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European Offshore Wind Energy Continues to Grow by Leaps and Bounds - unfccc

The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) assessed the offshore wind capacity in Europe over the last six months. They found that at the end of the first half of 2012, the continent's offshore wind capacity grew by at an astonishing rate from a year ago. A new report by the EWEA shows that there are 132 new offshore wind turbines, providing an additional 523 megawatts of power, and that these new turbines were fully connected to the power grid during the first half of 2012. Last year, Europe added only 348.1 megawatts from offshore wind during the same time period, making it an increase of about 50 percent.
These findings were printed in the EWEA's "Key Trends and Statistics" report. Of the 132 new turbines, 103 were erected in five large wind farms since January. They also found that the average size of the wind turbines grew up to 4 megawatts, up 14 percent from last year.
The chief executive of the EWEA, Christian Kjaer, championed the news, stating that it is a triumph in the face of harsh economic times.
"Offshore wind power is increasingly attracting investors, including pension funds and other institutional and corporate investors," Kjaer said in a statement. "But it would be good to see more activity in southern Europe where jobs, investments and growth are desperately needed."
The country leading the way in the current offshore wind boom is the United Kingdom. From January to July, Britain added eight new wind farms. Both Germany and Denmark installed two new wind farms. Belgium also brought one wind farm online.
Total amount of offshore wind energy in Europe now stands at 4,336 megawatts as of June 30, 2012. That figure in June of 2011 was only 3,294 megawatts, which provided electricity to the equivalent of 4 million households.
There are an additional 13 wind farms under construction during the first half of 2012. When completed, these will add an extra 3,762 megawatts of capacity.
At a time when the United States is struggling to build just one offshore wind farm, Europe is plowing ahead at an accelerating rate. Amazingly, this has been occurring at a time of financial crisis in the Eurozone. It demonstrates the strong European commitment to phasing out fossil fuels and expanding renewable energy.

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Residents of Makoko besiege Lagos Governor by Don Abiodun Odedeyi

Residents of Makoko whose community is under bulldozer as a result of shanties clearing exercise by the Lagos state government took their plight to the office of the Lagos State governor today.

The peaceful protest took off at the Alausa Shoprite mall with about 2000 residents. At the governor's office, Yussuf Jejelaiye, Baale (Head) of Makoko highlighted how the community has been marginalised by different administrations.
"We have no government school, no hospital yet we perform our civil right each time there is election."

He reiterated that the community has being existing since the time of his fore-fathers and an evacuation action now is like a death sentence.

Responding to the address of Mr. Yussuf Jejelaiye, Governor Raji Fashola explained that the exercise is not meant to dislodge the community rather, it is to check mate the continuous encroachment of the sea by the activities of the community.
"Where we have sawdust today is not the same place ten years ago. The community, through their activities, is encroaching on drainage channels, the lagoon and the nearby economic interest of the state. You all are witness to the continuous flood that the state has been subjected to."

He noted that some members of the Makoko communities have fallen victim of fraudstars who took their money with the promise that their area will not be touch."

In his address, Prince Adesegun Oniru said the exercise was embarked on with the best interest of the Makoko community at heart.
"There is a power-line directly above the community, in case of any accident, the whole community will go up in flame so, this exercise is a check on a disaster that may happen anytime."

When the meeting was over, protesters who came to the governor's office with venom seems to have lost their voices. One begins to wonder where they kept their voices even when the governor made it clear that demolition will continue.

ℓ̊ spoke with some protesters, one of them, Rev. Samuel Adewale, a resident said, "we are disappointed even though we've envisaged this yet we are disappointed."

Don: so, what is the next line of action?

Rev. Adewale: Court of course, we are heading to court for an injunction on this criminal act.

In a swift reaction to the governor's response, the executive director of SERAC, expressed his disappointment and the resolution of the governor to continue the demolition despite letters for dialogue and amicable solution to the matter.

"Aside from a 72-hour notice given to the community, police and other security agents, without justification shot and killed a citizen, Timothy Azinkpono.
"In the notice to quit, Lagos State government accused the residents of developing shanties on the waterfront and impending economic and gainful utilization of the waterfront.
"This community is well documented and globally recognized as an ancestral fishing settlement that has flourished since 1860s, where else will they lay claim to if the government evacuate them?"

Mr. Felix accused the government of dancing to the tune of World bank with a warning, "Makoko and Iwaya are two of nine communities targeted for upgrading under the $200million World Bank funded Lagos Metropolitan Development and Governance Project (LMDGP).
"Notwithstanding it's contractual commitments under the LMDGP and it's legal obligations to respect the rights of all the citizen under the constitution and international law, the state government has continues to treat residents of impoverished communities as expandable people."

Mr. Felix who is also a member of LMDGP expressed his disappointment by the betrayal of the lofty goals for which the project was designed. He, at the press briefing, said he will not continue with the committee.

As at today, Monday, the total number of death recorded due to the exercise stood at six. The latest being three children who were drown in the early hours of monday when the boat in which they slept capsized, three other people were fell by security bullets during scuffle with residents of the community.

