Experts urge govt to integrate environmental concerns into development planning

AS the nation faces challenge of increasing human development and lowering footprint to globally sustainable levels, experts have advocated for a paradigm shift in policies to fully integrate environmental concerns into development planning and process.

They believe that the future for human survival may remain bleak, if the fundamental problems are not tackled such as ecological preservation, climate change, poverty eradication, energy shortages, and the global economic system facing humanity.

The submission was made by guest speaker, Prof. Emmanuel Oladipo at a public lecture to honour the chairman of the board of directors, Nigerian Environmental Study/Action Team (NEST) and Emeritus Professor of Forest Ecology, David Okali at the Institute of African Studies, Bank Anthony’s hall, University of Ibadan.

Okali who marked his 80th birthday, has been in the forefront of the development of national awareness and action on environmental resources management and conservation. He has contributed to development of high caliber human resources, and advancing knowledge in many aspects of forest ecology .

Oladipo who teaches at the department of Geography, University of Lagos, stated that if a country’s environmental foundations are depleted, its economy may well decline with some implications for its socio-economic fabric.

According to him, “development will make sense only if it does not increase our vulnerability to environmental impacts resulting from loss of our natural resources and increasing land and water degradation, such as global warming. The best way to mitigate such impacts is to achieve full sustainable human development.”

In the lecture chaired by Prof. Bisi Sowunmi on Sustainable Resource Use for Sustainable Development:  The Imperatives for   Human Survival, Oladipo noted that for Nigeria to achieve the required rapid economic growth that will launch it onto a path of sustainable prosperity, the protection and sustainable use of the country’s natural environmental resources is imperative.

“This implies that the national environmental assets must be properly valued and accounted for in our development process maintained at a level that meets the need of the present generation without jeopardizing the interests of future generations,” he said.

“The dual effect of a growing human population and high per capita footprint will multiply the pressure we place on our resources,” adding that to achieve the required rapid economic growth that will launch any country onto a path of sustainable prosperity, the protection and sustainable use of Nigeria’s natural environmental resources is imperative.

He said: “This implies that the national environmental assets must be properly valued and accounted for in our development process maintained at a level that meets the need of the present generation without jeopardizing the interests of future generations.”

Oladipo also recommended the use of a new cluster to the national aspirations in Vision 20: 2020 to show commitment for the integration of environmental considerations into its operational decisions – environmentally sustainable economic growth in which a framework for action to bolster sustainable development is provided.

For him, the programmes under the proposed cluster should improve environmental sustainability – putting in place policies and actions that promote changes in consumption and production patterns and harmonizing economic development with the protection and management of the environment.

The don also suggested a long-term planning and policy measures, rather than short-to medium-term perspectives that develop economies that are progressively more environmentally sustainable and that apply whole-system, rather than sectoral, approaches.

In her remarks, Prof. owunmi sought for the review of cultural beliefs and redeveloping local environmental campaigns to encourage attainment of sustainable development in the country.

She noted that time has come to hold government accountable to the environment, and further argued that there is need for a change of attitude to environment among the citizens and political leaders.