In a bid to reverse biodiversity loss and climate change surge, President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday in New York, United States (US), said the federal government will establish 10 new national parks across the country.
This is coming against the background of championing regional and inter-regional cooperation towards addressing the scourge, Buhari outlined other measures to include: “Expansion of protected areas including the establishment of 10 new national parks across the country as well as the creation of Marine Protected Areas pursuant to the 30 X 30 agenda of the convention on biodiversity.
The President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, in a statement said this includes the domestication of relevant International agreements, conventions as well as laws and policies for the protection and conservation of biodiversity.”
The President according to Adesina, spoke in a video message to the hybrid high-level event tagged: Transformative Actions for Nature and People” on the margins of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 76).
He said: “The Nigerian leader added that leveraging the cooperation and partnerships of the development partners as well as international organisations and coalitions for concrete action against deforestation and biodiversity loss, and promotion and increased investments in climate-positive and nature-positive economy for sustainable environment and land-use practices.
The President expressed gratitude to his Costa Rica, counterpart, Carlos Alvarado Quesada whose country currently chairs the high ambition coalition for nature and people of which Nigeria is also a member and co-chair.