From the Governor's Office, Alausa-Ikeja, Lagos, Don Abiodun reporting
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‘Early Warning System, a key to surviving natural disasters’ - Dr Neville Sweijd

From Cape Coast to Cairo, Moscow to Malabu, the year 2012 will go down in history as one of those years that the world saw a glimpse of nature's fury. It is a year filled with large scale natural disasters than any year in the new millennium. Most devastating are flash flood incidents that caught many unaware leading to hundreds of dead.
Presently, three people are on trial in Russia for failing to trigger early warning system during a similar incident (flood) that claimed many lives.

What faith then await countries, especially in Africa and Asia, without early warning systems? In this short but straight to point presentation, Don Abiodun Odedeyi presents to you, excerpt of Doctor Nevile Sweijd's presentation at the 4th Lagos Climate Change Summit in Lagos, Nigeria..

"Most of climate change effects such as flood, heat wave, and bush fire have common areas and season of occurrence. What needs to be done', he said, 'is to put in place projects that will combat this challenges. In South Africa, drainages are build in flood prone areas while residents are move to safer locations prior to the beginning of raining season.

"A major challenge in the fight against climate change is poverty, look at the situation in some parts of Makoko and Ajegunle here in Lagos where dirts and wastes reign. Such place gives room to common natural causes to become a national disaster.

"Government should be more proactive in the area of environmental management, identifying of harms way, shifting of baselines among others."

In his closing remarks, Dr. Neville emphasis on the need to build early warning systems along national coastal areas, Sahel regions as well as areas known to be prone to climate change effects.

"Makeshift accommodations will not be out of place, we have similar projects in South Africa. In the case of impending disaster, people living in affected areas are evacuated. They return to their homes when the authority are sure things are safe."

**********

Dr Neville Sweijd (Phd) has worked at the University of the Western Cape and the International Ocean Institute.

He was a one of the speakers at the 4th Lagos Climate Change Conference, (April 2012). You can reach him via E-mail:

nsweijd@access.ac.za- Don

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‘Early Warning System, a key to greater surviving natural disasters’ - Dr Neville Sweijd

From Cape Coast to Cairo, Moscow to Malabu, the year 2012 will go down in history as one of those years when the world saw a glimpse of nature's fury. It is a year filled with large scale natural disasters than any year in the new millennium.

Most devastating are flash flood incidents that caught many unaware leading to hundreds of dead. Presently, three people are on trial in Russia for failing to trigger early warning system during a similar incident (flood) that claimed many lives.

What faith then await countries, especially in Africa and Asia, without early warning systems? In this short but straight to point presentation, Don Abiodun Odedeyi presents to you, excerpt of Doctor Nevile Sweijd's presentation at the 4th Lagos Climate Change Summit in Lagos, Nigeria..

"Most of climate change effects such as flood, heat wave, and bush fire have common areas and season of occurrence. What needs to be done', he said, 'is to put in place projects that will combat this challenges. In South Africa, drainages are build in flood prone areas while residents are move to safer locations prior to the beginning of raining season.

"A major challenge in the fight against climate change is poverty, look at the situation in some parts of Makoko and Ajegunle here in Lagos where dirts and wastes reign. Such place gives room to common natural causes to become a national disaster.

"Government should be more proactive in the area of environmental management, identifying of harms way, shifting of baselines among others."

In his closing remarks, Dr. Neville emphasis on the need to build early warning systems along national coastal areas, Sahel regions as well as areas known to be prone to climate change effects.

"Makeshift accommodations will not be out of place, we have similar projects in South Africa. In the case of impending disaster, people living in affected areas are evacuated. They return to their homes when the authority are sure things are safe."

**********
Dr Neville Sweijd (Phd) has worked at the University of the Western Cape and the International Ocean Institute.
He was a one of the speakers at the 4th Lagos Climate Change Conference, (April 2012). You can reach him via E-mail: nsweijd@access.ac.za
- Don
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Millennium Development Goal in Nigeria: Not yet 'Uhuru'

The Massive MDG Fraud: How the health ministry steals from the sick and dying.

In this first part of our series on the
utilisation of the yearly $1billion for
Millennium Development Goals' projects, we investigate the monumental corruption in the health ministry. We found that rather than help, the ministry is actually killing the country's hope of achieving the MDGs Massive corruption in various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) are the main reasons Nigeria will not achieve her Millennium Development Goals (MDG) targets, a PREMIUM TIMES investigation has revealed.

Between 2006 and 2008, MDAs such as the health ministry, water resources ministry and the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) mismanaged hundreds of billions of naira meant to specifically help Nigeria achieve the MDG targets.
While public officials mismanaged the MDG funds described by a senior civil servant as "free money," President Goodluck Jonathan sits on a report indicting these officials and their collaborating contractors.
The most culpable of these MDAs is the health ministry, which according to official government investigators "is the main impediment to achieving the MDGs related to health."
Obatunde Oladapo of the "Treatment Action Movement," an NGO dedicated to helping people living with HIV/AIDS, is so enraged by the blatant stealing of funds meant to treat sick people and save more Nigerians from dying from treatable diseases that he only stopped short of cursing the thieves. He said they were feasting on "blood money" that will haunt them forever.

