Paris Agreement will be very hard for Africa, but not impossible — O’Callaghan

Mr Paul O’Callaghan is the CEO, WestAfricaENRG Limited, a company that promotes and enables the growth of West African economies through renewable energy projects. He speaks with DOYIN ADEOYE on the company’s project in Nigeria, as well as other waste to wealth initiatives.

As part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR), a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) was commissioned earlier in the year at Alimosho. What influenced this initiative?
The Material Recovery Facility (MRF) is just the first stage in a three-phase project.  The MRF sorts the valuable fraction from the solid waste and we sell that into the Nigerian economy. It is important to us that as long as we have demand in Nigeria for our products, then we supply local, because the Nigerian economy will only grow by adding value in Nigeria and exporting the value added products.

Also, Alimosho is the largest and most populated local government in Nigeria. It is a location of four dumpsites, all really an eyesore, causing environmental harm to the local communities. The extent of that damage is much debated and I believe that there are better ways to manage that waste. So we chose Alimosho as it had the correct feedstock and would have a significant positive impact on the local community. It was an agreed location between the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and us.

WestAfricaENRG also adopted the Compassionate Orphanage in that area…
Yes, as a company and for any business, it is important to be a part of the community in which you work. The support of the Compassionate Orphanage is our way of giving back to the less fortunate members of the community. Although our business has to be commercially sustainable, we must also be sustainable within the environment we work. Without that support, we would not be commercially sustainable.

FG will align INDCs with other policies — Environment Minister

BY DOYIN ADEOYE
MINISTER of Environment, Mrs Amina Mohammed has said that the Federal Government will align Nigeria’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) with other policies for consistence and coherency.
She made this disclosure on Monday while having a tweet meet with Nigerians on her twitter handle @AminaJMohammed and the hashtag, #NigeriaCOP21.
With the theme: ‘What does the COP21 deal mean for Nigeria,’ the minister reacted to questions raised by concerned Nigerians on environmental issues affecting the country, especially in relation to climate change.
The INDCs is a phenomenon developed under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. And through it, all countries that participated in the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Paris recently, stated their national contributions to the conference within the context of their national priorities and capabilities.
“Many are not aware of the importance of the INDCs, but the emphasis now is to get everyone on board. Communications is key for INDCS,” she said.
She also noted that the implementation of the INDC would be bottom up and top bottom.
“There is commitment from COP21 and on the financial status agreed at COP21, this is a drop in the ocean,” she said.
On forest conservation, the minister said there is need to involve communities and provide incentives for them to protect the forest, while also noting that women are integral part of Nigeria’s climate action.
Speaking on how the country can generate revenue from waste, the minister sad that she is really concerned, and hopes that soon, Nigeria can successfully transit from using plastic.
Plastic waste recycling is a promising money making venture, where only a few people are tapping into. Besides recycling, plastics are also excellent sources of energy in waste to energy incinerators.
While reacting to a question on which ministries will be involved in enforcing the Paris Agreement in Nigeria, the minister stated that all ministers at the appropriate time will be briefed, because it is important.

Noise pollution: An underrated environmental issue

With the festive season fast approaching, noises from parties, worship centres, firecrackers and the environment at large are unavoidable. Although excessive sound has become a norm in many cities across the country, noise pollution is an environmental issue. DOYIN ADEOYE writes about this menace.

WITH a population of over 170 million and an environment not free from mechanical, electrical and other forms of human generated noise, it is not unreasonable to assume that noise in Nigeria is increasing in relation to urbanisation, as well as noise sources multiplying at a faster pace.
Noise pollution is an underrated environmental problem, as in fact, it does not even exist to many. What is pleasant to some ears, may be extremely unpleasant to others.
From neighbours to worship centres; vehicular traffic noise from engines and pressure horns; construction and industrial noise, noise has become a very significant stress factor in the environment.
Over the years, there has been an upsurge in the use of electricity generating plant, due to unstable electricity supply in the country. And this in turn has effects on both the environment and human health. The noise, coupled with the smoke emission has great effects on the ozone layer.
Religious centres on the other hand, have also become sources of noise pollution, especially in residential areas. As there seems to be no effective policy in place as regards where worship centres could be, noise from mosques and churches, have become unbearable for many, especially with the use of heavy public address systems, not only during the daytime, but even throughout the night.
Speaking with Ecoscope, an air quality and noise specialist with the Environmental Engineering Research Laboratory, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Professor Jacob Sonibare, noted that sources of noise in the country depend on the location of interest.

