Conservationists warn of imminent animal extinction

A team of conservation biologists and other experts are calling for a coordinated global plan to prevent the world's largest mammal species, also known as "mega fauna" from sliding into oblivion.

The group, which consists of more than 40 biologists, said that factors responsible for the mass extinction are illegal hunting, deforestation and habitat loss, the expansion of agriculture and livestock into wildlife areas, and the growth of human populations.

Professor of Ecology at Oregon State University and the leader of the team, Dr. William Ripple, said in their study that many species, including many of the most well-known, charismatic species such as elephants, rhinos, gorillas, and big cats are now threatened with extinction.

One of the Scientists, Dr. Elizabeth Bennett explained that the biggest threat for many species is direct hunting which is driven by a demand for meat, pets, and body parts for traditional medicines and ornaments.

Bennett reiterated that only a massive commitment from the international community will stop the rampant destruction of many animal populations.

The study shows that about 59 per cent of the world's biggest mammalian carnivore species including the tiger and 60 per cent of the largest herbivores are now listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species as threatened with extinction.

NAHIMAT

China sets up South-China Sea Environment Protection Fund

China has set up a 15 million yuan (which is more than two million dollar) Environmental Protection Fund for the South China Sea, having spent double that in the past four years.

According to China’s environmental protection official, Shi Guoning, the funds will be used to support scientific research and development of new methods and equipment in environmental protection.

The funds, which will be used over the next three years, would initially be spent on exploring the world’s deepest underwater sinkhole in the Paracel Islands.

The Chinese government has also released fish and sea turtles into the sea six times and cracked down on illegal hunting of sea birds.

China claims more than 90 per cent of the South China Sea, an area which accounts for more than a tenth of global fisheries production and is also claimed in part by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague had earlier ruled that China did not have historic rights to the South China Sea and also condemned environmental destruction in the waters.

China rejected the ruling and refused to participate in the case.

The tribunal found that China’s large-scale land reclamation and construction of artificial islands has caused severe harm to coral and violated its obligation to preserve fragile marine environments.

China has repeatedly denied damaging the environment in the South China Sea.

Over the past four years, China has spent more than 30 million yuan to protect reefs and islets.

Shorter working hours needed to save mother Earth.

A new UN Report has stated that saving the environment may require people to work shorter hours in the future.

The United Nations’ International Resource Panel Report says human beings will have to reduce the number of time they work in order to save the Earth’s natural resources.

The Panel's co-chair, Alicia Barcena Ibarra said that rethinking the way people use materials is essential if they are to safeguard humanity's future.

Ibarra said that a prosperous and equitable world that overcomes these problems will require transformative changes in how people live their lives and how they consume Earth’s materials.

She explained that the amount of raw materials extracted from the Earth has tripled over the last 40 years, saying Earth’s extraction rose to 70 billion tons in 2010 up from 22 billion tons in 1970.

Meanwhile, the efficiency of raw material use has been declining since 2000, just as their global use has rapidly accelerated as emerging economies like China embarked on ambitious industrial and urban transformations.

The report found that the world's richest countries consume on average 10 times as much raw materials the poorest nations and about twice the world average.

If the world continues on its current trajectory, by 2050 the planet will need three times more raw materials than are consumed today, intensifying climate change and pollution as well as ultimately leading to the depletion of the Earth's natural resources, the report said.

Nigerian Government to protect Marine environment.

The Nigerian Government has promised to continue to safeguard the country’s marine environment in order to improve on revenue generation.

The Nigeria’s Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, stated this during the inauguration of the Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence System of the Nigerian Ports Authority.

Amaechi said that the facility will provide improved and secured communications within the waterways for enhancement of efficiency within the nation’s seaports.

The Minister explained that the Nigerian seaports provide one of the major platforms for trade facilitation with about 90 per cent of Nigeria’s imports and exports being done through the seaports.

Also, the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Ms Hadiza Usman, said that the agency would undertake detailed security assessment of port facilities.

She said that the facility would enable the Ports Authority to surmount security and safety challenges within its operations, with the capability of an interface with stakeholders aiding us to track and record maritime security breaches.

Usman added that the technology will enable the Nigerian Ports Authority to ensure that all revenue leakages are blocked.

UN RIGHTS GROUP CONDEMNS FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATIONS

A human right activist, Suzanne Bowles has condemned the practice of female genital mutilation, saying the eradication of the practice requires a grassroots approach.



Suzanne Bowles was one of the rights activists who attended a recent UN meeting on the issue to represent the human rights group, Tostan.

According to Bowles, the practice affects more than two million women and girls and is considered a 'social norm' in many parts of the world, but the UN has condemned it as a human rights violation.

Female genital cutting or mutilation, as it is known, is the altering of female genitalia for non-medical reasons. 