Stealing from the sick

When Aisosa Asemota was diagnosed with HIV in 2009, he believed his days on earth were numbered. He was told at the University of Benin Teaching hospital in Edo State where he was diagnosed that his immune system was weakened and that he was therefore more susceptible to other diseases.
So when his skin itched continuously in January 2012, he went to the same hospital. However, the doctors there told him that he was only entitled to free anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs). To treat his scabies, doctors prescribed other drugs, particularly 100ml benzyl benzoate for treatment.
"I bought the benzyl benzoate for 180 naira. ℓ̊ used it with the other drugs I bought; and after a few days, I became okay," the 34-year-old bus driver stated.
While Mr. Asemota bought his benzyl benzoate in a neighbourhood pharmacy for N180, the officials in the health ministry, which bought in bulk, quoted and bought the same drug for government hospitals at "scandalously ridiculous"
amounts.

The Benzyl Benzoate fraud

As part of efforts to help in the treatment of HIV aids victims, the Federal Ministry of Health in 2008 bought benzyl benzoate to be distributed to hospitals across the country.
While the 100ml benzyl benzoate costs a maximum 200 naira in the retail market, officials in the health ministry claim they purchased each
unit of the drug for N119,000, which is 59,400 per cent higher than the amount for which Mr. Asemota bought the same drug.
The drug, used in treating scabies and other skin ailments, is one of the items bought by the ministry in 2008 at a total cost of N5.4 billion.
Since a carton of the drug contains 24 bottles of 100ml benzyl benzoate, 544 cartons, which the ministry bought, could only have cost a maximum N2.6 million. The ministry however paid N64.7 million for it, with N62 million perhaps going into private pockets of officials and their collaborators.
"That is ridiculous, how can anybody buy it (benzyl benzoate) for that amount?" said Emmanuel Osigwe, a pharmacist who runs a pharmacy in Garki, Abuja.
This purchase troubled independent monitors who ordered that "the purchase of 100ml benzyl benzoate suspension at N119,000 when it costs less than N200 in the market should be flagged."
The money used for this purchase is part of the funds meant to help Nigeria achieve the Millennium Development Goal (MDGs).

Achieving the MDGs

Although world leaders adopted the United Nations Millennium Declaration in September 2000 in New York, it was not until 2005 that the Nigerian government effectively signed on to the initiative, making a well-publicised commitment to achieving the MDGs by 2015.
In a deal negotiated by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former World Bank Managing Director and Nigeria's Finance Minister, Nigeria secured debt relief from the Paris club of creditors in 2005. Nigeria paid $12bn of the $30bn owed the Paris Club while the remaining $18bn was cancelled.
The country then pledged to devote $1bn annually to achieving the MDGs. The amount was what was then being used to service the Paris club debt annually.
In other to ensure efficiency and proper management, the President established the Office of the Senior Special Adviser to the President on MDGs (OSSAP-MDGs) whose mandate was to oversee the spending of the amount on projects that would aid the realization of the MDGs targets.

This office was held by Amina Az-Zubair

To ensure probity and accountability, Mrs. Az-Zubair set up a Monitoring and Evaluation team to monitor the MDG projects executed with the funds.
What the monitoring team found is shocking and heart-rending. . Between 2007 and 2010, the team found that different ministries, departments and agencies, mismanaged a larger chunk of the N320billion allocated to achieving the MDGs between 2006 and 2008.

The Ministry of Health fraud

As part of an ongoing investigation into the (mis)management of the MDG funds, PREMIUM TIMES found that the health ministry mismanaged most of the N54billion it received between 2006 and 2008 under the MDG scheme.
Goals 4 ( Reducing child mortality), 5 (Improving maternal health), and 6 (Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases) are directly related to health. For this reason, the Ministry of Health was allocated N21.3bn in 2006, N16.17 billion in 2007, and 16.9billion in 2008.
But rather than applying the funds for the purposes they were earmarked, officials of the Ministry and its agencies stole a large portion and then mismanaged what was left, investigations reveal. Several projects including construction of clinics, purchase of drugs and hospital equipment, and capacity building of health staff across the country, suffered as a result.

