.
It was climaxed with the exploratory journey to the space at the ABUAD Planetarium.
In 2023, ABUAD collaborates with NGOs, CBOs and Government on Climate Change Disaster Management and Hazard Mitigation Campaign.
Afe Babalola University has further taken the 2023 edition of her campaign to save our planet in the areas of climate change disaster management and hazard mitigation framework by collaborating with community-based organizations (CBOs), Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and Ekiti State Government and Nigeria’s ministries, departments and agencies of government (MDAs).
In a bid to deepen her determined vision through advocacy to ensure that our planet is free of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions carbon emission and prevent undue depletion of the ozone layer, ABUAD has engaged CBOs, NGOs local, state, and federal government in a discussion on Climate Change Disaster Management and Hazard Mitigation Plan. The event was held at the Alfa Belgore Hall, of Afe Babalola University on the 13th of November 2023. It was also attended by Former President of Nigeria, General Olusegun Obasanjo (Rtd), The Governor of Ekiti State, His Excellency Governor Biodun Oyebanji, the representative of the President of Nigeria, HE President Mohammadu Buhari ably represented by Mrs Adenike Orelope-Adefulire, Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Monarchs, Community-Based Organization, Non-Governmental Organizations, top government functionaries, the staff and students of Afe Babalola University (ABUAD, Nigeria..
Professor Damilola S. Olawuyi, Professor of Sustainability and Environmental Law, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnership (ARISP) who also doubles as the Director of ABUAD OGEES discussed the various types of disaster inherent in climate change and phases of hazard mitigation planning process which include firstly, organizing the mitigation planning process with its attendant resources with as it affects every member of the stakeholders, secondly, a risk assessment of the impact of hazard as it affects the various societal groups were a critically examined with respect to the various risk mitigants that will be put it in place to cushion the negative impact, thirdly, having considered the risk mitigants, a robust strategic framework was discussed that will assuage and ensure sustainable prevention of future occurrence of the negative impact of hazards on the society and lastly, the adoption and implementation plans were agreed upon by the participants.
Barrister Oluwaseyi Ebenezer, the Chief Executive Officer of Triple Green Environmental Developments (TGED), a non-governmental organization, thanked the Founder/Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Aare Afe Babalola, for his resilient attitude to ensuring zero GHG emissions by organizing this event annually. She pledges the support of her NGO to continually support this Hazard Mitigation Plan in Ado Ekiti Local Government, Ekiti State, and Nigeria as a whole. She emphasized that this 2023 edition is another testament to the determination of ABUAD to meet her Climate Action Plan of ensuring carbon neutrality by 2023.
Ewi of Ado – Ekiti, His Royal Majesty Oba Adejugbe who spoke on behalf of the royal fathers and community-based organizations expressed optimism on our planet becoming very safe by the initiative of ABUAD through its Founder, Aare Afe Babalola and the invaluable support of the entire staff and management of Afe Babalola University. He said that he will ensure the domestication of the plan at the rural communities for its positive impact.
Mrs. Adefunke Orelope-Adefulire, the Senior Special Assistant to the President of Nigeria on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) who represented the President Mohammadu Buhari GCFR at the event highlighted the federal government’s commitment to zero GHG emissions said the initiative of ABUAD at preventing climate change disaster and assuage its attendant risk is worthy of commendation. She pledges the government’s continued support at ensuring that adequate publicity will be made to ensure the proper domestication of ABUAD’s climate change disaster management strategies and hazard mitigation processes discussed at today’s event. She added that ABUAD initiative of ensuring zero carbon emission is totally in tandem with the President Buhari’s vision of meeting the 2030 of carbon neutrality in Nigeria.
The Governor of the Ekiti State, Governor Biodun Oyebanji was full of praise by pouring encomiums on the Founder of Afe Babalola University for taking the initiative and solely financing the resourceful and rewarding symposium. In his words “The import of Climate Change disaster and hazard cannot be over-emphasized while it is a must to mitigate them” He pledged the government full support to achieve the carbon neutrality goal.
Aare Afe Babalola (the Founder and Chancellor of ABUAD) was indeed pleased with the buy-in of every participant as contained in the responses by the representative of each group. He said with the enthusiasm shown by the government and the public, our planet will indeed become safe. He congratulated his students, staff and management team for organizing this event.
Tagged: abuad, afe babalola university, DVC ARISP, OGEES
The ABUAD Green Club also organizes local education campaigns and events aimed at promoting youth awareness and action on climate change.
Tagged: ABIS, abuad, afe babalola university, Nigeria
https://www.veracity.com.ng/2021/04/world-earth-day-triple-g-galvanize.html
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