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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Save the Children Initiative has advised the Federal Government to vote more funds for environmental protection in order to ward off the devastating effect of climate change.
It, also, noted that it was time for Nigeria and other African countries to do away with fossil fuel which is a contributory factor to environment pollution.
Its Director of Advocacy, Amanuel Mamo, who made the suggestions on Thursday in Abuja, during the COP28 simulation event, encouraged tree planting and awareness on the negative effect of climate change.
Mamo said: “The first thing we should do is to develop a behaviour and responsible behaviour to protect the environment.
“So we should be cautious and deliberate in terms of how we minimise polluting the environment. The use of environmental unfriendly materials, plastics.
“The second thing is that the government needs to be deliberate in terms of investing more on environmental protection.
“It can be as simple as mobilising the communities to plant trees. The more we plant trees, the more we will be able to minimise the carbon emission on the on the environment, which contributes to control or minimise climate crisis.
“The third thing we need to do is to actually raise awareness. I do not think all the people have equal understanding or even the basic understanding of what is climate change and how it is affecting the life of people.
“So that should be a campaign where the government and partners and all will be mobilising to enhance the understanding of the community so that they will now start to develop a responsible behaviour to protect the environment.
“Also, we need to increase the investment in climate crisis. The Ministry of Environment and all other ministries, agencies and departments I think, should deliberately increase the costing or the budgeting on environment.
“So we are also advocating for climate financing, which is really key in terms of addressing the issue. Maybe the final thing we need to add is to scale up our best practices and to maintain them and to identify where we are at the first place actually, and engage children this is very critical for several children.”
He implored participants at the climate change summit to prioritise the suggestions of children, adding that they are the most affected.
“Children should be a part of the decision making process, whether it is climate crisis or any other issues that affect them. They should be there. Their voices their choices. And perspectives and their recommendations should be considered.
“And I would like to call upon states and governments who are meeting in Dubai, to really listen to the voices of children, what are they saying and demanding from governments around the world? I think that should be well listened and addressed as well.”
Also, a member representing Kukawa Constituency and a Climate Change Ambassador, Kubra Ali Kinandi, complained about the vulnerability of children to climate change.
She recalled how flood in Borno State, affected children as some of them were exposed to diarrhoea.
Kukawa appealed to the authorities and residents to be mindful of the environment by keep the it need.
