Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Permanent Secretary, Ecological Project Office (EPO), Dr Habiba Lawal has advocated scientific ways of addressing climate change and other environmental challenges.
Dr Habiba Lawal, Permanent Secretary, Ecological Project Office (EPO), made the call during an interactive session with participants of National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) in Abuja.
The interactive session had as theme, “Global Climate Challenge: Prospects and Priorities for Economic Development and Conflict Resolutions in Africa.”
Lawal also urged them to develop conflict management tools to predict early warning indicator.
She said that NISS should develop and implement policies and strategies to deal with climate change related conflicts across boundaries in Africa.
“I urge the institute to be more scientific in their studies, especially on climate change challenges, as Africa is deeply committed to global scientific evidence to find solution to global gravity of climate monster.
“Science is the basis for decision making, if the challenge is to be comprehended.
“The institute should assist to develop a database for natural resources susceptible to the impacts of climate change that will ensure peace and security on the continent.
“I also urged the institute to support and enhance education, training, awareness, capacity building on resources based and climate change related conflicts.
“The institute should as well ensure that it sustain the platform for exchanging ideas on climate change and good practices on peace, conflict and security in Africa,” she said.
The Permanent Secretary expressed worry over pressures mounting on natural resources, which was already becoming scarce in the face of climate change.
She added that increase in population had also led to insecurity and conflicts, undermining peace in Africa as a result of the uneven use of the resources.
She said that the 5th Assement Report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), explicitly shows the world was warming faster than estimated before and that humans caused most of such change.
According to her, Africa countries have been the aggrieved party all along, considering that they virtually play no part in precipitating the menacing global threat.
“The effect of climate change are widespread and significant, affecting agriculture, energy, human health, terrestrial and marine ecosystems, among others especially in Africa,” she said.
She, however, noted that there were ongoing initiatives at global, regional, sub-regional and national levels to develop strategies in adressing climate change challenges.
Lawal, however, called for collective effort by relevant stakeholders to counteract the numerous risks associated with climate change.
Earlier, the Deputy Commandant of the institute, Egbeji Didacus, said that the purpose of the visit was to share knowledge as well as ideas and to learn more from the EPO office.
Didacus explained that every year the institute ran a 10 months course of participants with not less than rank of deputy directors or equivalent in armed-forces
He said that the course focused on conflict resolution in Africa, adding that the institute had about 76 participants drew from agencies and parastatals in government office.
He said that this year, NISS would tour various states in Nigeria including Africa and Asian countries, adding that the aim of the tour was to share knowledge and idea on global climate change challenges.
“The participants will prepare preliminary reports from the states, while the chief executive or the representarive will be in attendace.
“The ambassador or a representative of the country will also be in attendance to see our findings for the course.
“We will make a lot of projects presentations and ensure that we defend each project presented.”
