Nigeria has been deemed the country with the largest deforestation rate in the world, with an annual loss of 3.7% forest, according to a recent report by the United Nations. This is expected to be of concern to all the parties involved. Forest wildlife serve a variety of climate importance and environmental roles, including preventing desertification, keeping air quality high, and keeping water supplies stable. Forests are home to a wide variety of creatures and hold immense value for humans in various monetary, aesthetic, industrial, and religious contexts. It is anticipated that the incoming administration should give environmental protection a higher priority.
The biggest environmental hazard in Nigeria is deforestation, even though air pollution, population growth, the effects of climate change and global warming are all major problems globally. Not to mention the problems with waste management and disposal, floods, desertification, gully soil, and coastline erosion that plague some areas. Given the current state of affairs, in which criminal gangs and other bandits have taken over the country’s forests, it is clear that environmentally and socially legitimate means of forest management are urgently required.
Insecurity and illicit forest harvesting are a menace to the country.
Many of the nation’s forests were already in danger from bush burning and illicit logging before the problem of criminal encroachment arose, and the lack of actions aimed at their regeneration only made things worse. As things stand right now, there is less than 4% of the country’s natural forest left untouched. It is estimated that 1.5 million trees are cut down every day as a result of illegal forest extraction with even more terrible statistic. There are around 484 different plant species in Nigeria that are in danger of going extinct.
Also, it is estimated that the desert continues to advance at a rate of more than 1.6 kilometers each year. Nearly 3,000 erosion sites have been identified in the Southeast. The flooding in Lagos is also unusual. The rising heat is becoming intolerable, and farmers have a hard time adjusting to the resulting climate variability, both of which have significant societal and economic consequences. The National Park Service, which is tasked with safeguarding extensive areas of forests and the species they contain, is understaffed and underfunded.
Efforts to curb environmental irregularities are necessary.
Several crucial steps need to be performed in the coming years if the country is going to reclaim its land from natural disasters. It’s time to start again with the country’s environmental policy. The destruction and degradation of the natural environment across the nation should be restrained by increasing the fight against insurgency and banditry. Greater attention and resources need to be given to environmental restoration efforts like the Great Green Wall Project. Strict legal regulations should protect the varied ecosystems and their biodiversity.
Additionally, Ecological Funds should be used more openly and be held more accountable to ensure that all of the money is used for its intended purpose. Gas flaring and the usage of antiquated machinery contribute significantly to the emission of harmful gases. Hence more restrictions are needed to stop this practice. The country’s electricity problems need to be fixed so that generators are used as little as possible. There has to be more support and collaboration for the Green Recovery Project at the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF).
Nigeria habits varieties of unique plant and animal species.
Lastly, the remaining forests in Nigeria are home to some 4,000 unique plant species, including several that have proven useful in the study and creation of alternative medicine. The country is home to a number of unique animal species, some of which can only be found here in Nigeria and nowhere else. The Niger Delta is a habitat to a variety of distinctive wildlife, such as the Ibadan Malimbe, Jos Indigo Bird, Anambra Waxbill, white-throated monkey (Cercopithecus erythrogaster pococki), Niger Delta Red Colobus Monkey, and the Niger Delta Pigmy Hippo. However, loss of habitat is a major human caused hazard to all of these vital species.
Related Link
NCF: Website
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