The Media Awareness and Justice Initiative (MAJI) group has urged the Federal Government and stakeholders to utilise data tools and strategies to tackle the environmental and climate issues affecting Nigeria’s tropical areas. According to report, human actions such as oil spills, informal oil processing, and unregulated Mining are causing widespread environmental destruction and biodiversity loss in the country. The country’s rich tropical diversity is in danger, as almost all of the world’s mangrove forests and species are at risk of extinction.
At a press briefing in Port Harcourt, MAJI’s Executive Director, Onyekachi Emmanuel, highlighted the importance of evidence-based interventions. He pointed out that insufficient environmental information affects the government’s efforts to tackle Climate Change and environmental degradation. Emmanuel announced the launch of DATACAB, a mobile app from the organisation that focuses on analysing environmental records for stakeholder insights. He encouraged all relevant parties to implement data-driven strategies to address environmental issues in the country’s tropical areas.
Nigeria’s tropical ecosystem issues should be addressed with strategies.
According to the group, the Federal Government and other stakeholders should reflect on the nation’s ecological issues. Everyone must urgently adopt technological solutions, data-driven strategies, and evidence-supported actions to address the significant ecological and Sustainability issues impacting the nation’s diverse tropical ecosystems. The country’s biodiversity in tropical ecosystems is in grave danger due to human activities like oil spills, artisanal crude oil refining, unchecked carbon Emissions in the Southern tropics, and unregulated mining and conflict in the Northern Sahel region.
Mangrove forests, found mostly in tropical regions, are crucial for supporting a variety of animal species and are also important as carbon sinks. These forests cover nearly 95% of the world’s mangrove areas and are home to 99% of essential mangrove species. The Media Awareness and Justice Initiative in Nigeria points out that more ecological information is needed to ensure government agencies effectively address the impact of climate change and tropical Forest loss and their consequences on community life and livelihoods.
MAJI urges the government to use data and tech for climate action.
They urge the Nigerian government and stakeholders to take immediate action in implementing effective scientific strategies to combat the challenges caused by climate change in the tropical regions in honour of the 2024 World Day of the Tropics. While MAJI’s ‘DATACAB Ecological Portal’ reveals some of these issues through the information collection and analysis, they emphasise the importance of increased collaboration among stakeholders to improve public education, awareness, and involvement. They are convinced that this will greatly help reduce the effects of these impacts.
Furthermore, the collaboration between the Media Awareness and Justice Initiative and the United States Consular General Office aims to address Nigeria’s urgent need for comprehensive ecological knowledge. The DATACAB app will empower stakeholders with valuable information to make informed habitat protection and sustainability decisions. By prioritising the documentation of ecosystem records, Nigeria’s government can take proactive steps towards protecting the environment for future generations. With easy access to Android and iOS devices, DATACAB is set to support the country’s efforts in promoting biodiversity awareness and conservation.
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This collaborative effort is essential for enhancing the effectiveness of conservation protection efforts in tropical regions. By harnessing open-source Technology solutions, they can gather and analyse information more efficiently, leading to more informed decision-making processes. This approach will enable a better understanding of the impact of Pollution on tropical ecosystems and wildlife, guiding the implementation of targeted interventions to mitigate these effects. Through this joint initiative, governments, Private Sector entities, NGOs, and other stakeholders can work together to defend the biodiversity and sustainability of tropical areas for future generations.