By Godwin Igber | Makurdi
Stakeholders at a two-day workshop on the impact of Climate Change on Peace and Security in Benue State are called to implement ecosystem-based adaptation in conflict prone Local Government Areas, encourage data driven early warnings and response systems to find lasting solutions to the issues of climate change and security.
The government has also been encouraged to establish Climate and Peace Desk within the State Ministry of Environment as well as revive and strengthen traditional mediation systems to enhance peace management in the areas affected with conflict.
The programme held in Makurdi is implemented by Building Blocks for Peace Foundation Benue State in collaboration with the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders and funding support from Global Affairs Canada, was aimed at building a deeper understanding of the climate-security nexus and to create a platform where diverse actors can jointly design strategies to strengthen resilience.
In a presentation tagged, “Introduction to Climate Change and Environmental Stressors”, the lead facilitator, Dr. Michael David from Global Initiative For Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP), said every individual should minimize the use of greenhouse gases and adapt the use of renewable energy.
According to him, there are physical, chemical, biological and social environmental stressors affecting the four components of the environment such as the atmosphere, Lithosphere, Hydrosphere and biosphere, calling for the formation of a community climate change risk and management committee to address the immediate climate related issues in the society.
In a second presentation on Early Warning Systems and Climate Security Risk Assessment Tools, Dr. David further called for the adaptation of climate change risk management steps such as education, improved forecasting systems, structural and technological building of resilient infrastructure, spread risk awareness and avoidance mechanism.
While presenting on Climate Change Linkage to Conflict in Benue State, Dr. Terwase Shabu, from the Department of Geography, Moses Adasu University Makurdi, noted that Climate Change triggers environmental conditions the cause conflict such as frequent flooding and erosion, dry spells and drought, leading to resource scarcity, poverty, political instability, lack of development and human security.
Participants who spoke with our Correspondent shortly after the event, including Donald Atema from GoGreen Environmental Health and Sustainability Initiative, and Gladys Akor, from House of Hilkiah Foundation both said any peace building efforts without incorporating climate change mitigation is wasted efforts as climate change has become the major trigger of conflict related issues in Benue State. They further called for more awareness creation and implementation efforts from relevant authorities to curtail the issues of climate change on conflict affected communities.
Earlier in his remarks, the Executive Director of Building Blocks for Peace Foundation, Rafiu Lawal emphasized the impact of Climate Change on livelihoods, peace and security, as well as environment, noting that the workshop was aimed at finding solutions to the problems of climate change on the people of Benue State.
According to him, the project tagged “Strengthening Women and Youth Leadership in Conflict and Post-Conflict Societies”, will run for one year in Benue State to support youths tackle issues of climate change mitigation in the state. “This is a non-governmental organization working on Peace Building, Conflict Prevention, Climate Change, Accountability Governance and Sustainable development issues in Nigeria” he said.
In a welcome address, the Programme Manager of Building Blocks for Peace Foundation, Samson Shabu said the workshop has availed participants the opportunity to examine the nexus between Climate Change, Peace and Security in Benue State.
The event was characterized by other presentations on Gendered Dimensions of Climate-induced Conflict: Understanding the Disproportionate Impact on Women in Benue State, as well as Policy and Governance for Climate, Peace and Security by Dr. Elizabeth Jeiyol and Integrating a Climate-Lens into Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention: Entry Points and Case Studies by Dr. Terwase Shabu.
Also, representatives from the Ministry of Water Resources, Environment and Climate Change, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Budget, Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, Benue State Peace and Reconciliation Commission, Benue State Network of NGOs among others pledged their solidarity remarks at the event.
