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UNODC Participates In 27th UN Climate Change Conference
- Addresses Waste Trafficking And Environmental Crime-Biodiversity-Climate Nexus
The international community gathered in Egypt yesterday to attend the opening of the 27th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (COP27), which will continue until 18 November.
COP27 aims to raise the global ambition to meet the climate goals, which rely on climate mitigation and adaptation measures. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is participating in COP27 through various events and activities. UNODC aims to highlight: 1) the importance of ecosystem-based climate mitigation and the need to address crimes affecting the environment to increase ecosystems’ capacity to withstand climate change; and 2) the importance of addressing illegal trafficking of waste and sound waste management practices to promote the circular economy as a climate mitigation strategy.
Waste impacts all Sustainable Development Goals. It is a priority issue for Egypt’s COP27 presidency, which will launch the global waste initiative ‘50 by 2050: For Africa for A Global Impact’ during COP27’s ’solutions day’, on November 17. In support of the 50 by 2050 initiative, UNODC is partnering with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions (BRS Secretariat), and the environment ministries of Egypt, the European Union, and Ghana in a high-level event on November 11 titled ‘Unmanaged waste – a hidden cause of climate change. The event will discuss how combating waste trafficking and supporting environmentally-sound waste management can contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting the circular economy as a climate mitigation strategy.
Another event focuses specifically on plastic waste and is titled ‘How combatting plastic pollution and illegal traffic in the plastic waste can help reduce carbon emissions. This event will take place on 10 November and is co-organized by UNODC jointly with the UN Conference on Trade and Development, UNEP and the BRS Secretariat. Environment ministers from Ecuador, Palau and Seychelles and a high-level United Kingdom environment representative will form the panel.
Ecosystem-based climate mitigation to protect people and the planet will be the theme for the two other high-level events UNODC is co-organizing. “Crimes that affect the environment are destroying ecosystems, threatening biodiversity, and exacerbating pollution, and in doing so undermining the global response to climate change while destroying lives and livelihoods and fueling violence and conflict,” said UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly. “As the international community gathers in Sharm El-Sheikh to pursue effective climate action, now is the right time to ensure that our response accounts for the illicit activities damaging our planet, and the corruption that enables them,” she added.
On November 9, UNODC will stress the importance of addressing crimes that affect the environment and discuss positive outcomes of its work in a session on deforestation, protected areas, heritage sites, climate and security in the Congo basin. This session is a partnership between the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the UN Regional Office for Central Africa, the Secretariat of the Economic Community of Central African States, UNODC and the African Development Bank.
UNODC’s side event on ‘Eco-system-based climate mitigation to protect people and planet – raising the ambition for nature’, organized in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), will take place on 11 November and discuss challenges and opportunities related to nature’s capacity to mitigate climate change. Building on commitments to curb deforestation and biodiversity loss made at the previous COP, the event will reinforce the biodiversity-climate nexus, highlighting key approaches to increasing ecosystems’ resilience for climate mitigation and sharing key messages for the COP27 biodiversity day on November 16. This event will see the release of a UNODC and WWF discussion paper, Crimes that Affect the Environment and Climate Change, which includes eight priority recommendations for mitigating or reversing negative trends in biodiversity loss and climate change.
The Conference of the Parties of UNFCCC is the world’s largest annual gathering on climate action, bringing together Heads of State, ministers and negotiators, along with climate activists, mayors, civil society representatives and CEOs. It seeks renewed solidarity between countries to deliver on the landmark Paris Agreement.
The Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has urged for necessary measures to protect journalists and other media workers during this weekend’s off-cycle elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi States.
The group sent the request to the federal and state governments, as well as law enforcement and security agencies, stressing that the role of journalists in disseminating information about the electoral process is critical to ensuring free, fair, and transparent elections.
In a statement issued ahead of the elections in Lagos and signed by the Communications Officer, Media Rights Agenda, Idowu Adewale, MRA also urged journalists to be cautious and to use its existing hotline (08138755660) to report any threat or attack they may encounter during the process, as well as any obstacle.
Adewale said in the statement: “Given the pattern of heightened attacks on journalists and the media during previous elections, including the recent 2023 general elections, as well as the tense political climate in the three states in the lead-up to the elections, measures must be taken to ensure general security during the elections and provide adequate protection for journalists covering the elections.”
“Access to information allows citizens and other members of the public to have the information they need about political and electoral processes, facilitating effective public participation in elections,” he says.
“Journalists and the media play an important role in ensuring residents and other members of the public have access to information and may participate in the process.
“As part of efforts to preserve the integrity of the polls, it is also critical that the safety and well-being of these interlocutors be assured and safeguarded.”
