Impact of climate change may be worse than COVID-19, Umahi’s aide warns

Senior Special Assistant to Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, on Climate Change, Mrs. Obianuju Aloh, yesterday, warned that climate change might create traumatic effects on the earth far greater that the impact of coronavirus.

She insisted that planting of trees was the only way to avoid the devastation that climate change and global warming might cause across the world.

Aloh stated this at Obiozara in Ohaozara Council Area of the state during a one-day symposium on tree planting campaign, noting that climate change, global warming and depletion of the ozone layer should be checked to avoid catastrophes of immense proportions.

She listed anthropogenic activities that endanger the environment and people’s lives, as well as bringing the earth closer to climate change as some of the human elements that should be reduced to mitigate looming disasters.

She stressed that climate change was happening rapidly than expected, noting that if not urgently checked, the situation might create serious disasters on the earth far greater that the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aloh, therefore, stressed the need to take immediate actions by adopting mitigation strategies, which include tree planting, stressing, “Prevention was better than cure and it is better safe than sorry.”

The governor’s aide explained that tree planting remained one of the best mitigation strategies as it was easy to adopt by all, adding that its economic values included provision of shelter, restoration of the environment, balancing of geochemical cycles, and therapeutic effect on human health.

“It is essential in ecosystem interaction, thereby preventing unwanted human-animal interaction that could lead to increase in zoonosis and tropical diseases,” she added.

She also condemned felling of trees for firewood and encouraged everyone to use the fertile soil provided by mother earth in Ebonyi State to achieve environmental serenity.

In a lecture on Unhealthy Environmental Practices That Could Lead To Increase In Greenhouse Gases (GHGs), Dr. Austin Nwazunku, stressed the need for the message on climate action to be passed to every member of the society.

He said a stressed environment was worse than any disease and could lead to a lifetime of discomfort as being experienced in India and China over the years.