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UNESCO, 30 Nations Partner On Sustainable Environment

The growing concern about issues arising from climate change on a daily basis across the globe has brought the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural … Continue reading UNESCO, 30 Nations Partner On Sustainable Environment


UNESCO, 30 Nations Partner On Sustainable Environment

The growing concern about issues arising from climate change on a daily basis across the globe has brought the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and more than 30 countries together for the Fifth General Assembly of Man and Biosphere (MAB).

Representatives from 28 African countries, Germany and Belgium led by the Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences at UNESCO, Dr Flavia Schlegel, converged on the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan.

The Fifth MAB Assembly seeks to find solutions to the myriad of environmental problems confronting many African countries, as a result of mismanagement of natural reserves and the consequent catastrophic results on man and the environment.

In her address, Dr Schlegel said UNESCO would take the lead to rehabilitate and strengthen the resilience of the Lake Chad basin systems.

Dr Flavia Schlegel

She said the development would create a transboundary biosphere reserve and world heritage site between Nigeria, Chad, Cameroun, Niger, and the Central African Republic.

The Minister of State for Environment, Mr Ibrahim Jibril, on his part, believes the issues of climate change are real and scary.

He, however, said the Federal Government was fully supporting projects aimed at balancing the conflicting goals of biological diversity conservation, as well as promoting human development while maintaining associated cultural values.

Also addressing a gathering at the end of the weeklong assembly, the Executive Director of Forestry Reserve Institute of Nigeria, Dr. Adeshola Adepoju, said the project was critical to the African continent. as it aligns with the global agenda 2030, sustainable development goals 13 and 15 which relate to conservation, preservation and sustainable use of biosphere.

Adepoju said it aligns with the global agenda 2030; Sustainable Development Goals 13 and 15, which he said relates to conservation, preservation and sustainable use of biosphere.

Other speakers at the meeting are confident that decisions at the Assembly would enhance bio-reserve conservation and management, and also reduce poaching of rare species of plants and animals within reserves in Africa.