Other examples of fraud

Apart from inflation of prices which characterized the Ministry of Health's purchases, several examples of how the ministry managed its funds abound.
Following complaints, by several (public) hospitals in Nigeria, of lack of injections, the health ministry decided to buy injections in bulk for distribution nationwide. Over N900 million was released, through the National Programme on Immunization, but most of the materials purportedly bought were never supplied. Their whereabouts remain unknown.
This was confirmed in March 2008 when the M&E team submitted its report for 2006.
"Of the N1bn approved for buying syringes, N901.6mn was spent. A large quantity of syringes paid for had not been delivered. These included 2,854,000 BCG syringes; 24,000,000 1ml disposable syringes; 1,000,000 5ml reconstitution syringes; 52,092,835 0.5ml auto-disposable syringes and 49,261 safety boxes," the report stated.
Another example of money spent without materials delivered was in the purchase of solar freezers meant to store drugs and other materials. While the ministry released N200million for 250 solar freezers in 2006, only 65 were delivered.
A senior official of the ministry told PREMIUM TIMES it was normal for contractors to under-deliver goods when they had adequately "settled" top officials.
"See, to get contract in this ministry or any other one, you must settle very well. So, if a contractor knows he has settled very well, he can choose to under-deliver since he is sure nobody will complain as everyone has been settled," the source, who does not want to be named, for fear of being victimized, said.
A culture of misinformation
In other to hide the corruption in the expenditure of the MDG funds, the Federal Ministry of Health decided to manipulate information and forge documents of purchases given to the independent monitors.
An example of this was in the expenditure of N1.089bn meant for the Family Health Division (FHD) of the ministry. The money was to be used to purchase medical supplies including mama kits for distribution across the country
When the monitors asked for details of the purchases, the ministry told them that they had procured and supplied 45,105 mama kits.
Further scrutiny of the purchase and distribution records however revealed that only 31,171 were procured and distributed. When the M&E team sought reasons for this misinformation, the ministry was not forthcoming with any.

Frustrating investigation and monitoring

In other to ensure that the misappropriation and illegalities in the ministry are not exposed, officials decided to frustrate the activities of the M&E team, by withholding information from monitors.
This withholding of information was characteristic of the ministry in all the years its activities were monitored.
In its report for 2006, which was submitted in 2008, the M&E team stated that "the FMOH and its MDAs need to be more serious in implementing budgets they defended and more responsive to requests for information by the M&E.
The ministry however continued to withhold information from the monitors up till 2010 when the report for the 2008 expenditure was submitted. This made the M&E team to state in its report for 2008 that "the major challenge in the 2008 M&E exercise as in 2006 and 2007 was accessing timely information to verify implementation and assess outcomes."
"The M&E team inevitably concluded that MDAs (Health Ministry and departments under it) refused to give information either because they were hiding something, or because they had got away with withholding information in previous years (of M&E)."
Health ministry an impediment
In a public document whose forward was written by President Goodluck Jonathan and titled "Nigeria Millennium Development Goals Report 2010," the Federal Government admitted that " None of the MDGs are certain to be achieved."
The report also showed that the MDGs related to health had an average or weak potential of being achieved by 2010.
Although the Federal Government failed to elaborate on who is to blame for the potential non-achievement of the health-related MDGs, the scale of mismanagement and inefficiency at the Federal Ministry of Health caused independent monitors to conclude that the ministry is the greatest impediment to achieving the MDGs.
"The most important lesson learnt was that the projects and programmes implemented by the
FMoH procurement division performed poorly.
This has been a consistent finding of the M&E since 2006." The M&E team stated as part of it's conclusion in the 2008 report.
"The FMoH is the main impediment to achieving the MDGs related to health," it concluded while recommending that funds should be halted to the ministry while health-related projects should be funded through a different scheme and agency.

Blame the President

Despite the mismanagement of MDG funds in the health ministry, no official of the ministry or project contractor has been questioned or
prosecuted.
Jibrin Ibrahim, the national coordinator of the Centre for Democracy and Development believes
the president is to blame for the continuous mismanagement and non-performance of projects associated with the MDGs, as official reports of the mismanagement have been sent to the President.
"What we expect the government to do is to follow up on this non-performance. Our own position is that this report goes to the President.
The president is the person who has final authority to follow up on these issues, and what should happen is that those that are not performing should be investigated," he said.
"I don't see why the anti-corruption agencies shouldn't investigate these people," said Mr. Ibrahim, whose organisation was part of the M&E
team.
Apart from the official M&E report, the Bureau for Public Procurement, which monitors purchases by MDAs also carried out its own investigations and
found some ministries culpable of
misappropriation.
"The Bureau did a Procurement Audit in 2008 and forwarded the report to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for investigation,"
said Segun Imohiosen, the Bureau's spokesman.
The Senior Special Adviser to the President on MDG, Precious Gbeneol wouldn't respond to PREMIUM TIMES enquiry, even though it was her
office that disbursed the stolen funds, and should render account.
After several calls and text messages to Mrs. Gbeneol, her spokesperson, Kene Offie requested a formal letter of enquiry. Several weeks after the
letter was sent and despite repeated visits, phone calls and text messages, we got no written response. Mr. Offie, later explained that the office
had stopped giving funds to indicted MDAS.
"When MDAs have been found to have performed abysmally in implementation of budgets, OSSAP
MDGs has stopped such MDAs of any further budgetary provision until the issues leading to poor performance are resolved," she said.

Ministry keeps mum

Despite repeated request for information and clarification from the Ministry of Health, its officials
refused to comment. Yusuf Isiaka, the Deputy Director Media in the
ministry is yet to respond to our enquiry several months after they were submitted to him in the format he requested. Mr. Isiaka requested a formal letter of our questions after listening to them.
Although the letter was sent to the Ministry through him in November last year, several visits to the ministry and repeated phone calls yielded no results as Mr. Isiaka kept saying "you know we are very busy."
While the billions of naira spent on purchase of drugs and other medical supplies by the health ministry remain unaccounted for, and its officials refuse to comment, Nigerians like Mr. Asemota still find it difficult to get basic medical supplies such as injections and drugs from public hospitals.
"Since I was diagnosed of HIV, I always go to them (University of Benin Teaching hospital) for any sickness. Most times however, I still buy my injections and drugs from chemist outside the hospital," Mr. Asemota said.

