The committee on Natural Resources, Energy and Environment of the International Law Association (ILA) Nigerian branch has partnered with other stakeholders to commemorate the 2023 World Environment Day in Ekiti state.
The two-day programme was held in collaboration with the Institute for Oil and Gas, Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development (OGEES), Afe Babalola University,Ado Ekiti(ABUAD) Ekiti State, Nigeria and Triple Green Environmental Development Foundation (TGED Foundation).
The event featured a road show in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital on plastic pollution attended by stakeholders including, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), state ministry of environment and youths groups, among others was declared opened by the vice chancellor of ABUAD, Professor Smiranda Olarinde.
The webinar, which was themed ‘Solutions to Plastic Pollution’ was attended by renowned speakers including the keynote speaker Professor Christina Voigt, the Chair of IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL) who is also Vice President, International Law Association, Norway Branch. Also Dr Isa Elegbede and Dr Adenike Akinsemolu were speakers.
She gave insights on how best to tackle plastic pollution by shifting towards a circular economy, while emphasizing the need to have broad participatory processes as pollution is something that affects both the present and the future generation.
The chairman of the ILA committee and founder of TGED Foundation, Oluwaseyi Ebenezer explained that the road show and the webinar was put together to enhance sensitisation of the drive on the dangers of indiscriminate plastic waste disposal in the society.
According to her, ” the occasion which was celebrated all over the world was particularly special for members of the ILA Nigerian Branch and other participants of events both as it not only succeeded in creating the much needed awareness on this key environmental issue in Nigeria but also afforded the Committee the opportunity to charge the government as well as the various stakeholders present with the duty to not only stop at plastic pollution but 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.
“The way we produce, use and dispose of our plastics could contribute to the pollution of our ecosystems, creating risks for human and animal health and destabilising our climate.”
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