24 CGG CO • • " T . S TO
GOING
e" I I"
<w .CI • • CSAINITlAlM
Desertification a threat to Africa's development BUSINESSDAY: www.buslnessdayonllne.com
lbie: lind Is ... ital for Africa, both iU a Itcy Isset for (armen nt!, t ogether with vegetat Ion , to nelp
A
store carbon thai would otben<tbe be elniued into the ~andamtribweto
dinWe c:ban,e. The UN Food andAgrlrultureOr-sa nfzatiOD (FAD) esdmates that by 2OJO Abia will Iott: two-thlrdJ of its anble Iand.ddJelll.lICb of ~tioa - !he IpCe&d of arid, desert-like an"U of land - Is not.topped. /I.S gIoballeadeometin Rio de Janciro. BruiI, to twnroer OUI CrHh colll.Dlfttneou 00 green growth. dcseni6catiOD was rccognl:tr.ci u • thre.t
.,0,
10 susWnable ~'elopmeoL Two decadet the fint -Earth Summit- in Rio pve birth 10 three conventions, indudinstheUNComoention to Combat Desertlfication (UNOOJ). Lu e Glue.d)a, the execuliw: Sec-ClUJ of the UNCCD, thelt: hlnl. In an tJlC uI lye lotervlew with Busani BaCaoll. Africa Renewal', COrn!'Jpondenl. on the siddines of tte 1Uot20 Summit affirmed thai the world bas dell~ on the UNCCD, ~inillg thai 1~1.1 thecollvention, there are I Dumber of requirements and commlanenll. \( cording
Inc
to him, developing coun"J commit ments were 10 establish action progRmmt!S 10 addre.ss de.sertiflcallon, avoiding Ind restoring degraded lands and malnstreamlng this InlO national poverty alleviation
.........,-""'"""....
developed country parties were to provide financial support and technology transfer for eertBio COlIn"J parties to implemt!nt those national programmes. ~Most of the deveJopltlg country partie. affected b, deserttrlcatloo have e.stablJshed their oilional .ction plan, to that aspect 01 the commitment bas been made; bUI the l&iIure 11 thai plans will not SO (D the ReIdt and roll back de:sertifkation II take. Implementallon. UnforlUnately developing cou ntri es In AfIlca, for instlwee. hlIve not succeeded to reflecting desertifiation In their plans for poverty eradiation, food security or developmenl~ he noted. Gnacadla esplalned thai the lIsueoi desenl&ation 11 In ivory tOwaliln the minlsuies In charge of it, pointing OUt thai desertification Ls more than phlnting uees and that desertification Is fiut and foremosl avoiding lhe misuse of the land, such as inappropriate use offertillzer. the use of some crops lhat
are DOl appropriate for the land. or !he type oIlill9 thai d~"'"
~In the lISt deo.d.e, the leut developed counlrles hue a:perieoced an avel1ll$e 01 fM per cent GOP growth. However, Ihis growth has DOl llievilled poverty or aeneraled food security because It hiS 110t been generated using laod thlt ill often the $Ole ti5eI of the poor. To dellvoer on paveny alleviation. we musl ensure
thatwebelpthepoorusetbe asset -land - susta:InabIy. Mrica has !he polenlial to become a global engine for IUlItalnable developmenl~ he averred On whelher there Is polilical will to roll out sustainable lind practices, GoacadJa said the will should be measured, upecially political will, saying thai he melSures political will by governmenl
Investmenl In .etting their commilmenll Into motion. adding that lIlere Ls a lot more BO"'mmenlS could do. ·Thlnk about the Maputo decisration 10 inven 10 per cent of budgell Into agriculture, bul only a few of the countries have met that. When you consider that Africa Is the conlinenlsuffering the mOil from food Insecurity, )'Uu wonder how the priorities are set. Politlcal will calls for
Tuesday 24 July 2012
African governmenta 10 check their medlum · term Invalment plans.. I wish 10 see more coordinated 1nvt::su:nent thai will address adapalion 10 dlmale change while al lIle $Bme time malnlalnlng and preservlna biodJ~ty': he said.. He realoned Ihal governmentS rolY hIVe had In excuse WI 20 yean ago !hey dJd nOI yet know how 10 monhor and messure desenification. but now they know beCIIuse the ldenee Ls the.e; sdentWs have pul on the tIbIe It lndkamn thal r-. only uses5 the statui of the land, but also auess !rends In the Improvement In land degradation and !hele He globally aazpted. He quoled FAO as saying that 25 per cent of global land Ls highly degraded and there bi only 10 per- cenl oCiand being improved. addinathat to feed seven billion people today and nine billion tomorrow, the worid needs 10 meet 50 per CZDt demand of food, 45 per cenl demand of energy and 35 per ceO! demand 01 water. If you take only the demand for food, we need addllional fannland the aize of South Africa. 120 million hectares. Where ~ we goina 10 find !.hem? pshe. assured thll LAWMA would enend sssLstance. 10 individuals and organisations in !he stale who want 10 planlln:es.
