Civil leaders, community-based organizations, civil society organizations, development experts, the academia, legal practitioners, the media and representatives of government agencies met from November 25-26, 2009 at the Grand Montecito Hotel in Port Harcourt, Rivers State to critically examine the growing impact of fossil fuel extraction on the climate and issues around oil as a sustainable economic backbone for Nigeria.

The event, themed: “Envisioning a post-Petroleum Nigeria”, was the second in the series of convergence, aimed at stimulating broad-based national discourse on the state of the environment and was organized by the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment.

In his introductory remarks, ERA/FoEN Executive Director, Nnimmo Bassey explained that the theme of the consultation was chosen as a wakeup call to all stakeholders in the Nigerian project, to address the devastating effects of crude oil on the economy and environment as well as the central need of planning for a post-oil economy.

At the end of the Consultation, participants observed that:

• Global warming and other grave environmental hazards are primarily a result of extractive activities, particularly oil extraction.
• Over five decades of oil extraction in Nigeria have not impacted positively on the citizenry and particularly the people of the Niger Delta, whose livelihoods have been eroded because of regular pollution of farmlands and rivers.
• Women, children and other vulnerable persons in the Niger Delta and other resource-bearing communities across the country have been made vulnerable due to resource conflicts and are exposed to severe human rights abuse.
• By failing to halt gas flaring in the Niger Delta, the Nigerian government has demonstrated a lack of preparedness to committing to reduce the effects of climate change even as it joins climate talks in Copenhagen
• Violent conflicts and criminality in the Niger Delta region and particularly in oil-bearing communities are direct results of corruption rooted in the operations of oil industry.
• Life expectancy in the Niger Delta has continued to decline yearly as a result of environmental pollution in the region and today stands at an appalling 41 years.
• There is flagrant disregard for international standards in the oil industry particularly the non-observance of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on projects with far-reaching impacts on local communities.
• The Federal Government’s planned deregulation of the downstream oil sector will only benefit a profiteering cabal in the country and not the vast majority of the population.
• The Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) as currently prepared by the Federal Government is fundamentally flawed and is anti-people as it neither allows for communities to be notified of risks nor seeks their endorsement for environmental management plans. In addition to numerous gaps, the PIB does not offer sufficient penalties to deter infringement of its provisions.
• Nigeria’s oil industry is still rife with oil theft and inaccuracy in volumes of oil extracted and what is actually made public, and makes a nonsense of governments touted policy on transparency and accountability
• The amnesty programme of the Federal Government is yet to address key human rights and developmental challenges in the Niger Delta and may fail with unimaginable consequences.
• Ecological funds meant for remediation have been regularly diverted to other uses that do not have a bearing on impacted environments.
• Massive land grabs promoted by agribusinesses and oil corporations erode traditional farming practices on the African continent.
• The Nigerian government is yet to demonstrate sufficient commitment to growing the national economy by failure to fund research and qualitative education in addition to poorly thought-out policies that promote disruption in the educational sector.
• There is low awareness on environmental issues in the country.

Participants therefore strongly recommend that:

• All new oil finds must be left in the ground. The planned exploitation of bitumen should be halted as the extraction will inflict unmitigated disaster on communities and raise new levels of conflicts.
• The Leave Oil in the Ground message should be popularized.
• Gas flaring is a violation of the rights of Nigerians to life as is enshrined in the constitution and must end today
• The Federal Government must take steps to ascertain and publish the volumes of oil extracted daily in the nation. As a follow up to this, it must take immediate steps to stop all forms of oil theft.
• A need exists for mass awareness and mobilization of local communities to resist gas flaring and other unfriendly environmental practices in the Niger Delta and other parts of Nigeria where resource conflicts are a growing reality.
• The authentic Petroleum Industry Bill must address genuine concerns of the oil-bearing communities by seeking their endorsement on environmental management plans. It must also proffer sufficient penalties for infringement of the provisions.
• Any provision in the Petroleum Industry Bill that is aimed at expropriating land and resources from the people must be abrogated.
• Political leadership of the Niger Delta must judiciously use the resources of the region for development.
• The amnesty programme of the Federal Government should address the real issues of underdevelopment in the Niger Delta and open channels for genuine reconciliation of all aggrieved people of the region.
• The Nigerian state must fund qualitative education and indigenous research to address challenges of development.
• Women and the vulnerable in the society must be protected from the fallouts of resource conflicts while identified cases of violation of their rights must be adequately redressed.
• All stakeholders-communities, civil society groups, government agencies, the media, among others, must work collaboratively to expose unsound environmental practices and mobilize for laws that will reverse the trend.
In conclusion, we are united in our opposition to new oil blocs and call on all progressive-minded peoples and organizations to support our call that new oil finds be left in the ground and bitumen left in the soil.

