21/11/2022
LEAD DEBATE ON A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING INSTITUTE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES, TRAINING AND FOR OTHER MATTERS CONNECTED THERETO, 2020.
SPONSORED BY SENATOR CHRISTOPHER EKPENYONG.
AKWA IBOM NORTH WEST
The Senator representing Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial district, Senator Chris Ekpenyong led the debate on A Bill to Establish the National Environmental Research and Training Institute (NERTI) for the development of Environmental policies, Training and Research and for other matters connected thereto.
The Bill which focuses on ways in which the environmental impacts of human activities for economic development could be reduced, or eliminated if possible, so that some degree of environmental sustainability might be achieved in the foreseeable future. Nature they say has no intrinsic value. It is of value only if it benefits humans, thus for instance, a rare plant in the tropical rain forest is valuable and worthy of preservation only if some useful drug could be made from it, or if it serves a useful purpose to benefit human kind. In other words, nature and everything within it, was for the sole benefit, well-being and pleasure of man, and so scientific research ought to focus on ways in which to exploit nature to the fullest to achieve those ends.
Furthermore, by the provision of our National Policy on Environment, Nigerians are poorly aware of their environment and damages being done to it through various activities like settlement expansion, bush burning, littering / open dumping of human waste, polluting rivers with sewage among others. Also the changing climate patterns and their increasingly grievous consequences are little appreciated. We are equally faced with the challenge of a weak environmental legislation and enforcement to coordinate environmental planning and action, there is no established environmental protocol or information system for Government Executives, Parents, Teachers and the Youths, to enable them access environmental information.
With the establishment of National Environmental Research and Training Institute, the Institute will provide the right signals to build capacity for increased research on ecosystems, the long term impact of human activity on the environment and the employment effects of new technology amongst others.
The Bill was first read on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday, 14th October 2020.
OBJECTIVE OF THE BILL
The NERTI Bill seeks to establish an Institutional and legal framework to develop Environmental policies, organize training and conduct scientific research in the Environmental sector. The Bill is therefore an effort to set up an institute for the purpose of:
a. Conducting research into environmental issues,
b. Advance and disseminate the result of the research for proper conservation, protection of environment and mitigation of environmental impacts/ issues amongst others.
The Bill if passed into law, will address numerous problems in the environmental sector ranging from erosion and flood control, climate change, biodiversity and ecosystem, pollution control, marine safety, waste management and environmental impact assessment etc.
It is also instructive to note that countries like United Kingdom, Japan, Denmark, Canada, Switzerland, etc. have established similar Institute to perform the role stated above.
For instance, in the United Kingdom, the Natural Environmental Research Council is the driving force of investment in Environmental Science in the UK, NERC advances the frontier of environmental science by commissioning new research infrastructure and Training that delivers valuable Scientific breakthrough in the United Kingdom. The UK Government have understood that the changing planet is vital for their wellbeing and economic prosperity and therefore have invested heavily in world leading science, designed to help them sustain and benefit from natural resources, predict and respond to Natural hazards and understand environmental changes.
Similarly, in Japan, there is National Environmental Research and Training Institute, which provides forms of Training to National and Local Government employees covering Environmental conservation activities.
In Denmark, the National Environmental Research Institute of Denmark is saddled with the responsibility of providing a scientific foundation for environmental Policy decisions for the Denmark Government. Most other developed and developing countries have one agency or the other performing such roles and have successfully provides modern environmental Technologies, policies and strategies through research to contain the issues of Air protection, climate protection, Noise and vibrations control and abatement, protection of land surface and renewal of water resources, Environmental impact assessment of substance and Integrated Environmental Monitoring / Waste Management amongst others. It is a well-known fact that Nigeria population growth and economic development are affecting the environment. The Interplay between population growth, resources depletion/ environmental change has been debated extensively without a lasting solution. If these Institutions as obtainable in the above stated jurisdiction is duplicated in Nigeria, it will go a long way to provide a veritable Institutional and legal framework for environmental research development, training and policy formulation and identification of environmental issues through Scientific methodology that would foster proper management of our environment.
IN CONCLUSION:
The establishment of NERTI will bring environmental researchers and educators to a round table to proffer lasting solutions to our environmental challenges as well as offer Training and assist government in policy formulation in the Environmental sector.
