To mark the 2024 World Environment Day in solidarity with global celebrations, Save the Children International in Nigeria has urged the government to take urgent measures for the prevention of the reckless felling of trees nationwide. During the School Children’s Art and Photography Exhibition/Competition and tree planting activities, Ifedilichukwu Innocent, the Advocacy, Campaign, and Policy Manager for SCI Nigeria, made this call to address the government. The people suggested that the government should establish procedures and regulations.
These regulations will make the thoughtless cutting down of trees a punishable crime in order to discourage individuals from engaging in such behaviour. He emphasized the necessity for government at every level to prioritize tree planting and the replenishment of trees that have been removed. This replanting of trees should be done across different areas, along with the implementation of strategies and options to deter individuals from cutting down trees in order to protect the environment.
Restoring land, rehabilitating ecosystems, & building resilience to drought.
He claimed that despite government efforts, there is still a lack of clean energy options for cooking, leading to the continued reliance on cutting down trees. World Environment Day in 2024 focused on the importance of restoring land, rehabilitating ecosystems, and building resilience to drought. His statement emphasized that governments have failed to adequately supply clean energy for families to utilize in their cooking practices, resulting in a continued dependence on the unsustainable practice of cutting down trees for fuel by individuals and families.
Replacing these trees is crucial for environmental conservation efforts. This action is essential for the preservation of the natural environment. He further discussed how the tree planting initiative aimed to involve the participation of students in environmental conservation efforts. This campaign not only motivates children to plant trees but also raises awareness among various groups, including the government and development partners, about the importance of intentional tree planting to ensure proper protection of the environment.
Ecosystems are in danger in every corner of the globe.
Nevertheless, Rebecca Mamven, Deputy Director of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, expressed approval for the theme ‘Land Restoration, Rehabilitation, and Drought Resilience’, deeming it fitting and relevant at this moment. Mamven praised SCI for educating communities on environmental issues, providing effective solutions for soil erosion, combating desertification, and enhancing drought resistance through the cultivation of various trees and plants in a sustainable manner. The theme of this year’s World Environment Day campaign was centred around the importance of restoring land, combating desertification, and building resilience against drought with the motto “Our land. Our future.”
In 2024, the global festivities for World Environment Day were held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Ecosystems are in danger in every corner of the globe. Whether it be forests, deserts, agricultural lands, or bodies of water, crucial natural habitats are approaching a critical threshold that is essential for human survival. The UN Convention to Combat Desertification states that nearly 40% of the earth’s land has been degraded, impacting around half of the global population. Since 2000, there has been a 29% increase in both the frequency and length of droughts. If immediate measures are not taken, it is projected that droughts will impact more than 75% of the world’s population by 2050.
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The focus of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) is to emphasize the importance of restoring land to its natural state. This global initiative aims to promote the conservation and revitalization of ecosystems in order to support the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals. World Environment Day 2024 is dedicated to the importance of restoring and preserving land, preventing desertification, and strengthening human’s ability to withstand drought. The theme for this year has to do with Protecting Land, Securing Human’s Future, Together.