Signed By:
1. Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria
2. Host Communities Network (HoCoN)
3. Nigerian Environmental Study/Action Team (NEST), Ibadan
4. Social Action, Port Harcourt
5. Nigeria Cassava Growers Association
6. African Centre for Leadership Strategy and Development, Abuja
7. Environment, Health and Communication Initiative
8. Persons with Disabilities Action Network (PEDANET)
9. United Action for Democracy (UAD)
10. Conflict Resolution Trainers Network (CROTIN)
11. Grace Fellowship Africa
12. Students Environmental Assembly
13. Campaigners for Justice, Equity and Fairness (CJEF), Benin City
14. Society for the Rights of the Girl Child
15. Women Environmental Programme
16. Journalists for Democratic Rights (JODER)
17. Council for Leadership and Development (CLD)

18. Society for Empowerment and Self-Reliance (SESER)
19. Youth Empowerment and Child Labor Elimination Project (YCEP)
20. Foundation for Conservation of the Earth (FOCONE)
21. Green Concern for Development (Green Code), formerly ABGREMO, Calabar
22. Centre for Rural Integration and Development
23. UGREEN Foundation
24. Development Information Network (DEVNET)
25. Child Health Organisation
26. Concern for Habitat Development
27. LEAP Foundation
28. Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA)
29. Niger Delta Budget Monitoring Group
30. Children Initiative
31. Centre for Development Communications (CENDEC)
32. National Point Newspapers
33. Foundation Against Social Trauma and Environmental Ravage (FASTER)
34. Wildlife Preservation Trust
35. Trade Network Initiative (TNI)
36. Centre for Socio-Economic Development
37. HRJPF
38. Movement for Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP)
39. CEHRD
40. Oruma Community
41. Ogoni Solidarity Forum
42. Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
43. HEDA, Lagos
44. People Against Drug Dependence and Ignorance (PADDI)
45. Gender Awareness and Development Associates (GADA)
46. Centre for Development Support Initiatives
47. CUAED
48. Nurses Across Borders
49. Institute for Dispute Resolution
50. Kebet Kache Women Development and Resource Centre
51. Environ-Green Integrated Initiative
52. Alfred Ozo Foundation
53. Social Development Integrated Centre (SDIC)
54. Centre for Human Empowerment, Advancement and Development
55. Association for Promotion of Human Development, Gombe State
56. Bamidele Aturu & Co
57. Women and Children Life Advancement Initiative, Katsina State
58. Foundation for Sustainable Development
59. Care for Youth Initiative
60. Future of Our Environment
61. CIC Benin
62. Centre for Development Support Initiatives (CEDSI-Nigeria)
63. OGDEMOVE
64. Centre for Social and Corporate Responsibility (CSCR) Port Harcourt
65. Hand of Hope Foundation
66. Friends of the Needy and Oppressed Foundation (FONAO) Foundation
67. Centre for the Advancement of Children and Women Rights
68. Centre for Creative Arts Education, Port Harcourt
69. Goodwill Homage Foundation
70. Green Earth Links
71. The Olive -Child Foundation
72. Mag Foundation for Women
73. Freshfields Solicitors, Port Harcourt
74. Our Niger Delta
75. River Ethiope Trust Foundation
76. Gender and Development Action
77. Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO)
78. Peculiar People Foundation
79. Impact and Systems International, Abuja
80. Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), Ijebu-Ode
81. Centre for Constitutionalism and Demilitarisation (CENCOD), Lagos
82. Imo Mass Movement
83. Women in Technology Education and Employment
84. Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Abuja
85. Basic Rights Action
86. Legal Hands, Benin City
87. Rural Women and Youth Development Initiative, Ikom, Cross Rivers State
88. Koyenum Immalah Foundation (Publish What you Pay)
89. Save Earth Nigeria
90. Peace and Development Projects
91. Neighborhood Environmentwatch Foundation
92. Organisation for Sustenance of the Nigerian Environment
93. Ijaw Council for Human Rights
94. Association for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) Gombe
95. Women Centre for Quality Living and Practice, Benin City
96. Campaign for Democracy
97. Gender Environmental and Sustenable Development Initiative (GENSDI)
98. ANPEZ Centre for Environment and Development
99. Peace and Development Projects (PEDEP)
100. African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ)
101. D.U Akamakusi & Associates
102. Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GYCA)
103.Niger Delta Coastal Communities Development Association
ND-COCODA
104. Christars Global Development Foundation, Port Harcourt
105. African Center for Sustainable Livelihoods (AFRICSUL)
106. Iwherekan Community, Delta State
107. Africa Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR)
108. Community Forest Watch (CFW), Iguobazuwa, Edo State
109. Singles & Success Organisation
110. Academic Foundation Network, Ete Community
111. Gender Action Group
112. Climate Change Network Nigeria (CCN)
113. Niger Delta Development Initiative (NDDI)
114. Environmental Outreach Magazine, Yenagoa
115. FISHCAREPLUS
116. Oilwatch Africa
117. Publish What You Pay

My Call to Action plan proposal involved working in conjunction with the sustainable development organization Evergreen to help co-ordinate a park restoration event. This would also give me the opportunity to discuss with the staff, and others about TakingITGlobal, and my work on the global issues of the environment and sustainable development. I originally planned to first attend an event myself to better understand what we would be doing. Unfortunately, some of the events later in the month were cancelled, and I had only one chance to put this into action. I really liked what the Evergreen organization was about so despite the time restraints, I wanted to make this work. I attempted to spread the word to as many people as I could (calling was the most successful) and though we were only a group of five (thank you very much for showing up!), we were ready to help in any way possible.