Extracted from Premium Times website
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Shell could face huge fine for Nigeria spill

Nigerian agency tells parliament oil giant should pay $5bn for environmental damage caused by offshore leak last year.

Nigerian regulators have told parliament that Royal Dutch Shell, the Netherlands-based oil and gas company, should be fined $5bn for environmental damage caused by an oil spill at it's offshore Bonga field last December.

Shell said on Tuesday there was no legal basis for the proposed fine.

The country's National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) told a parliamentary committee on Monday that although last year's spill, estimated at about 40,000 barrels, was contained offshore, there was a serious environmental threat.

NOSDRA said that the leakage was caused by a failure in Shell's oil export hose.

"The spilled barrels impacted approximately 950 square kilometres of water surface, affected a great number of sensitive environmental resources," NOSDRA said before the environment committee of the national assembly.

"It has a direct social impact on the livelihood of people in the riverine areas whose primary occupation is fishing."

Shell said that last December's spill happened while a tanker was loading oil, leading to the complete shutdown of the company's Bonga facility. Production restarted in January.

"We do not believe there is any basis in law for such a fine. Neither do we believe that SNEPCo [Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Co] has committed any infraction of Nigerian law to warrant such a fine," Shell said on Tuesday.
"SNEPCo responded to this incident with professionalism and acted with the consent of the necessary authorities at all times to prevent environmental impact as a result of the incident."

Bonga accounts for around 10 per cent of monthly oil flows from Nigeria, the continent's largest exporter of crude oil.

A United National Environment Programme report last year said that Shell was not doing enough to clean up spills and maintenance of infrastructure was inadequate.

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PURSUING DEVELOPMENT: LOSING THE ENVIRONMENT by Don Abiodun Odedeyi and Oludolapo Odewunmi

PURSUING DEVELOPMENT: LOSING THE ENVIRONMENT

Development is the bait offered to the masses by politicians in Nigeria, promises to provide social amenities and utilities. Occasionally, when such promises appear to be backed by genuine efforts, they are implemented without taking the importance of environmental protection into cognizance.

Consequently, poverty and disease among other manifestations of under-development are on the rise, in spite of the many development policies and initiatives the government rolls out.

At no other time in the history of man has he been more pressed with the need to simultaneously generate greater amounts of energy and protect the environment. With an estimated global population of a little over 7billion people, the demand for energy has increased sharply from what it used to be few decades ago.

Energy demand and supply are major indices for assessing the level of development and standard of living in a country; hence millions of dollars are spent annually by the government on power generation.

While these increased expenditures on power generation have led to technological breakthroughs and massive industrialization, the greater demand for energy has more often resulted in destruction of the environment.

For many, development is synonymous with industrialization or technological advancement; however, development in the true sense of the word goes far beyond these. This is consequent upon the fact that "man" is the focal point of development, and that in the absence of humans, no amount of advancement or industrialization would be viewed as development. Indeed, all advancements witnessed in the various spheres of life may only be termed "development" given their positive consequence upon human activities and application by man.

Many of these developmental activities and efforts are however not sustainable and affect the environment negatively, consequently exacerbating the same problems they are meant to solve. Oil exploration and mining for instance provide jobs for thousands of Nigerians, this is expected to translate to improved quality of life for these, and indirectly to a much large number than those directly benefiting by way of salaries alone. However, the number of those directly and indirectly affected by the oil spills, gas flaring and explosions among other problems often experienced in oil producing areas of Nigeria are so colossal as to totally negate any benefits accrued from it.

Indeed, many such activities necessary for development are not sustainable and end up doing much harm as well.

Sustainable development is a process of development that meets the need of the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their need. It is however unfortunate that in spite of its much touted sustainable development policies and initiatives, the issue of environmental protection in Nigeria is still being taken with levity.

And it does not require the special powers of a seer to reveal that like energy supply, environmental protection is crucial to attaining development.

During the first week of January 2012, the nation was brought back to stark reality by the explosion of a Chevron Gas facility that sent tongues of fire leaping several meters into the air, burning continuously on the coastal waters for several days without respite and claiming a number of lives. While Nigerians are well acquainted with such ecological disasters, the explosion in Kolouama community of Bayelsa state came perhaps as a harsh reminder to the fact that our environment is still the least protected of our resources. Already, residents of the surrounding communities have reportedly been experiencing breathing problems and lesions as a result of the harmful gases released; the effect of the explosion on aquatic life in the area is better imagined.

