Stakeholders in international law have called for urgent prioritisation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the foundation for social, economic and infrastructure development planning in Nigeria if the country is to effectively combat plastic pollution and advance all round sustainable green growth during a public lecture to commemorate this year’s World Environment Day.
The lecture themed “Solutions to Plastic Pollution” was organised by the Natural Resources, Energy and Environment (NREE) Committee of the International Law Association (Nigerian branch) chaired by Oluwaseyi Ebenezer, and held in partnership with the Institute for Oil, Gas, Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development (OGEES Institute), Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), and Triple Green Environmental Development Foundation (TGED Foundation).
The World Environment Day is an annual event led by the United Nations Environment Programme and held annually on June 5 worldwide to promote global awareness on environmental issues.
The ceremony featured a compelling keynote conversation with Professor Christina Voigt, a world-renowned professor of international environmental law at the University of Oslo, Norway, and the Chair of the IUCN World Commission of Environmental Law.
Professor Voigt called on governments across the world, including Nigeria to actively adopt two complimentary strategies to combat plastic pollution and advance the SDGs.
The keynote conversation was followed by high-level panel discussions featuring notable experts including Dr. Isa Elegbede of Geo Blue Planet, Switzerland, Dr. Adenike Akinsemolu of the Green Institute, Nigeria and Folakemi Jegede, a member of the NREE Committee who discussed the role of government and business enterprises to reduce plastic pollution through sustainable packaging, green procurement and emphasis on pollution control.
In his opening goodwill message, the President of the International Law Association (Nigerian Branch), who is also Vice Chair of the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights, Professor Damilola S. Olawuyi, SAN said “We have just seven years left for the attainment of all the SDGs, which places enormous responsibility on the new administration of President Bola Tinubu.
A renewed commitment to the SDGs can be the foundation for attracting new global sustainability-related investments and financing, doubling our internally generated revenue and creating new green technologies and jobs that are needed to propel the Nigerian economy at these very challenging times.
On her part, the Chairperson of the Committee, Ms. Oluwaseyi Ebenezer charged governments at all levels as well as the various stakeholders to not only curb plastic pollution but also 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.
This year’s celebration also featured a road campaign on plastic pollution across Ado Ekiti, the capital city of Ekiti State which took place on the 5th of June.
The campaign was declared open by the Vice Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Prof. Elisabeta Smaranda Olarinde who in her speech stated the urgent need to address the adverse environmental impacts of plastic pollution and encouraged the public to embrace sustainability lifestyles.
The road campaign was attended by a large number of people including notable stakeholders such as the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) as well as the Ekiti State Ministry of Environment, NGOs and several Youth led Organizations in the state.
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