Promoting Environmental Governance and Green Living in Nigeria

   By Simon Shomkegh   

Environmental Governance refers to multi-level interactions at the local, national or international levels in formulating and implementing policies in response to environment-related demands and inputs through formal and informal mechanisms, rules, procedures, norms and widely accepted behavior.

 It does not only deal with the top-down mechanisms often used by governments to ensure regulatory compliance but requires collective actions and responsibilities among all stakeholders to improve environmental conditions. These actions must be taken with high integrity and the tenets of good governance. 

 Green living on the other hand involves making choices (big or small) and taking actions that lessen environmental impacts. It's about living responsible and nature-friendly lives as individuals, organizations and governments. Essentially, greener choices and good environmental governance would lead to protection of natural resources, prudent utilization of material and financial resources, reduction of environmental impacts and ensure sustained environmental services for today and future generations.

 Decisions on environmental policies and programmes are to involve all stakeholders especially relevant government agencies, the scientific community, civil society organizations, the private sector and the affected communities. There can be no effective and efficient environmental governance without equitable representation of all segments of society in decision making at all levels.

Such inputs need to be made in all stages of the process, beginning from the planning stage to implementation through a well coordinated consultative process. These consultations should begin with the community (where the affected people are), local and state governments, the regions and the federal level, involving all actors. This will promote ownership, sustainability and effective participation in environmental processes.

Green living options should be explored by all in every activity to minimize emissions/impacts and promote sustainable utilization. Industrialized nations must consider alternative technologies that will considerably cut down on greenhouse gas emissions while developing countries should also discourage emissions-sensitive transactions by importing only goods produced from clean technologies.

 We must all know that the present ecological challenges facing mankind are mainly caused by man and if we do not turn from our mistakes of the past and vigorously pursue and embrace earth-friendly actions, we will be surprised that the resources on which our lives directly consist will be greatly inadequate to support the ever growing human population, hence threatening human existence on earth.

Individuals, civil society organizations, the private sector and government need to engage in awareness campaigns in rural communities and the cities, on the need to reduce destructive actions and promote activities that protect our natural resources. This should be taken as our corporate responsibility to ensure that we use and leave for our children a natural resource base that can support their existence and that of future generations. Going green is a task for all who want to live, let’s embrace it!