Environmental News

Environmental News – Lagos To Generate Energy From Waste & More

Lagos Plan To Generate Energy From Garbage

The Lagos State Government has proposed a new model from energy in its approach to environmental waste management.

According to the state government, Olusosun, a popular landfill that has been a dumping ground for years, will soon become a model for the urban renewal and waste to wealth initiatives being undertaken by the state.

The Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare, while announcing the inauguration of the ‘Cleaner Lagos Initiative’, said the government was committed to finding renewable energy sources for the grossly under served parts of the state’ [Read More]

Why We Replaced Monthly Sanitation With Cleaner Lagos Initiative

Described as new thinking that will revolutionalise solid wastes management, Lagos State government has disclosed a new system of managing solid wastes that  would see to the overhauling of the old order of wastes management in the state starting from the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA’ [Read More]

UNEP Faults Nigeria, Others on Non-Implemenation of Environmental Laws

The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), has faulted Nigeria and most African countries for not implementing existing environmental laws.

UNEP Representative, Mr. Robert Wabunoha, made the revelation while speaking at a national workshop on Review of Environmental Enforcement Guidelines.

He stressed that UNEP has worked to support countries on compliance and enforcement dates back to decades’ [Read More].

Nigerian Government Commits To Environmental Protection

The Minister of Environment, Mrs Amina Mohammed, has restated Federal Government’s commitment to empowering Nigerians. Actions to protect the environment to achieve sustainable development were also discussed.

Mohammed said this in Abuja on Friday at an event to mark her one year in office.

She said “empowering people, taking climate action and protecting the environment are at the heart of changing the new narrative and putting Federal Ministry of Environment firmly on the path to sustainable development.’’ She recalled that after Nigeria signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the ministry embarked on nationwide tour to assess the gravity of environmental challenges and interact with the concerned communities.

“At the end of the tour, we were gaining firsthand experience of the ecological challenges facing Nigeria.

“The tour took us to states such as Lagos South West on issues of coastal erosion and urban slums, Imo and Anambra States on erosion watershed.

“We also visit Rivers State on Niger Delta Clean up, Kano/Jigawa in North West on industrial pollution and Yobe and Borno states in North East on issues of desertification.” [Read More].

Proven: Human Activity Affects Weather

New evidence of human influence on extreme weather events – after examining observational and simulated temperature, the research team concluded that there are two separate deadly heat waves. This heat waves occurred in India and Pakistan in the summer of 2015 and ‘were exacerbated by anthropogenic climate change’ [Read More].

 

 

Environmental News

Ozone Layer Depletion

Ozone layer depletion is a serious problem facing planet earth today

The layer of ozone gas is what protects us from the harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation of the sun. The ozone layer absorbs these harmful radiations and thus prevents these rays from entering the earth’s atmosphere.

Thus, it is necessary to understand its importance and work to control the depletion of this layer.

Nigerians are facing a very serious global environmental problem and there is a widespread concern that the ozone layer is deteriorating. This is due to the release of pollution-containing chemicals such as chlorine and bromine, the effects of bush burning, and the emission of greenhouse gases.

The depletion of the ozone layer is associated with several health related and environmental issues such as skin cancer, eye and immune system damage, aging of skin.

Ozone is a colourless gas which is found in the stratosphere of our upper atmosphere

Ozone in the lower atmosphere contributes to global warming and climate change.

In addition, UV rays have adverse effect on the marine ecosystem. It adversely affects the planktons which plays a vital role in the food chain and oceanic carbon cycle, thus affecting the whole ocean ecosystem.

Also, UV rays affect plants. UV radiation can alter the time of flowering in some plant species. It can also directly affect the plant growth by changing the physiological and developmental processes of plants.

The effects of human activities on the ozone layer affects all of us, including our unborn children. Therefore, everyone must contribute towards reducing ozone layer depletion.

Buying and using recycled products, saving energy, use of public transport amongst other small but significant lifestyle changes, can do a lot in combating ozone layer depletion.

The most important thing we can do is to spread awareness. But ultimately, it is our individual efforts which will go a long way in saving the earth’s blanket. Let us keep our planet habitable for us and future generations.

http://www.7continents5oceans.com/ozone-layer-depletion-causes-effects-and-solutions

 

overfishing
Environmental News

Overfishing

The ocean is the largest source of food in the world and fish is one of the main source of daily protein

But unfortunately, fishermen are more and more frequently returning home with empty nets.

Some scientists say that in the last 60 years’ stocks of large fish have fallen by 90 percent, and they are warning that we are facing the collapse of all types of fish species.

Overfishing is a form of overexploitation where fish stocks are reduced to below acceptable levels. Overfishing can occur in water bodies of any size, such as ponds, rivers, lakes or oceans. And this can result in resource depletion, reduced biological growth rates and low biomass levels.

Sustained overfishing can lead to critical depensation, where the fish population is no longer able to sustain itself.

Also, overfishing occurs when more fish are caught than the population can replace through natural reproduction.

Gathering as many fish as possible may seem like a profitable practice, but overfishing has serious consequences. The results not only affect the balance of life in the oceans, but also the social and economic well-being of the coastal communities who depend on fish for their way of life.

