WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2023

REPORT ON THE COMMEMORATION OF WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2023

In the spirit of commemorating the World Environment Day on 5th June 2023, the Committee on Natural Resources, Energy and Environment (NREE) of the International Law Association- Nigeria Branch in Partnership with Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Institute for Oil, Gas, Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development (OGEES) and Triple Green Environment Development (TGED) organized a 2 day event to wit: an awareness campaign in Ado Ekiti, the state capital of Ekiti State and a Webinar with the title Solutions to Plastic Pollution.

The purpose of the campaign was to create awareness on the solution to plastic pollution in Ekiti State. It was an initiative carved out of the theme for the World Environment Day 2023 – “SOLUTIONS TO PLASTIC POLLUTION”.

The program kicked off at St Paul’s Anglican Church, Odo-Ado, where the brain behind the event, Oluwaseyi Ebenezer, Chairman of the Natural Resources, Energy and Environmental Law Committee of the International Law Association and the team lead of TGED Foundation gave the welcome address. She recognized all personalities and agency officials present and appreciated everyone who had come to participate in the program, especially the youths who are mostly the major victims of the effect of the plastic pollution.

After the short and soothingly-soft speech, the Vice Chancellor of Afe Babalola University; Professor Smaranda Olarinde declared the awareness campaign open while urging the members of the public to take environmental issues very seriously. Also, a  representative of the vicar of the Anglican Church, Odo Ado, the church that was used as a converging point commented on the importance of environmental awareness and commended the organizers for the program. 

The procession out of the Church premises began at about 8:40am. Participants went through Odo-Ado to Mathew street, Ado Ekiti. Many participants were carrying placards and banners with several inscriptions passing a message on the sanctity of the earth, the need to keep the environment clean, how to reduce plastic waste, what to do with plastic waste, the effect of plastic pollution, the longevity of plastics in the soil and many more. Members of the TGED foundation, ABUAD, and some organizations present wore branded T-shirts with “BEAT PLASTIC POLLUTION” in its front. The participants proceeded down to Ejigbo, Oke Isa and Oke Iyinmi junction, Ado Ekiti. Members of NYSC, TGED, OGEES and NESREA sensitized members of the public in a slowly moving truck through a public address system on the effects and solutions to plastic pollution in three different languages – English, Pidgin and Ekiti dialect. 

In attendance were persons from Afe Babalola University including the University’s Vice Chancellor – Professor Smaranda E. Olarinde, the Deputy Vice Chancellor – Prof Sylvester Ojo as well as Professor Sesan Fabamise from the University’s College of Law. Also in attendance were members from Triple Green Environmental Development (TGED) Foundation, the Institute of Oil, Gas, Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development (OGEES), members of National Youth Service Corps, students of the Faculty of Law Ekiti State University, members of the EKSU LEO Club, students of Fountain School, Representatives of the Federation of Ekiti State Student Union (FESSU) EKSU chapter, representatives of National Environmental Standard Regulatory Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the members of the Nigerian Police Force who coordinated the walk along the busy road.

The walk proceeded to and ended at Fajuyi pavilion, Ado Ekiti where various stakeholders in the environment sector in the State are gathered in commemoration of the World Environment Day 2023. General Managers, State Coordinators and members of environmental agencies, bodies and organizations in Ekiti such as the State Ministry of Environment, NESREA, Green Global, EKSWAMA and SEPA were present. Permanent Secretaries of various parastatals such as the ministry of Women Affairs, Housing, Urban and Rural Development, heads of market women and others were also present.

The Chair, NREE Committee of ILA Nigeria Branch, Mrs. Oluwaseyi Ebenezer urged Ekiti State Government to intensify efforts to save the environment and support the celebration of the World Environment Day every year. She asked for collaboration with the government because there are numerous local and international opportunities that can be leveraged on by the state government to actualize the dreams of an environmentally safe Ekiti State. 

THE WEBINAR: SOLUTIONS TO PLASTIC POLLUTION. 

On the 6th of June 2023 the NREE Committee of the ILA Nigerian Branch, in partnership with Afe Babalola University, Institute of Oil, Gas, Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development and Triple Green Environmental Development Foundation, organized a webinar with the theme: “Solutions to Plastic Pollution” in line with the theme of the World Environment Day 2023. 

The Webinar featured two sessions. First, is an interactive session with Prof. Christina Voigt – the Chairman, IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law, anchored by the Chairman of the NREE Committee of the ILA Nigerian Branch. During this session, the learned professor aptly uncovered practical ways to solve the menace of plastic pollution. She identified, in the course of her speech, that it is true that it can be practically difficult to explain important environmental concepts to people at the grass roots because of the technical and scientific terms used in the field. Also, she suggested that it is important to reach out to Government and decision makers to incorporate environment and climate change in the learning curriculum from basic to higher levels of learning. On circular economy, she explained that both the bottom up and top down approach should be explored.

