WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY: ANAMBRA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT JOINS GLOBAL CELEBRATION
By Lilian Akpunonu :
The Anambra State Ministry of Environment joined the international community in commemorating World Environment Day (WED), 2024, a United Nations initiative celebrated annually on June 5th. This year’s theme, “Our Land, Our Future: Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought,” highlights the urgent need to address land degradation, which affects over 40% of global land and half of the world’s population.
According to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, land degradation costs the global economy up to 12% of its GDP, equivalent to $4.7 trillion annually. In Anambra State, land degradation has led to soil erosion, flooding, and loss of biodiversity, affecting the livelihoods of millions of people.
The Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Felix Odimegwu, emphasized the importance of restoring land values through sustainable environmental practices. He stressed that land degradation is a significant contributor to erosion in the state and urged citizens to take proactive steps towards environmental conservation.
He explained that the ministry has set achievable goals and planned activities, events, and policy amendments to combat land degradation and promote a cleaner, greener, and sustainable Anambra State. Part of the initiatives is to Plant more trees across the state.
The celebration is part of the global “Generation Restoration” movement, which aims to unite people worldwide in restoring the environment for future generations.
* Akpunonu is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State *