We are all aware about the importance of a friendlier environment. We need a friendlier environment where what we do have less impact on the environment.
We need an environment that we would be proud to leave for generations to come.
Here are few things that should be done, if possible, get policies for the following as a matter of urgency;
There should be creation of bicycle lanes on the Lekki-Epe Expressway alongside the highway from Epe to Sangotedo, Ajah, Lekki to Victoria Island then to CMS. The same should be done from Ikeja to CMS and the same should be implemented from Festac to Mile 2, to CMS. The importance of this can’t be overemphasized as it would reduce the number of vehicles on the roads of Lagos but would equally reduce the Carbon emissions released into the atmosphere;
The Ministry of Environment in all states should ensure the slew of estates springing up like mushrooms and dandelions be compelled to plant trees all across the country. They should be mandated to: (a) Adorn their roads, streets with minimum number of trees and shrubs (b) Plant luscious green parks in the middle of those estates. (c) Encouraged to source for alternate green energies to power their new homes and if possible, they should be energy-efficient homes;
All the states in the country should be mandated to have mass tree adorn streets, roads all across the towns and villages;
No-vehicle days should be encouraged once a month to help in balancing the people, profit, and planet relations. This simply means, a day where people would be encouraged to leave their vehicles at home and trek or ride their bicycles;
Poaching and killing of animals should be vehemently discouraged in its entirety;
The Killing of exotic animals should be widely discouraged;
Since Nigeria is surrounded by the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean, poaching of wildlife fishes should be highly discouraged;
The climate policy should cover encouraging the Nigerian automobile industry to start developing electric vehicles. The government should start with 50% rebate on installation of solar energies on people’s businesses and homes.
From rising sea levels, raging storms, searing heat, ferocious fires, severe drought, punishing floods, the effects of climate change are already threatening our health, our communities, our economy, our security, and our children’s future. So let’s do something now!
Banke Oniru is an environmentalist and writes from Lagos, Nigeria.
