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Conservation Foundation urges FG to avert environmental catastrophe

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Conservation Foundation urges FG to avert environmental catastrophe
The Director-General, Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF)  Dr Muhtari Aminu-Kano, has called on the Federal Government and other stakeholders to avert an environmental catastrophe as a result  threats posed by extinction of one million species.
Aminu-Kano  made the call in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
“The essential, interconnected web of life on earth is getting smaller and increasingly frayed. About one million species are now threatened with extinction and humanity is in Peril’’.
According to him, `the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) recently released a statement titled “Nature’s Dangerous Decline ‘Unprecedented’.
“IPBES is an independent intergovernmental body comprising more than 130 member Governments.
“The report revealed that Nature is declining globally at an unprecedented rate in human history and the scale of species extinctions has grave impacts on people around the world.
“So the federal government should seriously work with stakeholders to tackle climate change challenges,’’ he advised.
He said that some media organisations have exposed the sorry state of the nations’ environment through their editorials  but added  despite this outcry for the federal and state governments to take drastic steps and salvage the nation,  political affairs. receive the greatest attention.
“At the moment, the nation has lost more than 90 per cent of her forest to degradation, urbanisation and exploitation, but little or nothing is being done to restore it to, at least, 25 per cent as recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)’’.
He said that NCF is partnering with the University of Jos, through A. P. Leventis Ornithological Institutes (APLORI)  in  carrying out  a survey on the Nigerian environment.
“We are using birds as indicators to determine the state of the Nigerian environment and the report of this study will be published in the third quarter of this year to suggest some possible solutions to environmental challenges.
“The report of the study, we hope, will provide policymakers with objective scientific assessments about the state of knowledge regarding the planet’s biodiversity, ecosystems and their contributions to people’’.
Aminu-Kano, however, expressed hope that if all stakeholders will work together in the fight against climate change all hope is not lost.
“If we as people commit ourselves to restoring the environment, preserving it for future by living sustainably, and implementing all the recommendations put forward to all levels of government and everyone begins to live sustainably, we stand a chance of reversing the trend and avoiding the disaster predicted by these studies.
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Environment

Royal Commonwealth Society Kicks Off Clean Oceans Campaign in Nigeria

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By Joel Ajayi


The Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS), in collaboration with the National Sports Commission (NSC) and Commonwealth Games Nigeria, has officially launched the Clean Oceans Plastic Awareness Campaign in Nigeria, aiming to combat the growing threat of plastic pollution across the Commonwealth.


The campaign was flagged off on Wednesday at Jabi Lake, Abuja, with a strong message of environmental responsibility, especially for Nigeria’s youth.


The initiative is designed to raise awareness about plastic pollution, encourage proper waste disposal, and promote environmental stewardship—particularly around the country’s waterways.
Speaking at the launch, the Country Director and CEO of the Royal Commonwealth Society Nigeria, Mr. Blackson Olaseni Bayewumi, emphasized that the campaign is part of a global Commonwealth-wide effort to curb plastic waste and protect ocean ecosystems. 


He highlighted the critical role of sports as a tool for engaging young people and driving meaningful change in environmental behavior.


“The Commonwealth accounts for one-third of the world’s ocean waters, and nearly half of its member countries are Small Island Developing States that suffer disproportionately from plastic pollution,” Bayewumi noted.


According to him, the Royal Commonwealth Society’s Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign aims to prevent at least one million pieces of plastic from entering Commonwealth waterways.


 The campaign blends grassroots education with direct community action, urging people to reduce their plastic footprint, embrace alternatives, and promote cleaner oceans.


A major component of the campaign is its integration with the King’s Baton Relay—a hallmark of the build-up to the Commonwealth Games. In a groundbreaking move, the 2025-2026 relay will spotlight sustainability and environmental protection, beginning with its launch by His Majesty The King at Buckingham Palace on Commonwealth Day 2025. The Baton Relay is now on a 500-day journey across all Commonwealth nations and territories ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.


In each country, including Nigeria, the Baton Relay will bring together youth, athletes, local communities, and environmental groups for a week of activities—most notably, organized plastic clean-up drives.


The urgency of this campaign is underlined by alarming statistics: the world produces 400 million tonnes of plastic every year, with over 12 million tonnes ending up in the oceans. 
Without urgent action, scientists predict that by 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the sea.


Plastic waste poses a deadly threat to marine life—suffocating birds, fish, and mammals while damaging key ecosystems.


Moreover, as plastics break down into microplastics due to ocean erosion and sunlight, they enter our food, water, and even air.


Although the full health implications of microplastics remain unknown, early research suggests they may disrupt vital bodily functions—and there is currently no method to fully remove them from the environment or our bodies.
The campaign supports multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly:


SDG 12: Responsible, Consumption and ProductionSDG 13: Climate Action, SDG 14: Life Below Water

It also reflects the core principles of the Commonwealth Charter, especially: Article 9: Sustainable Development. Article 10: Protection of the Environment and Article 14: Recognition of the Needs of Small States

As the world grapples with escalating environmental challenges, the Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign represents a significant step in uniting nations, communities, and young leaders under a shared mission: to protect our oceans, preserve biodiversity, and build a cleaner, safer world for future generations.

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