Climate Watch: ‘Spider-man’ picking up trash in Osogbo for a cleaner environment

Despite directly impacting our communities, health and livelihood, climate-related reports usually take a back seat to dominant news beats like politics and business. Climate Watch aims to ensure you never miss important stories on climate change and actions being taken towards limiting its impact.

Here is a round-up of last week’s climate stories:

• On World Earth Day, celebrated on April 22 annually, the United Nations called for a collective approach to addressing the issues facing our planet. The body said there needs to be a shift to a more sustainable economy that works for both people and the planet. It added that activities such as illegal wildlife trade, deforestation, land-use change, intensified agriculture and livestock production can accelerate the destruction of the planet. Read more here.

• Mohammed Abdullahi, minister of environment, has confirmed that the ongoing Ogoni clean-up will not be completed under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. The Ogoni clean-up project was launched in 2016, following the recommendations of a 2011 report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on the impact of oil extraction in Ogoniland. But six years down the line, the clean-up is yet to be completed and according to Abdullahi, part of the reasons are “concerns bordering on procurement, on project management, on fund management.” Read more here.

• As the rainy season sets in, states like Ogun have begun strategizing on flood management to help prevent the adverse effect of flooding during the season. Ola Oresanya, special adviser to the Ogun governor on environment, says the state will deploy flood emergency management teams to LGAs as part of efforts to limit the consequences of flooding. He said the deployment became necessary following the state’s flood prediction which showed that the state will experience prolonged rainfall that will be accompanied by flash floods, especially in the months of June and July. Read more here.

• As the world looks to address the global plastic pollution problem, someone like Jonathan Olakunle, an environmental activist, is helping to address the situation in his own corner. In his quest to end waste and plastic pollution in his city, Olakunle embarked on an adventurous journey of dressing like a Spider-Man to pick up trash in Osogbo, Osun state. He said he chose the costume in order to draw the attention of people and make environmental cleanup an attractive venture. Read more on this here.

• The African Development Bank (AfDB) said it will  double the climate change finance of Africa to $25 billion within the next five years. Kevin Kariuki, AfDB vice-president for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth, said the bank hopes to support African countries to become more resilient by 2025. He disclosed that the AfDB had in the last five years spent $13 billion toward adaptation and mitigation of climate change in the continent.