In most parts of the Niger Delta, many who were formerly fishermen have been robbed of their livelihood as a result of oil spills and gas explosions in fish rich waters, inevitably leading to untold suffering as a result of unemployment, and consequent spike in criminal activities. This is in addition to the ailments and diseases contracted as a result of exposure to poisonous gases from petroleum exploratory activities, drinking from water bodies polluted by crude oil and industrial waste. It is therefore not surprising, that in spite of the various government programs, funds and initiatives purportedly designed to elevate the people, the overwhelming poverty and disease have not abated.

Many formerly fertile farmlands of South Eastern Nigeria have become cavernous gullies, devouring much public infrastructure and expanding each raining season to claim more land and livelihoods with it. In the far North, the topography is changing from year to year as farmlands become dunes of barren sands and water bodies, vast expanses of arid land, depriving fishermen and farmers of their livelihood. In both cases, degradation of the environment makes the already poor much poorer, consequently, the expected increase in quality of life which should result from government's expenditure on national development goals (including poverty alleviation, improvement in health, provision of basic social amenities/utilities etc.) does not materialise or has little impact on enhancement of living conditions. So annually, the government boasts of the thousands of job opportunities it has created without disclosing the much higher numbers that have lost their livelihood, died or become victims of inexplicable illnesses as a result of environmental degradation. On many other occasions, old industries are resuscitated while new ones begin to function, most times pushing the environment and indeed, human existence farther and farther to the brink of destruction.

In view of developmental measures being taken, it should be recognised that just one environmental disaster such as a flood, could destroy much good and set any economy back by several decades. Perhaps the periodic Lagos floods should serve as an example through which we may learn that even intense efforts at promoting development may continually suffer setbacks when carried out in the midst of an environment in turmoil. More so, given the alarming rate at which Nigeria is losing her biodiversity (Nigeria has the highest rate of deforestation globally), destruction of marine systems and aquatic life, desertification in the far North and erosion of arable land, the implications on future generations are indeed terrifying.

Amidst the present rate of environmental degradation in Nigeria, one wonders; will a time come when future generations are faced with hunger and starvation, or have to depend totally on importedfood because the land can no longer produce? Will the desert continue to devour the land as the forests retreat or will the forests disappear, leaving stumps in the earth as a reminder? Will the evidence of industrialisation be our coastal waters laden with industrial waste, gas flares and fish drunk on crude oil? How can the government claim to be providing jobs when the environment which provides a large percentage of Nigerians with their means of livelihood remains degraded and unproductive? How can there be any realistic effort to resuscitate agriculture and encourage farmers when erstwhile arable lands have become cavernous gorges?

At the moment, the undeniable truth is that most developmental efforts are neither sustainable nor have any positive effect on the quality of life of majority of Nigerians. In addition to this, unchecked and unplanned population growth is taking place which by itself is exerting tremendous pressure on the nation's environment and resources. On the other hand, reducing deforestation will benefit biodiversity, and afforestation can restore degraded land, manage water runoff and benefit rural economies, consequently providing means of employment, livelihood and improving the quality of life at various levels. Concerted efforts to rejuvenate our degraded and damaged environment will contribute to the much needed development and preserve a robust environment for the coming generations.

For this reason, to achieve sustainable development, environmental protection must constitute an integral part of the national development process, and more importantly, attention must be shifted to development, promotion and integration of cleaner and renewable forms of energy into the nation's energy economy.

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Extreme weather: Get ready to see more of it

After battling with wild fire in which many homes and lives were lost, news came Monday that the mainland United States experienced its warmest 12 months since the dawn of record-keeping in 1895.

And on Tuesday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released a report calling 2011 a year of extreme weather.

Remember Hurricane Irene? Or the floods in Thailand and southern China and the deadly drought in the Horn of Africa or the 2011 and 2012 flood in Lagos, Nigeria? Heavy rains in Brazil that resulted in massive landslides.

Nine of the top 10 warmest years globally have occurred since 2000, according to NOAA.

The real challenge is figuring out whether a particular storm or flood was due to climate change or natural variables, said Chris Field, founding director of the Carnegie Institution's Department of Global Ecology.

"As we change the climate, we're shifting the odds for extreme weather," he said.

It's sort of like upping your chances of a car accident if you're speeding.

The four classes of extremes -- high heat, heavy precipitation and floods, duration and intensity of droughts and extremes related to higher sea levels -- have changed in the last 50 years, Field said.

"Increasingly, we are loading the dice towards these very damaging kinds of extremes," he said.

But that's not to say every weather event is related to warming temperatures.

Southern Greenland, northern Russia, and the eastern two-thirds of North America have felt the greatest warmth in 2012, but many places -- Alaska, Mongolia and most of Australia -- have been cool anomalies.

The men's final at the Wimbledon tennis tournament Sunday was stopped briefly for rain. Rain, in Britain? Although it has a reputation for sogginess, it's been cooler and wetter than normal for the last few months in the British isles.

America's northwest has also escaped the heat. The state of Washington just marked its seventh coolest June ever.

"When you've got a planet that's nearest warmest levels on record, that doesn't mean every part of the world is going to be the warmest ever," said Jeff Masters, director of meteorology for Weather Underground.

Jake Crouch, a climate scientist at the National Climatic Data Center, said weather patterns -- including the jet stream or the ocean-atmosphere systems in the Pacific known as El Niño and La Niña -- have a great effect on weather.

