Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Audrey Azoulay, has said the 12% UNESCO bio-reserves in Africa, that host a quarter of the World’s assets was under-representative of the continent’s footprint globally
The UN Chief said the biodiversity has collapsed at an unprecedented speed, challenging lovers of nature worldwide to seek remedy to this in the last 50 years.
Azoulay said, while the UN would celebrate the birth, of three new sites of biodiversity in Nigeria, the footprint of Africa must be redoubled along with global demand for 30% coverage of the planet with biodiversity, on which man relied to function effectively and efficiently.
Azoulay who said this at the 50th anniversary Council session held in Abuja and the first, to take place in Africa, said the continent should maintain this momentum for global and continental push for the survival of man.
“Of course, this means creating new protected areas across the globe and especially in Africa.
Because, despite being home to one-quarter of the world’s biodiversity, the continent is still underrepresented in terms of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves – only 12% of which are in Africa.
“That local and indigenous populations, custodians of 80% of ecosystems, have so much to teach us.
“Fifty years on, this vision has become reality, since 275 (two hundred and seventy-five) million people now live in UNESCO’s 714 Biosphere Reserves in 129 countries.
“We have less than 10 years to achieve the goal that the United Nations wishes to set: for 30% of the planet to be covered by protected areas. Therefore, we must double our efforts.
“This is why, a few days ago, at the Congress of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, we committed to doubling the protected areas under UNESCO’s care by 2030.
“We also committed to stepping up our efforts to manage these zones, to ensure they are really effective.
Azoulay who addressed participants at the International Coordinating Council held in Abuja said, “We know very well of a lifestyle that is putting pressure on the natural world.
“Indeed, climate and biodiversity are inextricably linked: when one
suffers, the other does too – as Nigeria knows all too well, especially on the shores of Lake Chad.”
She urged the nation and to draw lessons from the work of the late Chinue Achebe who in one of his lines, in the book, No Longer at Ease noted that as we stand with the Earth: We must “go with her at her pace”,
The Minister of Environment, Sharon Ikeazor had informed the Participant to the 1st African (UNESCO) Man and Biosphere (MAB) International Coordinating Council meeting in Abuja that Nigeria had already taken practical action on the UNESCO bio-diversity.
She noted that three new sites have been completed by the country in her efforts to make indelible footprints in these areas.
Her words: “Nigeria is strongly committed to taking bold steps to reverse biodiversity loss and to mitigate climate change.
“Through the Ministry of Environment, Nigeria joined the Global Ocean Alliance and the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People calling for the protection of 30% of worlds lands and seas by 2030, to halt the accelerating loss of species and protect vital ecosystems.
“In line with its conservation policy, Nigeria identified and processed more protected areas, with the approval of UNESCO, secured three more Biosphere Reserves namely: (a) Oban Biosphere Reserve; (b) Okwango Biosphere Reserve, both in Cross Rivers State; and (c) Hadejia-Nguru-Bade
Biosphere Reserve, straddling Yobe and Jigawa States.
Commending the country for the move to restore biodiversity, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon said the UN will work with Nigeria alongside its national priorities.
He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it devastating consequences which resulted in an unprecedented human crisis that has affected the most vulnerable and the poorest among us, especially youths, women and children
“The pandemic has compounded already existing problems like violent extremism, children staying out of school, poverty and food insecurity.
He said the despite these consequences, the Covid-19 pandemic has called global attention to fix the deteriorating relationship with nature and has reaffirmed that biodiversity remained fundamental for human health and critical for sustainable development.
Kallon said who called on re-examination of lifestyles said “our combined attitudes and lifestyles have dramatically altered the land around us.
“We have cleared forests and other natural terrains to create spaces for urban areas, settlements, agriculture and industries.
“In doing so, we have reduced the overall space for wildlife and degraded natural safe spaces between humans and animals. We must all rise up and take responsibility to restore this Human-Nature safe space by taking responsible steps to conserve biodiversity and restore lost resources,” he noted.
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