Ahead of the United Nations Congress slated for December which will discuss climate change as the major topic.
Environmentalist and founder of the Lagos Urban Forest and
Sanctuary Initiative (LAFASI), Desmond Majekodunmi, spoke with Lekki
People magazine on need to eliminate air pollution.
Environmentalist and founder of the Lagos Urban Forest and Sanctuary
Initiative (LAFASI), Desmond Majekodunmi, spoke with Lekki People
magazine on need to eliminate air pollution.
The earth is approaching a dangerous degree of pollution and global
warming’, warns Nigeria’s foremost environmental activist,
Desmond Majekdunmi. While Speaking with Lekki People Magazine in an
exclusive chat held at the site of the Lagos Urban Forest and Animal
Sanctuary Initiative (LUFASI) Lekki, Majekodunmi noted that air
pollution has become a global emergency and climate change is
striking faster than expected, while governments all over the world
seemed to be doing little or nothing about the ominous signs the
dying earth is emitting. This urgent situation, he said, has prompted
the United Nation secretary general Ban Ki Moon to call for an
emergency conference on global warming slated for Paris in December
2015, where scientists all over the world will gather to discuss the
issue in detail.
He observed that the effect may be felt more in some countries more
than others at the moment, but the world over will soon experience
the damages if there is no global-joint effort to counter recorded
trends.
He said, “The earth is saying something to us with the record heat,
drought, earthquakes and other natural disasters which have been on a
steady increase around the globe. “Unless we take quick and
deliberate action now to stop air pollution and deforestation, we may
never have the chance anymore to save the future.”
Speaking further on the effect of air pollution on the atmosphere,
Majekodunmi analyzed thus, “When you lock yourself in a room with a
running generator, the question is not whether the fumes will kill
you, but rather it should be asked how long it will take for the
fumes to kill you. This is the same scenario with the earth. All the
poisonous gasses been emitted is trapped in the atmosphere. This is
heating up the earth’s temperature, suffocating required oxygen
needed by man for healthy living. The forests which are helping the
earth in digesting carbon dioxide are fast being consumed by
deforestation, so you can picture the grand scenario.”
In a related call, The World health Organization had earlier noted
that air pollution is killing millions of people around the world.
The health body said in a report that an estimated 7 million people
around the globe died prematurely as a result of air pollution in
2012 alone, about double that number is estimated to have died in
2014, making dirty air the largest single environmental health risk
of this decade.
This alarming news should spur policy makers to take immediate and
more vigorous actions to limit carbon dioxide emissions from our
vehicles and power plants, but the reverse seemed to have been the
case as industrialization and deforestation seemed to be on the
increase in Nigeria and other parts of the world.
Findings showed that globally, the number of reported Natural
disasters has more than tripled since 1960, and a larger percentage
of these occurrences are in the developing nations. More than half of
the world’s population lives within 60km “global warming. On the
way forward, Majekodunmi,who is the founder of the 25 acre LUFASI
forest reserve and fossil fuel which is the major source of carbon
pollution, reaching for clean energy source as the only alternative.
Although he noted that it is When you lock yourself in a room with a
running generator, the question is not whether the fumes will kill
you, but rather it should be asked how long it will take for the
fumes to kill you. This is the same scenario with the earth. All the
poisonous gasses been emitted is trapped in the atmosphere. This is
heating up the earth’s temperature, suffocating required oxygen
needed by man for healthy living...” of the sea and this may be
suicidal going by current rises in flood incidence caused by the
increasing also a board member of the National conservation
foundation, calls for a total turn around in the use of a tough call
since fossil fuel is the cheapest and major source of power
generation for companies and vehicles, but then a strong resolve is
needed if mankind is to survive the looming self- destruction.
He said, “It is a decisive moment for this generation. We have an
opportunity now to save ourselves and the future from extreme natural
disasters and diseases such as cancer, heart diseases, strokes and
respiratory ailments which are offshoots of the toxic air we breathe.
We must stop totally the use of all sources of energy that pollutes
the air or continue with the status quo and risk the future for our
children.”
He advised that companies should look towards clean energy source
and families should adopt a lifestyle that will reduce their
consumption of fossil fuel, while calling for a massive reforestation
campaign. These steps, he said, could help to avert pending
disasters. ”We owe it to ourselves and the future generations. If
we do not care enough for our own health, then let us consider the
innocent children growing up.” He enthused.
