Group says environmental degradation caused by Nigeria’s growing rural unemployment
A Non-Governmental Organization, Climate and Sustainable Development Network (CSDevNet) has said that the prevailing unemployment rate in Nigeria’s rural areas is a major cause of environmental degradation in the communities.
Mr Pius Oko, CSDevNet’s Project Officer, stated this in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday.
According to the statement, the lack of a viable source of livelihood and non-sustainable means of energy are key causative factors for environmental degradation.
It explained that the high demand for firewood and charcoal for instance has led to the adoption of environmentally degrading and destructive activities and practices which destroy the environmental ecosystem.
Accordingly, the environmental group urges rural communities to do all that they can to protect the ecosystem as environmental challenges remain high in Nigeria.
It however, stated that civil society and local media need to embark on an awareness campaign on climate change impacts and the importance of climate actions.
CSDevNet further said that a meeting was recently held in Adamawa with representatives from three states comprising of Taraba, Adamawa and Kaduna to address challenges associated with environmental degradation.
The statement added that the meeting was to foster federal and state alignment in policy development and implementation for climate resilience through afforestation.
It disclosed that three states joined the Federal Ministry of Environment and Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and civil societies to deliberate and produce an action plan for the reduction of deforestation and improvement of Nigeria’s forestry policy. (NAN)
