IVLP Awardee trains 30 young climate leaders in Enugu

An internationally recognised climate expert and an awardee of the prestigious International Visitors Leadership Programme (IVLP) Impact Award, Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, has trained over 30 youths in Enugu State on urban spaces greening and climate advocacy.

The two- day event, which started on August 15, and ended on August 16, focused on “Climate Change: Science and Policy” on the first day and on the second day the focus was on “Effective Climate Change Communication.”

The recipient of the award, Prof. Okereke took the participants through the selection process of the IVLP participants.
One cannot apply to participate in the IVLP, as participants are nominated and selected annually by staff at United States (U.S.) Embassies around the world.

The participants are current and emerging foreign leaders in a variety of fields, and some notable IVLP alumni include; Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Gordon Brown of The United Kingdom to mention but a few.

Speaking on the topic “Understanding the Links between Climate Change and Air Pollution: Causes, Impact, and Solution” the guest speaker, Dr. Daniel Ugwu of David Umahi University of Health Science said the link between climate change and air pollution is that both are a product of greenhouse gas emission.

Ugwu said that Improper waste disposal and indiscriminate burning of refuse dump stands are the major causes of air pollution in urban areas

He mentioned some of the solutions to air pollution in our urban cities to include: awareness creation, and reviving eco-friendly traditional values and practices, among others.

Director of the Centre for Environmental Management and Control at the University of Nigeria , Nsukka , Prof. A. Moneke, spoke on the topic: “ Gas Flaring and Air Quality Issue.”

Moneke said air pollution in Nigeria contributes to untimely death and other ailments.

According to him, it will be great if the training of young climate leaders can expand to other parts of the country especially the south-South geopolitical zone where the issue of gas flaring is almost making the area inhabitable.

He said planting of trees around our environment will make us healthy by giving us oxygen as against the common practice of using concrete slabs that produce heat

Also speaking on effective climate change communication,a lecturer from Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ebonyi State, Dr. Chinwe Ogunji, and Mrs. Ogechi Nwonye Executive Director of Eco-Cyclers, both agreed that the greatest difference between communicating climate change and other science topics is the call to action either explicit or implicit to reduce the effects of climate change.

The experts said that the action can come through climate change education to raise awareness on the impact of climate change and take the lead on how to protect the environment as climate change affect all and sundry.

To communicate climate change effectively, they said the following tips are helpful: “Having a grip of climate change.

“Listening to open dialogue, and showing people the link between human activity and climate change.”

During his presentation on the impacts of climate change in Enugu State, Director of Climate Change Department in state’s Ministry of Environment, Arum Nnamdi, said the state was being threatened by desert encroachment and if care is not taken through tree planting the situation may get worse.

He listed some Local Councils that are currently battling erosion in the state as Udi, Nsukka, Igbo Etiti among others.

During the rainy season, he said some communities in Aninri and Oji River councils of the state are always affected by flooding.

The highlight of the two-day training was the visit of the new Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Enugu State, Prof. Sam Ugwu, who assured the young leaders that his office will be happy to partner with young climate activists on ways to better the environmental condition of the state.

He said: “I will like to work with you the young climate leaders because your activities are part of the core values of the state Ministry of Environment so I encourage you to do proposals to the ministry on areas of collaboration.”

Ugwu promised them that he will ensure that the state environmental law is passed, so that the environmental protection of Enugu State will have strong legal backing.

In conclusion, the Awardee, Prof. Okereke, said the next step of the project will include planting trees within Enugu urban area by the young leaders and climate change enlightenment in selected secondary schools within Enugu city.

Okereke urged the participants to design climate action campaign that they will like to run as a way of implementing what they have learnt from the training.

The project is funded by the United States Department of States with Meridian International as their implementing partner.