A non-governmental youth-focused civil hub, under the aegis of Mentoring Individual’s Dream Initiative (MiND. Initiative), has said that there is a need for Nigerians to come together and commit to actions that would help to address environmental challenges in the country.
The MiND Initiative noted that the journey towards a sustainable future in the area of the environment requires collective effort and unwavering commitment by all and sundry in society.
The Executive Director of MiND Initiative, Peter Aguebor, stated this while delivering his address at this year’s World Environmental Day, marked by the organisation on Wednesday in Benin, the Edo State Capital.
“Let us use today (Wednesday) as a catalyst for change, driving forward with renewed vigour and determination to protect our planet,” Aguebor said.
He asserted that the event, World Environmental Day is a powerful reminder of the crucial role the people are expected to play in order for them to protect and nurture their environment.
Aguebor added that the annual event is also a call to action and urged the people to reflect on their impact on the earth as well as make meaningful changes that would contribute to a sustainable future.
The convener maintained that the theme of this year’s event christened ‘Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience’, is apt, adding that: “It underscores the importance of restoring degraded lands, combating desertification, and building resilience against drought”.
According to Peter Aguebor, “MiND Initiative is a non-profit, non-political and non-governmental youth-focused civic hub of active democratic change makers that are passionate in the advancement of good governance and civil rights, anti-corruption, climate action and youth engagement.
“At MiND Initiative, we are deeply committed to addressing climate change challenges and environmental issues. In Edo State, we have embarked on several impactful projects, including the “Tree Edo Project “, which aims to plant, protect and care for trees in Edo State.
“Through this project and other initiatives, we strive to create a healthier encroachment and foster a culture of sustainability within our community”, he posited.
Delivering his lecture on the theme of the event, Dr. Uyi Ojo, averred that ecological resilience is the ability of an ecosystem to maintain its normal patterns of nutrient cycling and biomass production after being subjected to damage caused by ecological disturbance.
He blamed environmental challenges on poor governmental policies and programmes over the years, as well as the lifestyle of the people.
Ojo noted that there should be a paradigm shift from the dependency of oil, gas and coal towards renewable energy in order to address the issue of environmental degradation and others.
“Key to land restoration is changing lifestyle in modes of production and consumption pattern that cognisance of the green economy concept.
“There should be land restoration through afforestation programmes and the planting of trees,” he said.
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