Anna Okon
Stakeholders in the maritime sector are working with the World Bank to identify coastal areas of Nigeria needing assistance for the development of climate resilient coastlines.
The stakeholders are equally making moves to implement the Annex VI of the Marine Pollution agreement of the International Maritime Organisation in the sector.
MARPOL, the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, is concerned with preventing marine pollution from ships. Specifically, Annex VI of MARPOL addresses air pollution from ocean-going ships.
According to information obtained from the website of the United States of America Environmental Protection Agency, the international air pollution requirements of Annex VI establish limits on nitrogen oxide emissions and require the use of fuel with lower sulphur content, protecting people’s health and the environment by reducing ozone-producing pollution, which can cause smog and aggravate asthma.
Addressing a one-day national stakeholders’ forum on MARPOL Annex VI and other Emerging Issues on Climate Change, the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr. DakukuPeterside, said that the agency had formed a partnership with the Global Programme of Action, United Nations Environmental Protection, which aimed to prevent the degradation of the marine environment from land-based activities by facilitating the realisation of the duty of states to preserve and protect the marine environment.
Peterside, who outlined other strategies of enforcing the MARPOL directive, said the partnership with Nigeria and UNEP—GPA was aimed at eliminating marine litter along the nation’s coastlines.
He added that the IMO was developing a data collection system for ships’ fuel consumption, since carbon emission and fuel efficiency were directly linked.
“We are also with the Senate and House committees on climate change to mainstream climate change actions into a national policy having a robust legal framework and legislative support,” he stated.
In his opening remarks at the event, the Executive Director, Operations, NIMASA, Mr. RotimiFashakin, noted that Nigeria had a statutory and conventional mandate as responsible member of the IMO to enforce the agreement.
He said in view of the global concerns about climate change, Nigeria was committed to reversing effects of climate change through the instrumentality of internationally agreed principles and benchmarks.
According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari had resolved in March 28 while signing the Instrument of Ratification of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change that Nigeria was committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions unconditionally by 20 per cent and conditionally by 45 per cent in line with the nation’s nationally determined contribution.
He disclosed that NIMASA through its Marine Environment Management Department was spearheading the maritime industry’s drive towards full compliance with benchmarked GHG emission.
While recounting the efforts of NIMASA towards the implementation of MARPOL, the Director, Marine Environment Management, NIMASA, Susan Asagwara, said that the IMO had directed among others that nations should prohibit deliberate emissions of ozone depleting substances.
She added that NIMASA had decided to keep a roster of people supplying fuel to ships since the fuel they supplied must comply with the quality approved.
“We are working with the Department of Petroleum Resources to ensure that the quality is the one approved by the IMO. We are also building capacity and developing internal capacity,” she stated.
An expert on environment, Prof. Emmanuel Oladipo from the University of Lagos, said that the world was moving into reduction in carbon fuel and embracing renewable energy, adding that the Nigerian maritime sector must take the lead in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
According to the expert, the ocean absorbs the largest amount of carbon dioxide in the environment and all the activities going on in the habour and the ports such as oil spill and gas flaring generate greenhouse gas, which in turn affect humans.
He said, “If we continue to allow it, the sea will start throwing part of the Co2 at us. Climate change will be part of us forever and the climate will continue to change; we cannot prevent that but we can at least reduce the effect.
“If the global warming becomes too much that the atmosphere is no longer safe, it becomes a problem; and human activities have contributed to global warming such that the level is no longer safe for humans.
“Since 1976, it has been said that if we keep doing things the way we are doing, we will throw the earth system out of balance such that we will not be able to control it.”
Oladipo noted that the maritime sector contributed more than one million metric tonnes of the GHG, adding that as a result of this, there had been an increase at the rate in which ships using fossil fuel injected carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
He noted that a situation where ships owners/operators cut corners so that their energy efficiency would not be checked by the authorities was not healthy.
Oladipo stated that the way land was being used in Nigeria also caused carbon to be released into the atmosphere.
He advised against tree cutting as a way of protecting the environment.
Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: editor@punchng.com
source: http://ift.tt/2vZ6m9Z
http://ift.tt/eA8V8J