NOTE: Dimensions of the Environment

Dimensions of the Environment

The environment can be structured in several ways, including components, scale/space and time. A narrow pollution of environmental components would focus primarily on the biophysical environment e.g the UK department of the environment used the term to include all machine susceptible to pollution, including air, water and soil; flora, fauna and human beings; landscape, urban and rural conservation and the built heritage (DOE 1991). The DOE check list of environmental components is outlined below:

Environmental components

Physical environmental (adapted from DOE 1991)

1.	Air and atmosphere	Air quality
2.	Water resources and water bodies	Water quality and quantity
3.	Soil and geology	Classification risk (contamination erosion)
4.	Flora and fauna	Birds, mammals, fish, vegetation
5.	Human beings	Physical and mental health, well-being
6.	Landscape	Characteristics and quality of landscape
7.	Cultural heritage	Historic, archeological sites
8.	Climate	Temperature, rainfall, wind
9.	Energy socio economic environment	Light, noise, vibration
10.	Economic base-direct	Direct employment: labour market characteristic
11.	Economic base-indirect	Non-basic and services employment; labour supply and demand.
12.	Demography Housing	Population structure and demand
13.	Local services	Supply and demand of services: Health, education, police.
14.	Socio-cultural	Lifestyles, quality of life, social problems (crime) community stress, conflict.

The environment has important economic and socio-cultural dimensions. This wide definition is more in tune with an Australian definition, “for the purpose of EIA, the meaning of environment incorporates physical, biological, cultural, economic and social factors’ (ANZECC 1991).

The environment can be analysed at various scales. Many of the spatial impacts of projects affect the local environment, although the nature of ‘local’ may vary according to the aspect of environment under consideration and to the stage in a project’s life. However some impacts are more than local. Traffic noise, may be a local issue, but changes in traffic flows caused by a project may have a regional impact, and the associated CO₂ pollution contributes to the global green house problem. The environment also has a time dimension, baseline data on the state of the environment are needed at the time a project is being considered.

History of FEPA in Nigeria

Prior to the dumping of toxic waste in Koko village, in Delta State, in 1987, Nigeria was ill-equipped to manage serious environmental crisis, as there were no institutional arrangements or mechanisms for environmental protection and enforcement of environmental laws and regulations in the country. 

Arising from the Koko toxic waste episode, the Federal Government promulgated the Harmful Waste Decree 42 of 1988, which facilitated the establishment of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) through Decree 58 of 1988 and 59 (amended) of 1992.

FEPA was then charged with the overall responsibility for environmental management and protection. It is on record that by the establishment of FEPA, Nigeria became the first African country to establish a national institutional mechanism for environmental protection.

In the wisdom of the Government, FEPA and other relevant Departments in other Ministries were merged to form the Federal Ministry of Environment in 1999, but without an appropriate enabling law on enforcement issues. This situation created a vacuum in the effective enforcement of environmental laws, standards and regulations in the country.

World Environment Day: Zero Tolerance for the Illegal Wildlife Trade

 June 5 of every year is designated as the World Environment Day (WED). This year the Society for Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Mitigation celebrated the day with a public lecture and launching of it's environmental club for primary schools. Please read the excerpts from the welcome address of the President, Society for Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Mitigation, Dr. Funmilayo Doherty on the WED event at the University of Lagos.

I am indeed very glad to welcome you all to this year’s UNEP World Environment Day Celebration. The World Environment Day (WED) is the United Nations’ most important day for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the protection of our environment. Over the years it has grown to become a broad, global platform for public outreach and the ‘people’s day’ for doing something positive for the environment. The Society for Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Mitigation (SETPOM) has deemed it fit to commemorate the day with a Public Lecture around the theme of this year’s WED celebration – Illegal trade in wildlife under the slogan “Go Wild for Life”.

Each year, thousands of wild animals are illegally killed, often by organized criminal networks motivated by profit and greed. According to a statement by the United Nations, between 2010 and 2012, 100,000 elephants were killed for their ivory in Africa. It further says that three rhinos are killed every day, and the Western Black Rhino has already gone extinct, adding that the great apes are already extinct in several African nations. Profits from the illegal wildlife trade sometimes go into the pockets of international criminal networks, threatening peace and security, and damaging the livelihoods of local communities who depend on tourism. Now for the first time, the United Nations has produced a global report on the problem. It says virtually every country in the world plays a role either as a source, transit or destination for the trade. The report says illegally acquired animals are being sold in legal markets - and much of the time the buyer is unaware.

 While Nigeria is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES),it is a crime to deal in ivory, reptile skin and teeth, skin of cats and antelopes, and also to “make crafts from them’’. In 2013, CITES identified 19 countries—including Nigeria, that were heavily implicated in the illegal trade in ivory. The new United Nations campaign,`Wild for Life’, therefore aims to mobilise the world to end this destructive trade.

Huge efforts to counter the illicit trade - including stronger policies, awareness campaigns and investments in community conservation and law enforcement - have scored some great successes. However, many species remain at risk and it will take a dedicated and sustained effort by each and every one of us to turn the tide.

How can we do it? More people need to understand the damage this illicit business is doing to our environment, livelihoods, communities and security. We must change our habits and behaviour so that demand for illegal wildlife products falls. More awareness and action pushes governments and international bodies to introduce and enforce tougher laws and combat those still willing to break them.

This year’s theme for WED – Go Wild for Life – encourages you to celebrate all those species under threat and take action of your own to help safeguard them for future generations. This can be about animals or plants that are threatened within your local area as well as at the national or global level - many local extinctions will eventually add up to a global extinction! Wildlife is an inheritance, which should be cherished and preserved.

