The former Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has urged Nigerians and Africans to embrace the green economy revolution to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Speaking at the 40th Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in Port Harcourt, Ikpeazu emphasized the need for a collective shift towards a sustainable future.
Ikpeazu, a university biochemistry teacher, lamented Africa’s vulnerability to climate change despite contributing less than 15 per cent to global pollution. He stressed the importance of adopting green practices, utilising clean energy, and reducing fossil fuel consumption to protect the environment and public health.
He said, “Africa contributes less than 15 per cent of global pollution, but we’re at the receiving end of the brunt of the impact of climate change. So we’re trying to draw the consciousness of the world to this unfortunate paradigm. However, we must also begin to think like the rest of the world. Think green, go green, use clean energy, cut down on fossil fuel utilisation and use clean energy.
“This is because if you destroy the environment, you’re literally destroying your health. You know that the world is 66 percent water and if we keep on putting it in danger and continue to deplete the ozone layer, flooding will become the order of the day. Then we lose our farmlands and houses.”
The President of the Nigerian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Professor Matthew Owhonda Wegwu, also highlighted the crucial role biochemists play in promoting sustainability and conserving the environment. He emphasized the need for collective action to protect the planet and encouraged the adoption of green practices to ensure a sustainable future.
“The world is going green now. Before, we all contributed to the destruction of the environment through pollution. We didn’t understand that sustainability of planet earth required everybody to go green. And as biochemists, we all understand the importance of going green,” he added.
