President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday urged the global community to

promote and respect natural habitats for conservation of biodiversity

to ensure a healthy planet.

Buhari made the call while declaring open the 33rd session of the

International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere

(MABICC) Programme in Abuja.

He urged all concerned global community to gear their effort towards

ensuring a healthy environment and sustain livelihoods on the earth.

The president, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government

of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, said: “Changing our

attitude, respecting the natural habitat and living in peace and

harmony with nature are paramount to a future resilient generation

where biodiversity is valued.

“Also, where conserved, restore and sustainably is as well used, while

maintaining ecosystem services and delivering social benefits to the

people.

“I am charging the participants on the importance of the work you all

are doing in your respective countries and for the global community,

creating vast reserves cannot therefore be overemphasised.

“As you work to reconcile humanity and nature, the challenge remains

your ability to continually demonstrate that biodiversity conservation

can foster human development with a continuous provision of ecological

services.

“As you review progress and define priorities, I do hope your

experience form the visit of Okwangwo Biosphere reserve in Cross River

State will inform some of the final decisions to be made.’’

The president mentioned the country`s effort towards environmental

conservation, adding that the current administration had put in place

some of the measures to remedy the situation.

He said that the country has taken various reversal measures in

compliance with some of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of

the UN.

“The realisation and understanding of the significance of

environmental conservation as the propelling driving force for

sustainable development in the light of destructive environmental

challenges and threats to the country’s ecosystem culminated in the

various responsive and resilient reversal measures.

“This is in compliance with a good number of the United Nations

Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).

“Nigeria has adopted a good number of measures to ensure that it

sustainably manage its environment and these include developmental

policies on the environment, solid waste management, plastic waste

management, biosafety policy, gender and climate change.

“Through the operationalisation of the aforementioned policies and

programmes, the following mitigation efforts are being carefully

implemented; accelerated implementation of the Ogoni cleanup for

restoration of polluted and degraded land.

“Effective implementation of the Great Green World Programme,

promotion of set targets for tree planting and expansion of the

protected areas through the creation of 10 additional National

Parks,’’ he said.

Buhari, however, thanked UNESCO for enabling Nigeria to host the

global summit on the continent of Africa for the first time.

The Minister of State for the Environment, Chief Sharon Ikeazor, said

that the MAB programme was an intergovernmental scientific programme

launched in 1971 by UNESCO.

Ikeazor said that the aim of MAB programme was to establish a

scientific basis for enhancing the relationship between people and

their environment.

She said that Nigeria acknowledges the role of UNESCO in contributing

to peace and security in the world by promoting collaboration among

nations through education, science, culture and communication.

She said that the MAB and Biosphere programmes seek to reconcile

humans and nature, adding that it was possible to use biodiversity

sustainably while fostering its conservation.

Ikeazor said that the ministry would continue to play its role to

safeguard the environment for future generation.

According to her, “With the support of partners like UNESCO, I believe

that a resilient environment can be sustained as we strive to live in harmony with nature.” (NAN)