Lamenting the increased number of attacks on journalists in the run-up to the off-cycle elections, as well as earlier this year in the run-up to the general elections, he emphasised that “a free and vibrant media is fundamental to a healthy democracy, and journalists must be able to carry out their duties without fear, coercion, or violence.” During this vital phase, MRA stands ready to assist them and assure their safety.”
Men from the Edo State Police Command are said to have detained Mrs. Toluige Olokoobi’s husband after he allegedly murdered her.
Olokoobi was the mother of Oreofeoluwa Lawal-Babalola, the tiny boy whose video went viral in 2020 after he pleaded with his mother, “Mummy be calming down.”
Oreofeoluwa rose to prominence on social media after a video of him crying in an attempt to confidently appeal to his mother, who chastised him, went viral.
The film inspired Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who used it to deliver an Eid-el-Kabir appeal to Muslims and Lagos people in general to remain calm during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Following that, the youngster and his family met with the governor, who praised his bravery and poise.
While little has been heard about the family in three years, heartbreaking news broke on social media on Tuesday that the boy’s mother had committed suicide.
According to an X user, Olokoobi committed suicide in Benin, the capital of Edo State, for unknown reasons.
The X user, who stated that he was present at the site on Monday afternoon, went on to say that she had refused to disclose her difficulties with anyone before committing herself.
“The woman in the viral Mummy Calm Down video has just committed suicide here in Benin,” he stated in an email.
“She refused to discuss her problems with anyone.” She abandoned three children for her husband, including the well-known Mummy Calm Down boy.”
Meanwhile, confirming Olokoobi’s death in a chat with BBC Pidgin, the spokesperson of the Edo State police command, Chidi Nwabuzor, said her husband has been arrested and detained for questioning.
Nwabuzor said the husband reported the matter to the police.
The police spokesperson quoted the husband to have said that “he came home from the market when he saw his wife hanging with rope on her neck”.
Nwabuzor said she was rushed to the hospital and then to the mortuary after she was confirmed dead. (Adapted from a Vanguard report).
The Anambra State Police Command Headquarters Conference Hall was a hive of activity Thursday as CP Aderemi Adeoye took turns decorating around 18 promoted officers of the command with their new titles.
The delight of some of the officers whose wives assisted the CP in decorating their husbands with their new ranks knew no bounds, as their husbands duly saluted their wives and the CP for their new positions and responsibilities.
Obi Innocent, one of the officers elevated to the rank of Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), whose wife joined CP Aderemi Adeoye in adorning him with his new rank, said it was wonderful that the Inspector General of Police thought him worthy.
CSP Obi Innocent, the officer in charge of the Legal Department at Zone 13, Police Zonal Headquarters Ukpo, stated that his new rank was a call to service and that he would do his best to uphold the charge given to them by CP Aderemi Adeoye to respect and protect the citizenry’s fundamental rights in the discharge of their new assignments.
Charity Akharame, who was honoured with the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and was the only female officer among the 18 promoted officers decorated with new ranks, said it was not an easy feat but she was grateful to be among those who were decorated with their new ranks.
DSP Charity Akharame, the officer in charge of stores in the Anambra State Police Command, recalled how she began as a Police Constable and worked her way up to her current position as Deputy Superintendent of Police.
She stated that as a very disciplined police officer, she would follow the Police Commissioner’s directions regarding respect for all and sundry in the fulfillment of her constitutional obligations.
Jane-Frances Obi, one of the spouses of the officers elevated to the level of CSP, stated that being the wife of a police officer was not an easy assignment. As a result, she recommended any lady who is married to a police officer to be patient and understanding because the job is quite demanding.
Jane-Frances Obi, whose husband is Innocent Obi, the officer in charge of the Legal Department at Zone 13 Ukpo, believes the promotion is a reward for years of being patient, understanding, and standing in for them when they are not present.
Meanwhile, Emenike Chinenyenwa, who was decorated with the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and presented a vote of appreciation, expressed deep gratitude to the IGP and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission for considering them worthy of being adorned in their new ranks.
ACP Emenike, the officer in charge of Medicals, stated that the elevation comes with increased responsibility and that they will work harder in their new tasks.
CP Aderemi Adeoye praised the current promotion winners in his remarks, noting that two aspects make the police career very interesting and eventful. He stated that one is for promotion and the other is for positions.
CP Adeoye, on the other hand, urged the newly honored officers to develop more empathy, compassion, care, and dedication in the performance of their jobs.
The police chief insisted that newly promoted officers must first recognise that they share the same humanity as others, and as a result, they must treat all people with dignity and protect their fundamental human rights at all times.
CP Aderemi Adeoye stressed that without the enormous roles of spouses, they wouldn’t have been successful in their careers. He therefore congratulated all the promoted and prayed that God gives them good health to enjoy the new ranks and the energy to discharge the responsibilities of their new offices.
- Source: Independent
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