The Bill was referred to the committee on Establishment and Public service matters to report back in four weeks
LEAD DEBATE ON A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING INSTITUTE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES, TRAINING AND FOR OTHER MATTERS CONNECTED THERETO, 2020.
SPONSORED BY SENATOR CHRISTOPHER EKPENYONG.
AKWA IBOM NORTH WEST
The Senator representing Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial district, Senator Chris Ekpenyong led the debate on A Bill to Establish the National Environmental Research and Training Institute (NERTI) for the development of Environmental policies, Training and Research and for other matters connected thereto.
The Bill which focuses on ways in which the environmental impacts of human activities for economic development could be reduced, or eliminated if possible, so that some degree of environmental sustainability might be achieved in the foreseeable future. Nature they say has no intrinsic value. It is of value only if it benefits humans, thus for instance, a rare plant in the tropical rain forest is valuable and worthy of preservation only if some useful drug could be made from it, or if it serves a useful purpose to benefit human kind. In other words, nature and everything within it, was for the sole benefit, well-being and pleasure of man, and so scientific research ought to focus on ways in which to exploit nature to the fullest to achieve those ends.
Furthermore, by the provision of our National Policy on Environment, Nigerians are poorly aware of their environment and damages being done to it through various activities like settlement expansion, bush burning, littering / open dumping of human waste, polluting rivers with sewage among others. Also the changing climate patterns and their increasingly grievous consequences are little appreciated. We are equally faced with the challenge of a weak environmental legislation and enforcement to coordinate environmental planning and action, there is no established environmental protocol or information system for Government Executives, Parents, Teachers and the Youths, to enable them access environmental information.
With the establishment of National Environmental Research and Training Institute, the Institute will provide the right signals to build capacity for increased research on ecosystems, the long term impact of human activity on the environment and the employment effects of new technology amongst others.
The Bill was first read on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday, 14th October 2020.
OBJECTIVE OF THE BILL
The NERTI Bill seeks to establish an Institutional and legal framework to develop Environmental policies, organize training and conduct scientific research in the Environmental sector. The Bill is therefore an effort to set up an institute for the purpose of:
a. Conducting research into environmental issues,
b. Advance and disseminate the result of the research for proper conservation, protection of environment and mitigation of environmental impacts/ issues amongst others.
The Bill if passed into law, will address numerous problems in the environmental sector ranging from erosion and flood control, climate change, biodiversity and ecosystem, pollution control, marine safety, waste management and environmental impact assessment etc.
It is also instructive to note that countries like United Kingdom, Japan, Denmark, Canada, Switzerland, etc. have established similar Institute to perform the role stated above.
For instance, in the United Kingdom, the Natural Environmental Research Council is the driving force of investment in Environmental Science in the UK, NERC advances the frontier of environmental science by commissioning new research infrastructure and Training that delivers valuable Scientific breakthrough in the United Kingdom. The UK Government have understood that the changing planet is vital for their wellbeing and economic prosperity and therefore have invested heavily in world leading science, designed to help them sustain and benefit from natural resources, predict and respond to Natural hazards and understand environmental changes.
Similarly, in Japan, there is National Environmental Research and Training Institute, which provides forms of Training to National and Local Government employees covering Environmental conservation activities.
In Denmark, the National Environmental Research Institute of Denmark is saddled with the responsibility of providing a scientific foundation for environmental Policy decisions for the Denmark Government. Most other developed and developing countries have one agency or the other performing such roles and have successfully provides modern environmental Technologies, policies and strategies through research to contain the issues of Air protection, climate protection, Noise and vibrations control and abatement, protection of land surface and renewal of water resources, Environmental impact assessment of substance and Integrated Environmental Monitoring / Waste Management amongst others. It is a well-known fact that Nigeria population growth and economic development are affecting the environment. The Interplay between population growth, resources depletion/ environmental change has been debated extensively without a lasting solution. If these Institutions as obtainable in the above stated jurisdiction is duplicated in Nigeria, it will go a long way to provide a veritable Institutional and legal framework for environmental research development, training and policy formulation and identification of environmental issues through Scientific methodology that would foster proper management of our environment.
IN CONCLUSION:
The establishment of NERTI will bring environmental researchers and educators to a round table to proffer lasting solutions to our environmental challenges as well as offer Training and assist government in policy formulation in the Environmental sector.
The Bill was referred to the committee on Establishment and Public service matters to report back in four weeks