In 2011, two back-to-back La Niñas, each characterized by cooler-than-average water temperatures in the eastern Pacific, affected significant weather events -- including droughts in the southern United States and northern Mexico and in east Africa.

Scientists also analyzed the United Kingdom's very warm November 2011 and a very cold December 2010. They said that cold Decembers are now half as likely to occur versus 50 years ago, whereas warm Novembers are now 62 times more likely.

The report pointed out that some weather events, like the Thailand flooding, are influenced by humans in other ways.

"Although the flooding was unprecedented, the amount of rain that fell in the river 'catchment' area was not very unusual," the report said. "Other factors, such as changes in reservoir policies and increased construction on the flood plain, were found most relevant in setting the scale of the disaster."

The 2012 hurricane season has gotten off to a robust start, though meteorologist Thomas Downs of Expert Weather Investigations attributed that to a cyclical warming of Atlantic waters.

"We've had a tremendous start to the system. We are in the middle of a warm phase," he said.

"The biggest thing of this year is the cumulative effect of the last two seasons. Some parts of the United States have been under drought conditions for the past two years," he said, and did not have much rain in April and May. Less solar energy is absorbed by hot, parched land.

In releasing the state of the climate report Tuesday, Deputy NOAA Administrator Kathryn Sullivan said 2011 will be remembered for extreme weather. This year seems to be on the same track.

From now on, she said, every weather event takes place in the context of a changing global environment.

Extract from CNN

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Okun Afa (Alpha Beach)sacked by raging Ocean by Don Abiodun Odedeyi

Sunday 1st of July, 2012 will forever remain a day to remember in the lives of community of Okun Afa Alpha Beach. It was the day that the ocean rose over the sand barrier and sweep through the sleeping town.

The previous evening gave no clue as to what will come, after the usual merriment and greetings, everyone went to their various homes with different plans for the next day.

At about 2am Sunday morning, the Atlantic Ocean surged above the sand barrier, made its way into the community and its environs. It was swift, sudden and the only thing the community could do was swim from their bedrooms, savaging their properties from the flowing current.

Days later, the community head or Baale, Chief Yusuf Atewolara, kitted in yellow rain-boot, wades through pool of water from his room for a chat.

"We had the same flood problem last year and the year before but this year, the problem is made worse because the water has no outlet to recede due to the Twin Lakes Estate fence."

The Twin Lakes Estate is an ongoing project owned by Chevron's subsidiary Chevron Closed PFA; a pension fund administrating company. The estate is a 200 hectres land, fully fenced with a three metres wall all round. The final landscape of the estate will includes two man-made lakes, power plant among others.

When ℓ̊ inspected the Twin Lakes Estate area, the surrounding was a swamp of water on the side of the community. The inside of the estate was not affected as the whole area is sandfilled, the lower part of the fence reinforced with concrete. This was alleged to be the main reason for the continuous flood as the fence creates an artificial barrier for the water to recede. The nearby Admiralty Estate is not spared either. The porch estate entrance was submerged forcing residents to abandon their vehicles far away from the estate.

"For over three years, we've been contacting all agencies concerned", Chief Atewolara said, his finely furnished sitting room now filled with water, "Governor Fashola (of Lagos) and President Goodluck Jonathan (Nigeria) were here last year and they promised to come up with a quick solution to the problem. We have been complaining to Chevron through various means. We had a meeting at Protea Hotel, about two years ago, and they (Chevron) told us that they will construct drainage to channel the water."

Chevron however denied the allegation. In a press released made available to me, the Managing Director of the company, Obafunke Alade-Adeyefa said the construction in question is handled by another company and not Chevron.

"We sympathize with the communities and have taken time to explain to the community leaders that Twin Lakes Estate (TLE) fence is not responsible for their plight. We have conducted a joint inspection of TLE and the position of the existing Lagos State Government drain within the surroundings, with the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and other officials from the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.

The inspection proved that TLE had not encroached upon the existing or ant future planned alignment of a drainage channel."

Domestic animals are not spared as their lifeless bodies litters the water, the community Health Centre is deserted as doctors and nurses run for dear lives, roads are taking over by flood, septic wastes litters the water-street, no electricity. To move without wading through the water, residents now transport themselves with makeshift boats from refrigerator packing foams.

The once popular Alfa Beach is empty; many shops that lined the beach shore are deserted.

The only road to the community is the sandy strand accessible only to jeeps and bigger vehicles.

Some, who can take it no more abandon their properties, others simply pack whatever is left of their properties as they look to start their lives somewhere, somewhere other than Okun Afa.

The story of Okun Afa and indeed coaster communities along the Atlantic Ocean has been made worse by abandoned sea vessels, which increase the strength of the ocean wave as it approaches the shore.

When the wave breaks, its forward motion creates a powerful surge of water that cart away sand barrier as it withdraw.

Today, the distance of the community to Atlantic Ocean, initial about four hundred metres is now less than fifty metres.

"We are appealing to the government of Lagos to construct sea barrier like the one erect at Bar Beach so that the surge can be caged on the other side," Mr. Samuel Poktum, who has been a resident of the area for more than thirteen years appealed.

