It is no more news that our environment needs to be protected by us more than ever before. This is particularly because the adverse effects of climate change have continued to disrupt our everyday dealings around the world. Today, these impacts have forced communities to embrace transformational and sustainable solutions so that they can live peacefully.
Currently, for instance, some countries around the world are facing the hard realities of wars induced by climate change as drought. Such countries include Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Somalia. More so, other countries in Asia are facing excessive floods that have destroyed properties, livelihoods, and food resources. The impact of climate change has been faced in literally all parts of the world, which has initiated global partnership in the fight.
This year’s theme, ‘land restoration, desertification and drought resilience’, under the slogan ‘Our land. Our future. We are #GenerationRestoration’, has carefully summarized all the environmental challenges faced by communities worldwide. By giving a broader view, it unveils that there is a need for us, human beings inhabiting the environments, to consistently do our bits to save the planet from the consequences of our inactions. Through World Environment Day, we get to support sustainable initiatives that can support climate change resilience at all levels.
It is exciting to know that environmental challenges can be curbed drastically with collective efforts. These efforts start from grassroots levels up to national and global levels. What might be a solution in one community might not be the solution needed in another. However, similar environmental problems can be addressed using similar creative solutions. This explains thoroughly how collective efforts are desperately needed in the fight to restore our environments.
In its several initiatives to support environmental awareness, Skyline University Nigeria (SUN) welcomes students’ innovative ideas that aim to raise awareness on the impacts of destroying the environment. Through its guest lecture series, experts are invited to speak to students about environmental sustainability.
Last year, the university conducted a greenathon session where it hosted secondary school students to compete against one another by presenting start-up ideas that can curb environmental crises. Victors were awarded with prizes based on the judges’ assessment. This has gained massive embrace from communities in Kano State and beyond. In the past, the prestigious institution has carried out initiatives such as tree planting. The institution only plans to do more.
Nigeria is also a country battling several impacts of climate change. Man-made activities have contributed to environmental degradation through waste pollution, air pollution, sand mining, illegal mineral resource mining and majorly deforestation. Collectively, they have put communities at certain risks, which include agricultural, economic and health, among others.
This year, the world has experienced more of the unsolved challenges of climate change that have been showing up in the past. As such, the slogan ‘Our land. Our future. We are #GenerationRestoration’ is a great reminder that playing our parts is necessary for environmental protection. Nigeria has in place several initiatives, such as tree planting, proper waste disposal, and other sustainable efforts to support the future of the environment.
Communally, environmental challenges can be curbed for a better future.