Environment Minister visits degraded areas across the country

BY DOYIN ADEOYE
MINISTER of Environment, Mrs Amina Mohammed, last week, embarked on an assessment tour of some areas of environmental concern across the country.
Determined to tackle environmental challenges such as oil pollution, coastal erosion, industrial pollution and desertification, faced by some areas across the country, the minister made this known when she visited affected areas in the Niger Delta, Borno, Kano, Lagos, and Yobe states.
Among sites inspected by the minister and her team were the Challawa industrial area of Kano State, where the Challawa River is faced by a pollution menace particularly due to the industrial effluents; Baga town in Borno State, which has suffered series of attacks from insurgents, Boko Haram; as well as areas affected by oil spillage in the Niger Delta.
The ministry, at the sand dunes in Yusufari, Yobe State, also reaffirmed its commitment to the issue of desert encroachment, noting that proper planning is the key. It also visited one of the Great Green Wall project site in the state, a programme aimed at establishing shelter belts to fight desert encroachment. The team also visited the Hadejia-Nguru wetlands in the state.
Leading a team of officers of the Ministry of Environment and National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), the minister inspected three impacted sites: Alpha Beach in Lekki, Kuramo Beach on Victoria Island and Makoko Community at Yaba, in Lagos State.
With an advancement in the shoreline at the Alpha Beach in the last couple of years, coastal erosion have destroyed many houses in this area, with speculations that the recent flooding was caused by the dredging of the bar beach and the sand filling of some parts of the ocean to create the Eko Atlantic City.
With just over a month in office, it is obvious that the new minister is committed to bringing the environment to the forefront of national discourse.

YALI members encourage greener life as #YALIGoesGreen

BY DOYIN ADEOYE

OVER the past month, the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Network has continued to charge its members to embrace a greener life through its #YALIGoesGreen initiative, which is aimed at spurring climate change awareness and action.

Challenging its members to support and spread the word about climate change, each member is to find a small aspect of climate change that affects their community the most and research solutions related to that issue.

“Find an audience in your community who is interested in solving this issue or has the time and ability, convene those community members to discuss the problem and solutions you can take action on. Continue to work with these interested community members, until you turn your conversations into actions,” it stated in its YALIChat group.

The members at the end of the programme would then earn a Green Champion certificate.

In a three-day Facebook #YALIchat last week, community organisers from the YALI Network in Nigeria, Mali, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zimbabwe fielded questions on how to mobilise and motivate their audience. The chat was focused on raising awareness about the need for adaptation and mitigation in the face of climate change.

One of the members, Alf Sidibe of Mali, said: “What I did in my community was to take practical examples and then, I gathered people, especially community leaders, and we spoke with them on how the environment is being affected by our daily actions. It is important that people know the causes and the actions to be taken to protect the environment.”

Speaking on engaging communities in rural Lesotho, an organiser, Obrien Makore said: “Rural dwellers usually respect their local administration institutions headed by a chief, so engaging chiefs to disseminate information will be key.”

Established in April 2014, the YALI Network in an initiative that provides virtual resources and vibrant physical spaces to equip young African leaders with the skills and connections they need to foster change in their communities and their countries.

Alpha Beach comes alive at Beach Samaritans’ touch

BY DOYIN ADEOYE

THE Nigerian Network of NGOs (NNGO), in collaboration with the Beach Samaritans recently contributed their own quota to saving the earth.

Held to commemorate the start of the UN Paris climate change conference, the volunteers converged on Alpha Beach, Lekki, Lagos on 29 November for a beach cleaning exercise tagged ‘Action 2015.’

Since inception in November 2014, the Beach Samaritans, an initiative of the Children And The Environment (CATE) and Waka About, regularly embark on cleaning exercises on beaches across the state. The NNGO on the other hand, is the first generic membership body for civil society organisations in Nigeria, which focuses on effective advocacy of developmental issues.

In his remarks, Ambassador Bodunrin Gimba, an emissary of the United Nations on climate change noted that “Nearly 85 per cent of the body is made up of water. So the beach cleanup exercise is a move towards saving sea life of any toxic substance which could be harmful to our health if we consume them on the long run.”

Buttressing this, Environmental Strategist, Dr Paul Abollo, said “By clearing the debris at the seashore, we reduce the risk of drinking contaminated water and stand a good chance of enjoying good health.”

One of the conveners of the event, Shola Alamutu, explained that the exercise was necessary, as the beach was not conducive for swimming because the effects of global warming has eroded a good quantity of the sea turf.

Mrs Funmi Ilori, founder, Climate Kids Club, also addressed the children at the event on the importance of the exercise, saying that “Healthy water makes for a healthy living.”

SWM: Stakeholders call for private sector investors’ participation

BY DOYIN ADEOYE

STAKEHOLDERS with the Word Bank inclusive, has called for more Private Sector Participation (PSP) in the issue of Solid Waste Management (SWM), noting that the Oyo State government is ready to raise wealth from the tons of filth in the state capital.

This call was made recently at an investors’ round table meeting held at the Kakanfo Inn, Ibadan, where opportunities for revenue generation were clearly stated for private partners in SWM activities in Ibadan.

In a chat with Ecoscope, World Bank representative, Salim Rouhana said: “The Oyo State leader, Governor Abiola Ajimobi and his team, brought to our notice that solid waste management is a big problem in the state, not only on the pickup, which a lot of effort has been made since he came on board, but also in the areas of transfer, wealth creation, job creation and proper disposal.

“The impact of SWM goes beyond what we see on the street which is visual, there are also health implications. That is why a responsible action on SWM is extremely important. The Oyo State government is aware that the private sector can have an extremely important role to play in SWM, so we have been working together on how private sectors can come on board and how to improve regulations, among other aspects.”

