Baffled by the threats posed by environmental pollution to human existence, experts gathered in Ogun State on Wednesday to propose solutions to the menace.
At the 16th National Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigeria Institute of Landscape Horticulture (NILH) held at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, the experts also sought the support of lawmakers to pass a bill mandating landlords to plant trees on their premises.
In her keynote address, the Provost of the Federal College of Agriculture, Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Oyo State, Dr Elizabeth Augustus, advocated green solutions to combat environmental pollution, calling for actions to curb the dire consequences.
Dr Augustus, who spoke on the theme “Urban Greenery and Beautification as a Strategy for Control of Environmental Pollution and Climate Change,” emphasised the multifaceted impacts of environmental pollution on society, ranging from climate change to the contamination of water and soil.
She added that the detrimental effects of environmental pollution on aquatic life, agricultural produce, and wildlife underscored the danger it poses to human health.
According to her, “Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, respiratory issues, and heightened hospitalisation rates were identified as major concerns linked to pollution.”
She proposed a strategic approach to environmental control, suggesting greenery and beautification as crucial interventions while highlighting the pivotal role of plants in the global carbon cycle and their potential for climate change mitigation.
She underscored the need for phytoremediation, a plant-based method aimed at extracting and removing pollutants from the soil.
“This innovative approach involves plants absorbing ionic compounds and extending their root systems to accumulate heavy metals, effectively reclaiming polluted soil and stabilising fertility,” she explained.
In the same vein, the President of NILH, Kola Quadri, urged the National Assembly to pass a law mandating homeowners to plant at least one tree within their premises to combat the adverse effects of climate change in Nigeria.
“Climate change in Nigeria is a worrisome menace that is causing problems all over the world. The problem is not peculiar to Nigeria alone.
“The National Assembly should implement laws and make it mandatory for every homeowner to plant at least a tree at the front of their house. It should start with the local government, and then the state should take it up. Let the state assemblies first pass the law,” he added.
Also, the Ogun State chairman of the institute, Emmanuel Bankole, noted that the essence of the programme is to call the attention of policymakers to the effects of climate change and propose solutions.
Bankole hinted that the institute will work with the government at all levels to ensure that global warming is mitigated “so that we can preserve our environment for ourselves and the coming generation.”
