JOHN’S EPISTLE ON CLIMATE CHANGE
By Emmanuel Onwubiko
We sat for over two hours at the Pastry corner of the not-so-prestigious Transcorp Hilton in Abuja with a former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Edo State Charles Edosanwen, a senior Advocate of Nigeria, and brainstormed on the challenges Nigeria will face from the emerging effects of Global Climate Change and we came out with a conclusion that if the trend of neglect and ignorance of this all strategic issue of the effects of climate change on Nigeria continues among Nigerians of all categories, then we are in for a very tough fight. The lawyer who during the discussion displayed an extra-ordinary knowledge of the issue of climate change and its’ possible consequences on Nigeria painted the gloomy picture that one of the most devastating effects of the phenomenon of climate change if not tackled frontally is Hunger as a result of desertification and coastal, gully erosion in the Southern and Northern segments of Nigeria. While talking, it dawned on me that Transcorp Hilton in Abuja is no longer prestigious because patrons of this highly respected hotel in the nation’s capital are increasingly getting worried that the state of infrastructure in this place has speedily deteriorated so much so that if it rains heavily now the entire vicinity of the Pastry corner and other places of recreation right inside Transcorp Hilton would be flooded. This shows that the drainage system in the Hotel has partially collapsed. Something fast has to be done before a greater effect of the climate change sweeps across some parts of the Hotel that prides itself as the most prestigious hotel in Nigeria.
Back to our topic of climate change and our discussion with the learned gentleman from Edo State, we struck a greater accord on the key demand of most civil society activists that all major stakeholders at every level of the Nigerian society must embark on serious enlightenment programme across the country to sensitize Nigerians on the imminent danger that our motherland faces as a result of the effects of climate change. That brings us to a recent public lecture by the Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria on March 25 th 2009 in Abuja during which the non-governmental organization invited the Federal minister of Environment Mr. John Odey to deliver a keynote address on the theme of EFFECTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE; THE HUMAN RIGHTS IMPLICATIONS FOR NIGERIA. The minister of Environment substantially did justice to this all important topic even though the greater majority of the participants at the event went home with the impression that the federal ministry of Environment did not provide commensurate support to the Human Rights platform so much so that even the address of the minister had to be photocopied by the organizers at their own cost for distribution to the general audience. The minister’s donation of one hundred thousand naira thereafter was used to reimburse the association for the cost of the photocopy and the distribution of the Minister’s speech. John Odey, the minister of Environment in his epistle on Climate change commended the organizers for what he calls ‘’your organization’s timely discussion on climate change.’’ ‘’I am particularly delighted that the Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria thought it necessary to look at the implications of climate change as it affects the rights of the individual Nigerian.’’ On the specifics of his speech, the Environment minister stated that climate change is considered the most serious threat to the survival and sustainable development of humanity in this twenty first century with increased adverse impacts expected on the environment, human health, food security, economic activities, natural resources and physical infrastructures. Odey stated that frequent extreme events such as widespread flooding and droughts that have killed thousands of people while destroying infrastructures, valued at several millions of USD dollars, have added impetus to the urgency of the need to act decisively to mitigate and seek ways to adapt to the increasingly inevitable impacts of climate change. The minister stated that all the ambitious frameworks agreed by World leaders for reducing poverty and attain sustainable development like the Millennium Development Goals [MDG] by 2015 are at the danger of becoming unrealistic in Africa. John Odey pointed out that although Africa contributes an insignificant amount of greenhouse gasses emission to the Global total, due to the low level of Africa’s technological development, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC] fourth Assessment Reports have indicated that Africa is the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. He stated that this fact calls for urgency not only in the mitigation but also adaptation strategies in order to contain the threat posed to the continent of Africa. Climate change could imperil the World’s food supply as rising temperature and prolonged drought render fertile areas unfit for grazing or crops. A warmer World as a result of climate change is one in which infectious diseases such as malaria and yellow fever will spread further and faster. Climate change is a threat to peace and security because changing patterns of rainfalls can increase competition for resources, setting in motion potentially destabilizing tensions and migrations, especially in fragile States or volatile regions. The minister said that evidence abound to show that this last threat he pointed out has manifested in some places already and prophetically concluded that more of such conflicts are imminent. Global warming and extreme weather condition has adverse consequences for human rights of millions of people. Ultimately, climate change will affect the very right to life of various individuals. Countries have obligation to prevent and address some of the direct consequences that climate change will unleash on the human rights of citizens. In his epistle the minister claimed that the current Federal Government has put in place an adaptation strategy, policies and programmes for mitigation and adaptation to protect individuals and communities from the threats posed to human rights due to climate change. The Minister stopped short of telling his audience those measures put in place by Government to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change because for now Nigeria does not have a federal commission on Climate Change responsible for collating, understudying and advising Government on the effects of climate change. John’s epistle on climate change must be matched with verifiable facts and figures. Government must match words with action.
+Emmanuel Onwubiko heads the Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria, HURIWA.
