As the world celebrate Environment Day today, a group known as Media Awareness and Justice Initiative (MAJI) has urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to embrace technological solutions in curbing numerous challenges that have hindered healthy environment for sustainable development in the country.
This was contained in a statement on Wednesday to mark the world Environment Day and signed by Onyekachi Okoro, the Executive Director of MAJI.
The statement read that lack of adequate Data collection and evidence-based interventions has continued to contribute to the growing defects of climate change.
With the theme of the 2024 World Environment Day as land restoration, desertification and drought resilience, the group stated that it is very evident in the South South Region of the country where there are rising cases of coastal community flooding and increased desertification in the Northern parts of Nigeria.
It said: “Nigeria is one of the countries with the highest incidence of global warming with South carrying the biggest impacts of land and water degradation from incessant oil spills due to oil exploration and extraction while the Northern part of the country experiences mining impacts and desertification.
“Governments and millions of people are using the occasion to raise awareness and promote environmental conservation.
“The Federal government of Nigeria has to make specific efforts to firstly document environmental Data in a sustainable and effective manner.
“This Data will be strategic in the analysis which will provide the platform for evidence-based intervention and data-oriented engagements at all levels of governance.
“Over the years, government’s effort and environmental policies have failed to materialise into effective and sustainable solutions which will contribute to addressing the growing impacts of climate change.
“These effects have been seen in increased conflicts between farmers and herders in the Northern parts of Nigeria and flooding in the coastal regions of Nigeria. This has affected rural livelihood, traditional cultures and way of life.
“Today, Governments at all levels, the private sector and Civil Society Organizations must collaborate to adopt and use open-sourced technological based solutions in documenting the levels of impact and thus, tackle the impacts of Climate Change and its ecological effects on the Nigerian Populace.
“MAJI believes that technological based approaches for climate change resilience will greatly contribute to tangible and real life solutions in solving critical challenges that are currently plunging the environmental crisis in Nigeria.
The media awareness and Justice Initiative (MAJI) is a youth oriented, environmental and Governance organization that uses Technology open-source, Media and interactive Media Platforms to promote and empower local and urban-poor communities and the disenfranchised groups in Nigeria.