She explained that her organisation was able to educate people on the need for the eradication of the practice through community networks, religious leaders and through different sensitization programmes. 

Bowles however urged other organisations to adopt the same strategy to stem the tide of female genital cutting in most communities around the world.

NAHIMAT 

Nigerian Health Ministry launches Rapid Result Initiative

The Nigeria’s Ministry of Health has launched the Rapid Result Initiative programme, tagged: “Better Health for all.”

The programme is designed to produce quick and visible impact that would affect the lives of every Nigerian, especially the most vulnerable and poor in the society.

The Launch of the programme portrayed the preparedness and determination of the Federal Ministry of Health to kick-start the operationalization of the programme to achieve result within 100 days.

While briefing the newsmen, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said the set targeted goals are ambitious, but certainly achievable and would keep the top management of the Federal Ministry of Health on their toes in the next 100 days of implementation.

The Minister of Health said the Rapid Result Initiative would be deployed in seven major areas that would conform to both local and international health standards.

Under this project, Prof. Adewole said the Federal Ministry of Health would work to revamp 110 Primary Health Centres within the next 100 days, one in each senatorial district, including a facility in Fuka Local Government Area of Niger State.

The Minister explained that the Fuka community suffered high case fatality from Lassa fever due to cultural interpretation of the cause of the disease.

He said: “During my unscheduled visit to FUKA, I noticed that there was no functional Primary Health Centre to offer basic health care and I promised that Federal Government will provide a functional facility. Today as we speak, the Fuka Primary Health Centre is ready for commissioning.”

The Minister said the Ministry would also inaugurate Mutual Health Associations at community level to improve access to affordable and qualitative health care.

The Mutual Health Associations are incorporated body registered by the National Health Insurance Scheme exclusively to access health care service through health care facilities accredited by the scheme, he explained.

Speaking on malnourished children in North East, Prof. Adewole said that Rapid Response Initiative would focus on treating 200,000 Malnourished children who are under five years of age in the North-East region of the country.

The Minister further explained that 10,000 surgeries, including Herniorrhaphy, Cleft lip and palate repairs, Myomectomy, Hysterectomy, Vesico-Vaginal Fistula VVF among others would be carried out in 46 federal tertiary institutions for indigent Nigerians.

The Minister said the initiative was to have at least one laboratory in each geopolitical region including the Federal Capital Territory.

He explained further that the designated Hospital as Laboratories were University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, University Of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Borno State, University of Enugu Teaching Hospital, Enugu State, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Jos University Teaching Hospital and Asokoro/Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital Federal Capital Territory.

Prof. Adewole said that the Health Ministry would partner with Novo Nordisk to screen about 500,000 Nigerians for diabetes and they would be appropriately referred to facilities that would cater for their needs if need be.

The Health Minister added that the Media and Publicity component of Rapid Response Initiative would be on ground to engender trust and accountability through media campaigns and close monitoring of the programme to ensure that quality services were provided to the people as promised.

FG launches Rapid Result Initiative for Better Health

FG launches Rapid Result Initiative for Better Health

UN criticises UK and Germany for betraying Paris climate deal

The United Nations has accused the United Kingdom and Germany of backtracking on the spirit of the Paris climate deal by financing the fossil fuel industry through subsidies.

UN special envoy on climate change and El-Niño, Mary Robinson, said that she had to speak out after Germany promised compensation for coal power and the UK provided tax breaks for oil and gas.

Robinson, who was the former president of Ireland, said that the British government introduced new tax breaks for oil and gas in 2015, and that this will cost the UK taxpayer billions between 2015 and 2020, while at the same time cutting support for renewables and for energy efficiency.

Governments, in Paris last year, had not only pledged to phase out fossil fuels in the long term, but to make flows of finance consistent with the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

The criticism comes as Theresa May’s government has come under fire at home and abroad for its leadership on climate change after it abolished the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

The leader of the Green party, Natalie Bennett, said that the indictment of the UK’s energy policy comes just days after the new Prime Minister scrapped the Department of Energy and Climate Change and appointed an Environment Secretary who has consistently voted against measures to tackle climate change.

Robinson said that while Germany had made some positive steps such as aiding developing countries on climate change, it was sending mixed messages.

“Germany says it’s on track to end coal subsidies by 2018 but the German government is also introducing new mechanisms that provide payment to power companies for their ability to provide a constant supply of electricity, even if they are polluting forms, such as diesel and coal,” she said.

She however called on Germany to make a real commitment to get out of coal.

Robinson’s intervention comes as a group of international statesmen and women, including her, Kofi Annan and Desmond Tutu, known as the Elders, released a statement saying they had “major concerns” about action by leaders since the Paris agreement last December.

The Elders group said that some Presidents and Prime Ministers across the world are making investment decisions that run contrary the Paris deal.

 “Some countries are even increasing subsidies to fossil fuel production. This is simply not good enough. While all countries need to act, the industrialized and wealthy countries must lead by example,” they warned.

