By PATRICK ABANG Calabar –
Professor Raphael Offiong from the University of Calabar (UNICAL) and Carbon Innovation Centre, has called on the Cross River State Government to reduce the impact of logging across the state.
Offiong also appealed to stakeholders in environment sector on the need to regulate logging in the 18 Local Government Areas in the state.
“We have only one Earth, it is our duty to protect the Earth which is a serious threat”
Professor Offiong stated this over the weekend as part of activities marking 2022 World Environment Day which was organized by the Environmental Rights Actions and Friends of the Earth ( ERA) with the theme: “Only one Earth living Sustainability with Nature”
Also speaking, The Executive Director of ERA, Dr Godwin Ojo, said avoiding the earth tipping point of no return, there is needed for all stakeholders to close rank and save the Earth.
Dr. Ojo said this year’s focus is apt considering the fact that over 70% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa and in Nigeria are dependent on forests and forests resources including timber and non-timber forests products.
According to him, the environmental degradation resulting in the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss contributes to ecosystem destruction and food security.
He said the global warming challenge of keeping the development trajectory within 1.5 degrees Celsius call for urgency in action on the Paris Agreement.
” Indeed, Nigeria and other developing countries are most affected by the negative impacts of climate change and deforestation”.
“In Nigeria, the high rate of deforestation is about 3.5% or about 400,000 hectares per annum and accounting for one of the highest deforestation rate in the world”
” To address these issues require the recognition of the primacy of local interest in natural resource governance and conservation”
“The recognition of community based forests management systems for sustainable natural resource use already in practice in some countries should be the way forward for Nigeria”
“There is the need to prioritize community management forestry through the formalizing of the rights and access to natural resources that is often limited in scope. There is need for Government to partner with Civil Society Organization and communities for a concerted effort to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss”
” I must commend the effort of the Cross River State Government for some far reaching measures put in place particularly the continuous ban on logging, fight against illegal logging, the establishment of the Green Sheriff to protect green zones, conducting first class Green carnivals and tree planting exercises, and working with the Anti-deforestation task force. In particular, the Cross River state House of Assembly has commenced a review of the Land Use Act of 1978 to ensure it is people friendly and measures aimed at establishment of Land Commission to secure land through Land Allocation Committees rather than the overriding interest of the governor is being considered”.
He said although the state is making some efforts it is not enough as we still find lots and lots of trailer loads of timber leaving various communities in Akamkpa, Biase, Obubra, Etung and Boki Local Government Area, to mention but a few”.
There is also the need to promote climate smart agriculture by small farm holders that is in line with traditional agricultural practices should be deployed to encourage organic farming practices rather than the inorganic farming with harmful pesticides and herbicides”.
“The need for agroecology that promotes traditional farming practices is a welcome development to addressing climate change and food security”.
“Such agroecology practices also eliminates petrol-diesel machines and the embracing of new solar energy systems to power the machinery needed in the farms that aims at zero emissions or low carbon agriculture. In this regard, drastic efforts in changing the modes of production and consumption is of high relevance to avoiding the earth’s tipping point of no return”
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