Long-line fishing vessels deploy 1.4 billion hooks a year, each with a slice of fish hanging from them as bait. There are trawling vessels that cast nets with an opening of 4 football fields, that’s big enough to hold 13 jumbo jets.

These nets can catch up to 500 tons of fish. Amongst the 500 tons there is a lot of bi-catch. Bi-catch is marine creatures that are incidentally caught, often at large quantity.

Typically, shrimp trawlers throw 80 to 90 percent of the dead marine creatures caught back overboard. It is estimated that for every kilo of shrimp caught, up to 9 kilos of other marine wildlife are wasted.

Many of the fish that are farmed are carnivorous or eat other fish to survive

According to a 2008 UN report, the world’s fishing fleets are losing US$50 billion each year through depleted stocks and poor fisheries management. The report, produced jointly by the World Bank and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), asserts that half the world’s fishing fleet could be scrapped with no change in catch.

To this end, regulatory measures should be introduced for controlling overfishing. Also, creating awareness of overfishing can be effective in fisheries management. Thus, improving compliance.

http://planetearthherald.com/no-fish-left-in-50-years-from-now/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overfishing

Environmental NewsPollution

Environmental Pollution

Environmental pollution is a major problem in recent years

Therefore, keeping our environment clean should be our top priority.

To keep our environment safe and healthy, we need to control the level of pollution.

Globally speaking, environmental pollution is bigger than we think. In many cities, there are problems with dirty air, sound pollution from traffic and other disturbing noises. The most severe environmental pollution is happening in developing countries of the third world. This is because not only do they lack sustainable management, they also lack basic sanitation system. So, you can imagine how bad the environmental condition is.

Thus, environmental pollution can be described as the introduction of different harmful pollutants into the environment. These pollutants make the environment unhealthy to live in. The most common pollutants are chemicals, smoke, noise, garbage, and waste water.

Environmental pollution happens in many parts of the world, especially in form of air and water pollution. In 2012, according to the World Health Organization, an estimated 7 million people were killed by diseases relating to indoor and outdoor air pollution alone.

Pollution of the environment causes great damage to the ecosystem

Also, air and water pollution can cause death of many organisms in a given ecosystem, including humans.

As a result, many developed countries have introduced certain laws to regulate various types of pollution. These laws were developed to mitigate the adverse effects of pollution. Without proper pollution control, environment soon becomes unhealthy.

Preventing introduction of pollutants into the environment is the best way to protect the environment from pollution. To do so, it is important to develop ecological ethics of neighbouring communities, and their effective waste management system such as waste recycling.

In conclusion, we should always keep our environment clean as this is prerequisite for a healthy living. Also, fighting pollution is definitely the best way to keep our environment safe.

http://pollutionarticles.blogspot.com.ng/2009/11/environmental-pollution-definition-and.html

 

 

 

Awards

President Buhari & The Nigerian Academy of Engineering

Our chairperson and founder, Engr (Mrs) Joanna Olu Maduka who is also the current president of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering recently conferred the title of Grand patron of the Nigerian Academy of Engineers on President Mohammed Buhari of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Engr Mrs Joanna Maduka is the 1st female President of the Nigerian Academy of Engineers and the 1st female registered engineer in Nigeria

The investiture ceremony held at the State House on 29th November, 2016, and was carried out by the 9th President of the Academy, Engr (Mrs) Joanna Olu Maduka MFR, and the Technical Secretary of Nigerian Academy of Engineering Engr. I.K. Inuwa OFR.

Other members of the academy present at the ceremony were the Vice President of the academy, Engr. Prof. Fola Lasisi and a past president of the academy, Engr. Dr. E.J. Amana.

President Buhari during his speech said his administration will heavily utilize talents and skills of local engineers to rebuild ailing infrastructure across the country, describing the engineers as ‘‘competent and cost effective.’’

He added that the well-trained and highly experienced engineers had contributed immensely to the infrastructural development of the country, and they remain indispensable. He also said both military and civilian administrations over the years depended on Nigerian engineers for designs and constructions across the country. ‘‘By insisting that we must be cost effective in building infrastructure, we will utilize Nigerian engineers. I respect them a lot, and I know it takes time to be trained as an engineer,’’ he said.

The President noted that local engineers contributed more than 90 percent to the design and realization of two refineries, 2,500 pipelines and 20 depots in the country during his tenure as Minister of Petroleum in the mid-1970s, adding that the success of the Petroleum Trust Fund was largely hinged on their skills. ‘‘Somehow, every time and anywhere I have served in this country, we found it cost effective to use Nigerian engineers, and we relied on their capacity to understudy, learn and deliver.

The Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE) was established by statute in 1997

It was established as a non-profit and non-governmental institution for the promotion of excellence in engineering training and practice to ensure the technological growth of Nigeria.

The Academy is a national “Think Tank” for Engineering and Technology that provides leadership in national engineering and technological issues by conducting studies and research on relevant issues and making inputs to developmental policies at the highest possible level.

https://www.bellanaija.com/2016/11/nigerian-society-of-engineers-decorates-president-buhari-as-its-grand-patron/

http://www.olisa.tv/2016/11/photos-president-buhari-decorated-grand-patron-nigerian-academy-of-engineers/