Stakeholders to address environmental regulatory framework at ISEED Congress
W=-"""'' ' "
and energy slai:e..lwlden gather ilr the 21H~ Electric Power t:nfnwntt."hlre Congress (EPIC 2( (2) 10 be bC)$ted b) ln~naIionai Society for Ene!gy and EnfirorunC!.nml Development (LiEJID) in Lago5. Envirorunemal Regulatory Frattlewodt will domJnate discw::&lon. The congre:;s already slated for August 2110 23 wldl tbe theme 'Energy and Climate Change' will al.o .ddrefs Issue. of power generallon lechno,ag;es. tr:J..r:smlssion IJld diltribution sysleml. operations mllMenance and Inve5tmenl opporlunltles.liEED In
a statemenl signed by lIS president, t\kinsola Cole, says the congress 15 also set to address some of the crlt1cal Issues affecting energy, climate change and other globaJ challenges fiH:ed by the envimlllOenllll .sector of the economy. The Slntemenl further Inillcales that lhe COIlgte:SS would al50 provide an avenue for repositioning the s mall and medium industries for optimal
growIh. Cole explalned that the choice o(lIte theme of lhe congress was Informed by thebeUeCthatthcsectorwill continue 10 drive research and development efforts within the energy and envlronmelll Industrlel, stressing that key Issues
such as development mechanism . cli mate change, renew1lblr ellergy, environmental impact, Innovation , SlOrage and electric IrlnSpOrlallon would continue \0 Impact positively on Ih ~ nearlerm to long-Ierm opdolls
in managing ageing power as they affect policy change, regulations. technical · lie also stllled that IS the know - how, health. sa(ety demlnd (or power supply and the financing of power increases. utilities and infrtlStruct~ projCCl5. Industry players wiU consider While ilSsurlng thai the the adopdon of appropriate EPIC2012 would lake a gianl technologies in order 10 keep .tep In ensuring thai the up with present day realities benefits and advanlages of
Infl1lslructure.
the variOUS dllcourse on energy, climate change and other global challenges will be pUI Into constructive use by praCtitioner! and governments. Cole $OUdled supponhomaUstakeho!ders to the sua:essful hosting of !he Congress thmuah active partlcipalion by authors, exhibitors and delegates. HesaJd that the cbo1ceof Lagos (or the congress was Informed by the fact Ihal Lagos remains a melting pOI for all socio-eamomlc activities, playing host to energy and environmental experts and decision makers from Ihe academia, industries. manufacturers, government and allied profeSSionals from all waUcs of life.
Empowering our people to succeed Over 7 mIllion Nlgerial1$ are unemployed. At FCMB we .,. helping membef. of our communjtJes 10 acquite new-skiDs and open bustness opportunities,
Mylankandl