About Evergreen and Downsview Park

Evergreen

Evergreen is a Canada wide non-profit organization that looks to increase the liveability of cities by integrating nature into an urban environment.

Downsview Park

Originally a military base turned into a recreational area, there have been some interesting sustainable development projects occurring within the past few years. The one that quickly caught my eye was the stormwater management system that ensures water from rain and melted snow can flow back into nearby lakes or rivers. This reduces the impact of urban development by maintaining the hydrologic cycle (circulation of water between oceans, atmosphere and land), preventing flooding, and keeping the water quality high.

From Proposal to Action

Upon arrival at Downsview Park (about 20 minutes late), we met Colin (the event coordinator). He brought us to the Canada Forest where we would be working. There were three main jobs that needed to be done: the removal and collection of dead trees, mulching, and pruning trees. It was nice to know that we were not the only group there (there was a total of about 15-20 people representing other groups and organizations). I had the opportunity to discuss TakingITGlobal with both my group and the event coordinator (who actually know some members of the staff). I encouraged him to keep in touch with TakingITGlobal as there would be a new influx of interns in the upcoming fall. After we finished working, we were educated on history of Downsview park as well as some of the restoration projects that were being done (including the stormwater management system).

After the event, my group and I agreed that the time was short (we were there for about 2 hours), but found the proposed projects really interesting and look forward to their completion. I have been to Downsview Park before (usually to see fireworks), but have never visited the Canada Forest. As a person who desires to use my engineering skills to help solve technical and social problems, it inspired me to see projects actually being implemented, and (hopefully) having a positive effect on the surrounding society. It is solutions like these that will move us in the right direction and towards a more sustainable future.

on the eve of former Governor, Lucky Igbinedion's exit from office, a large expanse of Iguobazuwa forest reserve measuring 3,500 hectares, was leased to a French multinational rubber giant-Michelin Nigeria Plc- to cultivate large -scale hevea trees otherwise known as rubber plantation. the approval and lease agreements, which was allegedly done through the back door, was signed without due process or consent of the people of the communities. but the displaced communities after fruitless efforts throught relevant government agencies for adequate compensation commensurate to unwarranted hazards they are now facing. the affected communities are in ovia south west local government area of edo state in nigeria. as a concern citizen of this country, please i need you all to comment on this issue and suggest a way forword cause this is one area that is fast destroying the livelihood of thousands and inturn affecting our biodiversity and ecosystem at large.
thanks

The cry of an impoverished communities by a multinational company Michelin Nigeria Plc
Translated into French by: Adesuwa Ero
on the eve of former Governor, Lucky Igbinedion's exit from office, a large expanse of Iguobazuwa forest reserve measuring 3,500 hectares, was leased to a French multinational rubber giant-Michelin Nigeria Plc- to cultivate large -scale hevea trees otherwise known as rubber plantation. the approval and lease agreements, which was allegedly done through the back door, was signed without due process or consent of the people of the communities. but the displaced communities after fruitless efforts throught relevant government agencies for adequate compensation commensurate to unwarranted hazards they are now facing. the affected communities are in ovia south west local government area of edo state in nigeria. as a concern citizen of this country, please i need you all to comment on this issue and suggest a way forword cause this is one area that is fast destroying the livelihood of thousands and inturn affecting our biodiversity and ecosystem at large.
thanks

Because writing was never my forte, I’ve never really considered myself as a person who would be doing a blog. To be honest, I rarely post, write or give my opinions online. Even as I write this blog, I am doing it in Microsoft Word, then copying and pasting it onto the website to ensure I have no spelling mistakes (I keep concerning myself with the red underlines under the word “blog”). However, with blogging about my intern experience being a mandatory part of completing the internship, I knew that this had to be done. Besides, this was one of main reasons I wanted to pursue this internship as a journalist. I wanted to challenge myself by attempting to raise awareness of issues I care about, but in a way that is outside my comfort zone.

Upon receiving the notice that I was selected as an intern as a journalist (Sustinable Development and Sports), I was excited but a bit surprised. I did not have any formal journalism experience and I was never an active participant in any sort of groups promoting social issues. However after doing a thesis on waste management technology with my professor, I learned a lot not only about the technical challenges, but also the positive social implications in implementing this technology. I knew at this point, I wanted to apply my background in engineering to helping understand social issues. What better way to do this then to learn from like minded individuals. I saw TakingITGlobal as a means of doing this by interacting and understanding the views of people from all over the world.

Initially, I thought I wouldn’t have trouble keeping up with the tasks. Though researching the topics has been extremely interesting, I have found myself leaving the written tasks (such as this blog for instance) for later. Unfortunately, this is mainly due to procrastination. Being well into the second month, I am looking to improve my time management skills, and hope to provide some more input as this internship continues.