The Centre for Media and Peace Initiatives (CMPI), an independent, nonprofit organization has called for sustained campaigns on sustainable practices to mitigate the impact of climate change.
The President of the centre, Dr Uchenna Ekwo made the call at the African Youth Leaders Dialogue on Climate Change, organised by ECube, a non-governmental organisation, in collaboration with the UN, in Abuja.
Ekwo said the call became necessary in order for communities to constantly be engaged in dialogue on the dangers of climate change and the related issues.
”It is very important that we have conversation and begin to think how to deal with challenges that climate change poses on us.
“For us at CMPI, we try to see connection between peace and conflict as well, because they are all interrelated.
“These problems do not have particular area that shows their correlation but when we have a climate change induced challenge, such affects us in one way or another,” he said.
Ekwo also said there is need for awareness creation toward encouraging the citizens to hold their leaders accountable on such environmental issues.
“Sometimes you see conspiracy theories about climate change as issues related to politics or religion, but the truth is that scientifically climate change is real,” Ekwo said.
Also speaking, Ms Bitsat Yohamnes-Kassahun of the Lead, Energy and Climate, UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, emphasised the need for holistic approach toward tackling climate change.
Yohamnes-Kassahun said people must constantly dialogue to find solutions to challenges associated with climate change.
”If we do not care, this is going to be untenable. In New York, government has set up cooling devices against harsh weather condition, but we do not have most of that in many cities globally.
“We have started to experience extreme torrential rainfall and flood in places like New York that infrastructures and homes are not equipped for.
“When we come to Africa in this context how prepared are we? When we talk about heatwave, we consider the impacts on water shortage and lots more.
“There is the need for awareness creation through different reporting method about the dangers of climate change, to bring about lasting solution to the problem such poses,”
Also, Mr Ilan Lugassy, Country Manager and Managing-Director of ECube, said the organisation has designed measures aimed at encouraging public private partnership to tackle climate change.
“We have been working closely with relevant agencies to promote the awareness.
“Many government institutions have been here like the Federal Ministry of Power, Rural Electrification Agency, Ministry of Agriculture and other community-based organisations, and the stakeholder have been enthusiastic about the ECube idea.
“The solution to climate change is not just about electrification, our ECube system has been built to provide electricity and connectivity to provide basic amenities for communities.
“By this we are capable of providing services to various communities, which is a game changer in the fights against climate change,“
He called for constant dialogue on climate change issues and promote best practices in providing support for rural-urban areas with no acces to electricity to mitigate the climate change actions.