However, many are yet to key with the National Environmental Regulations of 2009, which provides the legal framework for environmental sanitation and waste management; where it imposes that “the duty of any person whose activities generates waste to ensure that the waste is handled by a person licensed to transport and dispose of the wastes in a designated waste management facility.”

The General Manager, Oyo State Waste Management Authority (OYOWMA), Mr Joseph Alabi, in his remark noted that in previously held forums, “all stakeholders critical to solid waste: market women, local governments, community development council, and the likes, were involved, and we agreed there that generators of waste must pay for waste management.

COP 21: Where lies Africa’s priorities?

Over 195 countries were represented at the just concluded United Nations climate change conference (COP21) in Paris, which was aimed at reaching a new universal climate agreement to limit the rise of global temperature. DOYIN ADEOYE, who followed the two-week event, brings the report, especially from Africa’s perspective, as well as experts ‘opinions on what lies ahead for Africa after COP 21.
 

CLIMATE change poses complex challenges for Africa, and as such, addressing climate change issues has become central to the continent’s development agenda.

The realisation of a need for an international political response to climate change started more than a decade ago with the ‘Rio Earth Summit’ in 1992, where the adoption of the UN Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was birthed. And over the years, the Conferences of Parties (COPs) of the UNFCCC have become an important platform for improving global response to climate change.

With major impacts on Africa as well as its growing economies, the COP 21 could not have been timelier, as it was an opportunity to put Africa as a strategic player in the negotiations, thereby ensuring that commitments under the new agreement are favourable to the continent’s realities and solutions.

Speaking with participants at the conference, United Nations Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-moon, stressed that “Africa is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, as much of its economy depends on a climate-sensitive natural resource base, including rain-fed subsistence agriculture. Disruptions in food or water supplies pose serious risks not only for African economies, but also for political stability, particularly in fragile states.”

Waste disposal in Nigeria: An evergreen challenge

Waste management in Nigeria has been a challenge for decades. Besides the foul smell and the dreadful sights of illegal dumpsites, the adverse environmental impact cannot be overemphasised. DOYIN ADEOYE brings stakeholders’ views on the issue.

“When you get to the dumpsite ahead, make a turning to the right.”NOT only did it come as a shock to hear such description, the realisation unfortunately is that illegal dumpsites have become landmarks in Nigerian society, and a norm to many.
Waste management is one of the most daunting tasks for many governments worldwide, as people still dispose waste on plots of land, sidewalks, roads, streams, channels and drains, and almost every available space. With ever increasing rate in population, the demand for food and other essentials is on the rise, and as a result, there is an increase in the amount of waste generated daily by many households. According to reports, the quantity of waste generated in Ibadan metropolis in 2012 was estimated to be about 635,000 tonnes with 0.55kg per person, per day.
Although, much progress could have been said to be attained by the Oyo State Waste Management Authority (OYOWMA) in collection, transportation and the management of dumpsites in the city, there is still room for more to be done in sensitising residents on waste management.
While some have adopted the most recent standard means of waste disposal, which is dropping waste at waste collection points for waste collectors, illegal dumping of refuse for others still remains a habit.  
Speaking on the criteria for selecting a waste collection point, General Manager, OYOWMA, Mr Joseph Alabi, said dumping refuse anywhere or anyhow is against the law.

2015: Why it rained in November — Expert

Although rainfall in Nigeria varies across regions, the raining season which often begins around March is expected to last till September, with a peak period at mid October. In recent times, however, the pattern of the season seems to have changed.
Speaking on what could be responsible for the prolonged rain till November this year, Dr Matthew Olaniran, a research fellow at the Climate Impact Studies, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), opined that although one cannot really tell what is responsible for the prolonged length of rainfall this year, the sharp departure from what we used to have, particularly in recent years, could be normal inter-annual variability, that is a change in rainfall pattern from one year to another.
“The change in annual rainfall is a function of many processes such as change in sea surface temperature, strength of the South-East trade wind, which brings moisture/rainfall across the Atlantic Ocean, or weakness of the North-East trade wind, that is the wind system that brings harmattan from the Sahara. If these changes persist in the years to come and there is no tendency to return to what it used to be, then these are consequences of climate change.”

German Embassy, NEST erect boreholes at Orile-Owu

THE hardship people of Orile-Owu community in Osun State face to get water was recently alleviated when the German Embassy, through the Nigerian Environmental Study/Action Team (NEST), erected a borehole in the community.
Through a press release, the German Embassy noted that access to clean water and sanitation is one of the explicit goals of the international 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted at the United Nations Summit in New York in September, as well as one of the focus points of Germany’s national development cooperation.
The water and sanitation community project commissioning programme, involved two boreholes, water and sanitation training, as well as some measures to promote livelihood.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Director, NEST, Professor Chinedum Nwajuiba noted that the course is meant to positively raise the quality of living and the environment of the community.
“These projects were done with sponsorship from the German Embassy in Abuja. NEST in her 28 years, has remained committed to serving the Nigerian people and her environment. The project was also done to support the women, who are often the ones directly affected with the issues of unavailability of water,” he said.