Climate change is a serious environmental challenge facing humanity for a while now; and it’s bound to get worse, if not timely and properly addressed now. Climate change has many consequences including loss of biodiversity, water shortages and depletion of the ozone layers.
Essentially, the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development enumerated many of these environmental problems facing us and planet earth. Also, the global action plan adopted in 2015 enumerated specific measures of which when diligently and carefully enforced will enable us to realize “a world that is fairer, more prosperous and respectful of the environment” within the following ten years.
Unfortunately, given the menace of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its socio-economic consequences on human lives and the means of livelihood, it appears we are running behind towards achieving UN’s sustainable development goal for our environment. As stakeholders, it is imperative for all of us to collectively and individually do our part to ensure that we protect our lives and ensure future prosperity through the protection of our environment. We should take bold actions without minding whose ox is gored to move the world towards sustainable production and consumption patterns. And this requires resilience and commitment from all of us from al developed, emerging and developing economies. Part of these commitments should be geared towards more actions for the protection of the planet earth from further degradation. This is most feasible when and how we deal with our unsustainable production and consumption patterns.
World leaders and industries must reiterate to their people about the need to sustainably manage the finite natural resources of the earth in ways that do not pose adverse effect on climate and overall environment. It’s in the proper management of our environment lies the peace and prosperity of our present world that benefit future generations we so much aspire for.
By Chukwudi Chuck Eke
