Environmental Development In Nigeria

Environment and Development Communication

Third World Country-look at the Environmental problems and policies in depth

In the Third World or developing countries the Environment degradation and environmental issues are an emerging cause for the increasing rate of deaths, disability and also a cause for various health issues. A significant proportion of the overall environmental disease burden can be attributed to issues like poor water quality, sanitation issues, vector-borne diseases, poor ambient and indoor air quality, toxic substances and global environment change. Although there are various preventive measures being incorporated to reduce the health hazards, implementing such measures into policies or laws has been a challenge for the

Shifting cultivation has been one of the major farming system among the peasant farmers who produce over 90% of total food supplies. The farming method is a primary cause of habitat destruction. This is because it is characterized by vegetation, short fallow periods and unequal access to farmlands. Large scale plantations and growing of cash crops. Indiscriminate burning of bushes, forests, cattle overgrazing lead to habitat destruction of the indigenous species of plants and animals.

National Policy on Environmental Conservation-one of the significant outcomes of Nigeria’s participation in the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) was the signing of the convention. The Nigerian constitution makes fundamental provisions for environmental protection and clearly identifies important components of the environment. Section 20 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria contains the country’s environmental objectives that are meant “to protect and improve the environment and safeguard the air, land, water, forest and

Nigeria has established laws and the formal government has tried addressing their serious environmental problems, but it has not been very successful alleviating these problems.

Encouraging countries like Nigeria to aim for the best of environmental development policies but the reality is that the natural resources and political support are limited. Considering the environmental problem, we need to think about the long term effects rather than focusing on the short term methods. If we think only in short term possibilities, we are more likely to think of our own vested interests and our benefits, our convenience and our standard of living. We should think of the long term goals, what is good for the global community and what is good for the future generations.

Developed countries must utilize their monetary and technological advantages to create an international environment that will be favorable for the ecosystem and also the financial development. This will help improve what the Third world nations have not succeeded in doing so because of their poor economic situations. Also the developed nations should encourage them to carry out methods that help protect the environment and control depletion of the global