The Osun State University, Osun State, has called on the Nigerian government to create awareness about global developments and the environment.
This notion was made on Monday, during the third International Sustainable Development Dialogue, titled, ‘Making and unmaking Africa: Global developments and environmental humanities.’
The two-day conference was organised by The Global Affairs and Sustainable Development Institute, UNIOSUN, The African Network of Environmental Humanities of Ludwig Maximillian University, Munich, Germany, and Rachel Carson Centre for Environment and Society.
Speaking during the conference, Director, GASDI, Prof. John Agbonifo, explained that the international sustainable development dialogue brought together world-renowned scholars and other stakeholders in an effort to deepen the discourse and practice of sustainable development.
He said, “There are things the government, industries, and people can do to promote awareness among citizens and educate them about what is going on in the world. Government should provide incentive to make people act in accordance with their actions so that they will behave the way we feel they should and those who default should be punished. The biggest culprit of environmental degradation is the industry. They release huge amount of unhealthy elements into the environment. Industries should understand that it is in their self-interest to behave in sustainable manner. They need to be transformed so that they can contribute to green world.
“As for individuals, you don’t run water anyhow when you are not using it, don’t put on bulb in the day time and so on.”
Vice-Chancellor, UNIOSUN, Prof. Odunayo Adebooye, who was represented by the Deputy VC, Prof. Anthony Kola-Olusanya, said the theme was an interdisciplinary area of research that involved the various environmental sub-disciplines.
“It is geared towards employing humanistic questions about language, culture, values, ethics and responsibilities to address the globally pressing environmental challenges. In the last two to three decades, there have been growing concerns about the human and natural disruptions of the ecosystems. The concerted efforts of scholars globally have led to the identification of key issues that have each constituted a body of knowledge, with growing scholarly interest, efforts and output arising from each.”
