In an effort to mitigate the effect of climate change the Ekiti State government plans to plant two million trees in 2024 for carbon sink to enhance the state’s environmental sustainability.
The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mrs Tosin Aluko-Ajisafe said the state recognizes how climate change adversely effects the environment and humans alike, assured that the initiative would be carried out systematically until the goals set are achieved.
She spoke in a lecture titled “Environmental impact of climate change: Causes, effects and adaptation” at the first plenary session of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Ekiti State Chapter, held at St. Philip’s Anglican Church in Aramoko-Ekiti.
The commissioner noted that Ekiti State was vulnerable to climate change, like other states in the country, so it was taking steps to mitigate it.
“Although climate change may not kill people directly, it imposes major threats such as extreme heat stress/waves, drought, floods, wildfires, reduction in food supplies, water scarcity, loss of jobs and abnormal environmental conditions.”
The commissioner stressed the importance of vulnerability assessments, implementing flood alert and defence systems and the construction of dams and waterways.
Apart from the ongoing advocacy campaign, she asserted, “The ministry has targeted 2 million trees for planting in 2024. The ministry through the State Environmental Protection Agency has embarked on desiltation and dredging of carnal across the state to forestall flooding.”
“Waste disposal bins have been put in strategic locations in Ado Ekiti to ensure proper waste collection in addition to regular fumigation of waste dump sites in the state capital.”
The CAN State Chairman, Rev. Emmanuel Aribasoye, who hailed the efforts of the ministry to mitigate climate change effects, stressed the need for tree planting as a necessity in the interest of sustaining the environment.
He also canvassed deliberate efforts to plant trees to nurture the environment.