Robinson said she been to Ethiopia recently and seen the way man-made climate change was aggravating natural climate phenomenon such as El-Niño, which brings drought to some parts of the world, and flooding to others. “I saw so many malnourished children, and it’s not tolerable.”

NAHIMAT

UNESCO WORKSHOP DISCUSSES WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT

As part of efforts to reduce unnecessary illness and deaths associated with unhygienic water supply, the UN agency in charge of education has organised a workshop in Tanzania to stop the menace.

More than one hundred professionals and decision-makers from different disciplines gathered in Dar es Salaam over the weekend to deliberate on Global Water Pathogen Project.

The Project, which is a product of the UN Educational and Scientific Organisation UNESCO, aims to develop knowledge resources to reduce deaths linked to waste pathogens and the lack of safe drinking water and basic sanitation.

The workshop, with the theme "Productive Wastewater and Excreta Management in Africa", was opened by Dr George Lugomela on behalf of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, Eng. Mbogo Futakamba.

In his address, Eng Futakamba urged participants to look at the common goal in addressing challenges caused by the inadequate access to water, sanitation and poverty. He also called for a hard work on the project to ensure there is improvement in knowledge on sanitation technologies.

Eng Futakamba explained that the regional focus of the workshop was of particular relevance in knowing that Africa is among the world's regions that have the lowest level of sanitation coverage.

He said that Africa is a continent with the largest number of countries where less than half of the population has access to improved sanitation, citing Tanzania as an example.

He said although 93 per cent of households in the country had a latrine by 2008, only 24 per cent of Tanzanians had access to improved sanitation.

The workshop, according to UNESCO Programme Specialist, Alexandros Makarigakis, is part of efforts at raising awareness in communities of all the stakeholders on the project resources.

Makarigakis said that it was also aimed to gather facts to help build a new benchmark on the water and sanitation targets.

The project, implemented by the UNESCO International Hydrological Programme in partnership with Michigan State University, will end next year after creating the current benchmark reference work on water and related disease risks and interventions.

Participants who were drawn from different institutions discussed challenges related to wastewater and excreta management and the solutions available.

Participants had a chance to acquaint themselves with the GWPP resource to help improve efficiency.

The GWPP, which involves over 110 experts from 41 countries, is a grand effort to compile updated information on pathogens in sewage and water, and the tools available to destroy them.

NAHIMAT 

NSCDC advises residents of flood-prone areas to relocate.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Kaduna State Command, has advised people living near river banks to either relocate or adopt preventive measures as the rainy season heightens.

The advice was given by the State Corps Commandant, Alhaji Modu Bunu. He said that the appeal had become necessary in view of the ugly experiences of the past.

Bunu recalled how flood disaster caused untold hardship to residents of Kigo Road, Kabal Coastain, Bachama Road in Tudun-Wada, Ramat Road in Ungwan Rimi and Goni-Gora among other places in Kaduna in the past.

He explained that rain frequency is usually high in the months of August to October, thereby exposing those who reside near river banks and flood-prone areas to the risk of flood.

State Corps Commandant therefore advised people living near river banks, who could possibly be affected by flood, to do the needful in order to prevent a repeat of the disaster.

He said the Command was ready to discharge its official duties effectively, particularly in disaster management, provided such occurrence was reported promptly.

Bunu reiterated the determination of the command to respond promptly and with required attention to emergency situations.

NAHIMAT

Environmental Monitoring Hub opens in West Africa

A new environmental monitoring program has been launched in West Africa to improve space-based observations in the management of climate-sensitive issues facing Africa.

The environmental monitoring program, called SERVIR-West Africa, was formally opened by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA and the U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID.

SERVIR-West Africa, which is based in Niamey, Niger Republic, is one of the four NASA-USAID sponsored centers operating in developing regions of the world.

The SERVIR center is the newest facility for a growing global community of scientists and decision-makers who are using publicly available data from space to manage climate-sensitive issues, such as food security, water resources, land use change and natural disasters.

According to NASA Administrator, Charles Bolden, who took part in the facility’s official opening on Thursday, "NASA is deeply committed to Earth science and the value it provides people around the globe.

Bolden said that "Together with USAID, we are continuing the effort to bring space-based science down to Earth for real time, real world uses that are changing people’s lives where they live."

Also the Director of USAID’s West Africa Regional Office, Alex Deprez, explained that SERVIR-West Africa will engage scientists across the region to partner with one another to address the greatest challenges in the region.

SERVIR is a joint NASA-USAID development initiative that operates internationally in partnership with leading regional organizations to train developing countries in the use of data from space to become better stewards of the planet and its resources, while also meeting the societal needs. Programs in each region focus on issues and needs most critical to their local populations.

Culled from NASA

Edited by Nahimat