African Youth Development Foundation (AYGF) in commemoration of the 2022 World Nature Conservation Day yesterday in Abuja under its Earth’s Restoration Campaign raised awareness and advocacy for more tree planting in Nigeria to check climate change.
The executive director, (AYGF), Dr Arome Salifu, who was represented by the head of programmes, Patricia Akor, said Nigeria was under increasing threat from human activities and natural disasters which are evident with the adverse effects of climate change.
Salifu said the earth restoration campaign seeks to create awareness of some of the major human activities causing climate change, and the importance of planting more trees to reduce these effects, adding that AYGF is partnering with Print Rite Global Services to organize the tree planting exercise in celebration of the world nature conservation day and is giving out 1000 trees to be planted in FCT.
He added that the initiative was to complement the efforts of the government in line with the sustainable development goals 13 with a mission statement ‘ take urgent action to combat climate change and its impact and Goal 15 with the mission to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of Ecosystem, manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation and biodiversity loss, as part of 17 SDGs established by the United Nations in 2015.
“Trees are necessity for the survival of human race , without them it will be difficult to sustain life on earth. Forest played a vital role in the evolution of human being by fulfilling their need for food, shelter and clothing, “ he said.
“World nature conservation day, is focusing attention on the importance of climate change mitigation, earth conservation and other environmental related issues”.
While encouraging every household to plant a tree, he said Planting more trees is beneficial to us and the ecosystem, it contributes immensely to climate change mitigation.
In the same vein, the e minister of water resources represented by the Deputy Director, Mr. Babarinde Segun Mukaila commended the AYGF’s initiative of raising awareness on environmental based issues and promised to always support whenever they are called upon.