On the occasion of World Environment Day 2024, the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), a climate justice advocacy group, has urged the Federal Government to declare a state of environmental emergency, emphasizing the need for immediate action to address the country’s ecological crises.

This call to action was made in a statement issued by HOMEF’s Executive Director, Nnimmo Bassey, and is aligned with the United Nations Environment Programme’s global efforts to raise awareness and prompt urgent action to protect the environment.

The theme for 2024 WED is “Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience” with the slogan, “Our land. Our future. We are #GenerationRestoration.”

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification reports that a significant 40% of the Earth’s land surface is degraded, while droughts have risen by 29% since 2000.If no immediate action is taken, the UN warns that droughts will impact 75% of the global population by 2050.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of HOMEF highlights that the 2024 World Environment Day focuses on the plight of communities that have lost their lands and livelihoods due to extractive activities and pollution.

He stated, “This year’s celebration urges us to reflect on our stewardship duty towards nature, environment and all living beings rather than continuing with predatory and destructive relationships that negate our well-being.”

Bassey emphasized the need for immediate action to address deforestation, biodiversity loss, and land degradation, warning that without concerted climate efforts, humanity will continue to face escalating crises.

He noted that World Environment Day presents an opportunity for Nigeria to reassess and adjust its socioeconomic and environmental trajectory, urging reflection and a change in direction.

The HOMEF leader also highlighted the severe environmental challenges facing Africa, including environmental degradation, water scarcity, and drought, with Nigeria particularly affected by desertification and other ecological threats.

“As we celebrate World Environment Day, we remind ourselves that our environment has been plagued with destructive activities, especially through resource extraction and poor land-use changes.

“Nigeria needs an emergency environmental restoration plan across the board as the only way to build resilience and ensure a safe future.

“This is our duty to ourselves and to future generations and immediate steps should be taken by the Nigerian government to ensure the proper clean-up of polluted lands, restoration of same and payment of compensation for damage suffered,” Bassey stated.

He further warned, “We must wake up from the futile dream that the earth can be recklessly exploited without dire consequences. We need to understand that the generous gifts of Nature must be handled with gratitude and care.

“We are living witnesses to the crimes committed in mining communities, oil fields and conflict zones. We must protect our biodiversity, reject species-eroding genetic modifications of all sorts, and support harmonious relationships with nature.”

Bassey also called on the government to ensure that communities are fully engaged and involved in environmental decision-making, including being informed, consulted, and granting their consent before projects are designed or implemented.

He stressed that these communities, who are often vulnerable and unsupported, bear the brunt of environmental crises and deserve protection and support, emphasizing that their rights and interests must not be overlooked.

“We should transformatively change our policies and choices to live sustainably in harmony with nature, with the complete understanding that the planet is our only home and that her resources are finite,” the HOMEF ED stated.

According to reports, Abdulamid Fakoya and Henry Olayiwola, climate change advocates and PhD students at the University of Oklahoma, emphasized the need for enhanced resilience against desertification and drought.

The meteorologists urged immediate action, including the implementation of sustainable land management practices, reforestation efforts, and effective policymaking to mitigate the impacts of climate change, which is exacerbated by human activities.