During a similar surge in 2011, Lagos state government appealed to the community for time so that the ecology fund needed to tackle the challenge can be accessed.

For now, the community of Okun Afa Alpha Beach is battling with the flood, the much awaited intervention from the state government is yet to come, how they will battle with water borne disease which is impeding and with the health center out of business, is left to be seen.
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Okun Afa (Alpha Beach) sacked by raging Ocean by Don Abiodun Odedeyi

Sunday 1st of July, 2012 will forever remain a say to remember in the lives of community of Okun Afa Alpha Beach. It was the day that the ocean rose over the sand barrier and sweep through the sleeping town.

The previous evening gave no clue as to what will come, after the usual merriment and greetings, everyone went to their various homes with different plans for the next day.

At about 2am Sunday morning, the Atlantic Ocean surged above the sand barrier, made its way into the community and its environs. It was swift, sudden and the only thing the community could do was swim from their bedrooms, savaging their properties from the flowing current.

Days later, the community head or Baale, Chief Yusuf Atewolara, kitted in yellow rain-boot, wades through pool of water from his room for a chat.

"We had the same flood problem last year and the year before but this year, the problem is made worse because the water has no outlet to recede due to the Twin Lakes Estate fence."

When the Twin Lakes Estate area was inspected, the surrounding was a swamp of water on the side of the community. This is alleged to be the main reason of the continuous flood because the fence creates an artificial barrier for the water to recede. The nearby Admiralty Estate is not spared either.

"For over three years, we've been contacting all agencies concerned. Governor Fashola (of Lagos) and President Goodluck Jonathan (Nigeria) were here last year and they promised to come up with a quick solution to the problem. We have been complaining to Chevron through various means. We had a meeting at Protea Hotel, about two years ago, and they (Chevron) told us that they will construct drainage to channel the water"

Chevron however denied the allegation. In a press released made available to me, the Managing Director of the company, Obafunke Alade-Adeyefa said the construction in question is handled by another company and not Chevron.

"We sympathize with the communities and have taken time to explain to the community leaders that Twin Lakes Estate (TLE) fence is not responsible for their plight. We have conducted a joint inspection of TLE and the position of the existing Lagos State Government drain within the surroundings, with the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and other officials from the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.

The inspection proved that TLE had not encroached upon the existing or ant future planned alignment of a drainage channel."

Domestic animals are not spared as their lifeless bodies litters the water, the community Health Centre is deserted due to doctors and nurses run for dear lives, roads are taking over by flood, septic waste litters the water-street, no electricity. To move without wading through the water, residents now transport themselves with makeshift boats from refrigerator packing foams.

The once popular Alfa Beach is empty; many shops that lined the beach shore are deserted.

The only road to the community is the sandy strand accessible only to jeeps and bigger vehicles.

Some, who can take it no more simply pack whatever is left of their properties as they look to start their lives somewhere, somewhere other than Okun Afa.

The story of Okun Afa and indeed coaster communities along the Atlantic Ocean has been made worse by abandoned sea vessels, which increase the strength of the ocean wave as it approaches the shore. When the wave breaks, its forward motion creates a powerful surge of water that cart away sand barrier as it withdraw.

Today, the distance of the community to Atlantic Ocean, initial about four hundred metres is now less than fifty metres.

"We are appealing to the government of Lagos to construct sea barrier like the one erect at Bar Beach so that the surge can be caged on the other side," Mr. Samuel Poktum, who has been a resident of the area for more than thirteen years appealed.

During a similar surge in 2011, Lagos state government appealed to the community for time so that the ecology fund needed to tackle the challenge can be accessed.

For now, the community of Okun Afa Alpha Beach is battling with the flood, the much awaited intervention from the state government is yet to come, how they will battle with water borne disease which is impeding and with the health center out of business, is left to be seen.

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.

Australia introduces carbon tax

Can Nigeria emulates Australia in it bid to end gas flaring by introducing carbon tax?

Australia, today, introduced carbon tax in it effort to curb carbon emission and encourages renewable energy usage.

The law forces about 300 of the worst-polluting firms to pay a A$23 (£15; $24) levy for every tonne of greenhouse gases they produce.

The government says the tax is needed to meet climate-change obligations of Australia - the highest emitter per-head in the developed world.

Environmentalists have broadly backed the scheme, but there have been large public protests against it.
The government also hopes that the legislation will force innovation in renewable energy supplies, and free the country from its reliance on fossil fuels.

Speaking to newsmen, Prime Minister Julia Gillard says it is the only realistic way of meeting Australia's climate-change obligations.
"Businesses have got themselves ready for carbon pricing. New investments are being made."

Australia currently accounts for 1.5% of the world's emissions, but it is the developed world's highest emitter per head of population thanks to its relatively small population.

Australia's mining firms, airlines, steel makers and energy firms are among those expected to be hardest hit by the Clean Energy Act.

Domestic fuel bills are expected to rise as companies pass on the costs to consumers.

Culled from BBC, rewrite/Don/01July2012

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