This year is very special in the history of the society as we will be launching the Environmental squad club for primary schools. Details of this initiative will be unfolded during the launch of the e-squad. I want to thank the e-squad committee and in particular Prof Adebayo Otitoloju for his dedicated effort in making this dream a reality.

We will be naming the first ever SETPOM environment ambassador in the person of Mr Fasasi Olarewaju popularly known as Sound sultan. We need people to lend their name and fame in the campaign towards protection of the environment and do what they can to champion the environmental cause.  I hope that our new environment ambassador, will lend his support in this regard. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, I welcome you all to this public lecture and launching ceremony and encourage us all to show zero-tolerance for the illegal trade in wildlife in word and deed, and make a difference.

 

IPM

Integrated pest management (IPM), also known as integrated pest control (IPC) is a broad-based approach that integrates practices for economic control of pests. IPM aims to suppress pest populations below the economic injury level (EIL). 

The rains are here! Change your attitude towards the environment.

The rains are here again, we have to start thinking about flood particularly those living in coastal cities. Flooding is a major problem in a city like Lagos surrounded by various water bodies including the Lagos lagoon. However, in as much as flooding is a natural phenomenon, some human activities aggravate it. It is common sight to see wastes disposed or kept by the roadside and when rain falls, it flushes part of the rubbish into the drainage. There is a nonchalant attitude towards issues of the environment, people dispose indiscriminately waste nylons, pure water sachets, rubbish etc on the floor. This we do, (am using the word ‘we’ because everyone is guilty) without considering the future consequences of that singular action. Everyone believes their actions does not count and will have no effect on the environment, but it does.  We get back what we put into the environment. In a study by Aderogba in 2012, he observed that blockage of drainage channels contribute about 97.55% of the major causes of floods in Nigerian cities. As we prepare for the rainy season, all hands must be on deck to ensure that all human induced actions that promote flooding are discontinued. Consequently, we must all endorse attitudinal change towards the environment. Do not dispose waste indiscriminately on the floor, have the mindset that protecting the environment is your business, teach your kids to have respect for the environment we live in, keep the environment and love the environment!

Nigeria: Over Three Million Lives Lost to Air Pollution Annually - World Health Organisation (WHO)

 Air pollution is a major problem particularly in an urban city like Lagos, people are so nonchalant about issues related to the environment, it is time we take the environment more seriously. There are serious health implication if urgent action is not taken.  I stumbled on this article by Chioma Obinna in the Vanguard of May 13, 2016. Enjoy the read.

The World Health Organisation, WHO, yesterday raised the alarm over urban air pollution sustained rise at an alarming rate, saying that over 3 million premature deaths are recorded worldwide every year.

The Global health body also warned that more than 80 percent of people living in urban areas that monitor air pollution are exposed to air quality levels that exceed WHO limits.

In its latest urban air quality database, WHO noted that while all regions of the world are affected, populations in low-income cities are the most impacted.

According to the report, 98 percent of cities in low- and middle income countries with more than 100 000 inhabitants do not meet WHO air quality guidelines.

The report which compared a total of 795 cities in 67 countries for levels of small and fine particulate matter between 2008-2013 revealed that global urban air pollution levels increased by 8 percent, despite improvements in some regions.

The highest urban air pollution levels were experienced in low-and middle-income countries in WHO's Eastern Mediterranean and South-East Asia Regions, with annual mean levels often exceeding 5-10 times WHO limits, followed by low-income cities in the Western Pacific Region.

"In the African Region urban air pollution data remains very sparse, however available data revealed particulate matter (PM) levels above the median. The database now contains PM measurements for more than twice as many cities than previous versions, the report disclosed.

Reacting to the report, WHO Director, Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health, Dr Maria Neira said: "Urban air pollution continues to rise at an alarming rate, wreaking havoc on human health."

Neira who noted that awareness is on the increase added that when air quality improves, global respiratory and cardiovascular-related illnesses will decrease.

"Most sources of urban outdoor air pollution are well beyond the control of individuals and demand action by cities, as well as national and international policymakers to promote cleaner transport, more efficient energy production and waste management.

"More than half of the monitored cities in high-income countries and more than one-third in low- and middle-income countries reduced their air pollution levels by more than 5 percent in five years.

Neira stressed that reducing industrial smokestack emissions, increasing use of renewable power sources, like solar and wind, and prioritising rapid transit, walking and cycling networks in cities are among the suite of available and affordable strategies.

"It is crucial for city and national governments to make urban air quality a health and development priority," WHO's Dr Carlos Dora added.

Dora further stated that "when air quality improves, health costs from air pollution-related diseases shrink, worker productivity expands and life expectancy grows. Reducing air pollution also brings an added climate bonus, which can become a part of countries' commitments to the climate treaty."

WHO Assistant-Director General, Family, Women and Children's Health, Dr. Flavia Bustreo also stated that air pollution is a major cause of disease and death.

According Bustreo, "It is good news that more cities are stepping up to monitor air quality, so when they take actions to improve it they have a benchmark. When dirty air blankets our cities the most vulnerable urban populations--the youngest, oldest and poorest--are the most impacted."

Pest

According to wikipedia, A pest is "a plant or animal detrimental to humans or human concerns (as agriculture or livestock production)"; alternative meanings include organisms that cause nuisance and epidemic disease associated with high mortality (specifically: plague). In its broadest sense, a pest is a competitor of humanity. There are different definitions of a pest........