Experts call for policies to tackle environmental crises

Scientists and experts in the field of sustainable development have called for immediate changes in the policies and institutions to enable humanity to combat environmental crises.

The group made this known in a press release made available to NaijaAgroNet by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED).

The scientists and experts, who are all past winners of the Blue Planet Prize, a yearly award programme organized by Asahi Glass Foundation with which individuals or organizations globally are recognized for their outstanding achievements in scientific research and its application.

The Blue Planet Prize past recipients assembled in London in order to put a final touch to a paper which will be launched at the United Nations Environmental Governing Council meeting to be held in Nairobi between 20 and 22 February.

Unveiling the major conclusions and recommendations of the paper titled 'Environmental and Development Challenges: The imperative to act', Bob Watson, the Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural affairs (Defra) and a co-author of the paper said the paper focus on transformational solutions to key environment and development challenges.

NaijaAgroNet gathered the paper also highlights the policies, technologies and behaviour changes necessary to protect the local, regional and global environment, and stimulate the economy and enhance the livelihoods of the poor.

Emphasizing on the focus of the paper, Bob Watson who won the Blue Planet Prize in 2010 said "The challenges facing the world today need to be addressed immediately if we are to solve the problem of climate change, loss of biodiversity and poverty."

Commenting on the paper, the UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director, Achim Steiner appreciated the efforts of the 14 authors of the paper for articulating their vision on how key development challenges can be addressed. 

"The paper by the Blue Planet laureates will challenge governments and society as a whole to act to limit human-induced climate change, the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services in order to ensure food, water energy and human security," Achim Steiner said.

'Yinka Awosanya

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