The second session featured two speakers– Dr. Isa Elegbede and Dr. Adenike Akinsemolu. The session was filled with informative, educative and expository content on the possibilities of transcending into a circular economy. 

At the end of the session, questions were asked by the participants and answered by the speakers. Attendees include members of ILA, civil societies, Academians, students, members and officials of environment and climate related organizations and legal practitioners among others.

The webinar was highly educative and wide in scope as it discussed plastic pollution solutions both at local and international levels. 

INTRODUCTION

Earth Day is an international day devoted to our planet. It draws attention to the environment and promotes conservation and sustainability. World’s Earth Day is observed annually on 22^nd of April to create awareness among people about environmental protection. Every year the day is celebrated under a specific theme and this year’s theme is “Invest In Our Planet”. 

A clean environment is the key to the existence and survival of life on planet earth. Maintaining a clean environment reduces pollution, preserves our biosphere, protects endangered species and helps preserve the earth’s natural resources. A cleanup program cannot only reduce pollution, but by sorting neighborhood trash and recycling as much as possible can help to teach residents about recycling and other activities that will reduce the neighborhood carbon footprints. Cleanliness is important for it builds up a healthy environment that facilitates physical and mental well-being and growth. Every piece of trash that is taken away to be recycled or deposited in a landfill that is properly managed means there is one less dangerous item for birds, turtles or whales to swallow. Cleanups also restore these creature’s habitats. 

It is based on the foregoing that Triple Green Environmental Development Foundation (TGED Foundation) in collaboration with other stakeholders commemorate the World Earth Day 2023 with the theme “INVEST IN OUR PLANET” by organizing cleanup & sensitization programme at Oja Oba axis of Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State. The program was aimed at educating and sensitizing the people and traders in the market on how to keep our environment clean. The sensitization was also taken to the car park (Old garage) whereby the group also sensitized the drivers on how to manage their waste.  Market women and road transport workers who have been identified as the highest generators of waste in Ekiti State were sensitized in different Nigerian languages on the need for a clean and healthy environment for the betterment of the people in Ekiti State and Nigeria as a whole.

STAKEHOLDERS IN ATTENDANCE

• Ekiti State Waste Management Agency (EKSWAMA)
• National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA Ekiti State Office)
• National Environmental Safety, Regulation and Enforcement Agency (NESREA Ekiti Office)
• Ado Metropolitan club
• Ekiti Unique Leo club
• Ekiti State University Leo club
• FESSU EKSU
• JCIN EKSU

ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT

• Awareness creation & Sensitization.
•  Clean-up activities.

WELCOMING ADDRESS/ GOODWILL MESSAGES

The programme started at 9am with Mr. Omojola Odunayo representing TGED Foundation Team Lead introducing the Foundation and explaining briefly the theme of the Earth Day 2023 to everyone present at the program. He also went further to thank everyone at the program for taking time out of their busy schedule to attend the program. This was followed by goodwill messages by the representatives of some of the invited organizations.

Mr. Akinola Gbenga from NESREA in his speech addressed the people and told them waste is not a waste until it is wasted. He said it is very important to dispose of our waste properly. A properly disposed waste does not only help the environment clean, it also helps build our mental health and keep us away from deadly disease. He went further to state that when waste is not disposed properly, it can leak harmful pollutants into the air, soil and water and this can cause environmental damages as well as impacting people’s health negatively. Indiscriminate disposal of waste into drainages also causes erosion and flooding when they block the drainages rendering us homeless. Proper waste disposal helps to prevent this. 

Engr. Olofin Olaleke, the Director of Operation of EKSWAMA, in his message, appreciated TGED Foundation for organizing the sensitization programme, he also acknowledged the organization present for the cleanup/awareness programme. He went further to explain why it is necessary to keep the environment clean and how to manage our waste by disposing of them appropriately to avoid erosion and contaminating the environment, preventing blockage of the drainages during the rainy season.

All the organizations that came for the programme moves round the market, clean it up and also sensitize the traders on the importance of taking care of their environment, encouraging them to always keep their environment clean and dispose of their refuse properly. 

Join Us AS We Celebrate World Environment Day 2023

World Environment Day is a global platform for inspiring positive change. It aims to inspire more people than ever before to take action to prevent the growing strain on planet Earth’s natural resources, halt the degradation of ecosystems, and restore them to achieve global goals.

It is our collective responsibilities to protect the earth. Only healthy ecosystems can we enhance people’s livelihoods, fight climate change, and stop biodiversity collapse.

Join us as we take action to tackle plastic pollution.

Date: 5th June, 2023

beatplasticpollution

WED2023

Join us on World Environmental Day 2023 for a virtual event focused on finding solutions to the global issue of plastic pollution!

LINK TO REGISTER:
https://bit.ly/ilawed2023