Wangarĩ Muta Maathai was a Kenyan social, environmental and a political activist and the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Every 3rd March, Africa Environment Day or Wangari Maathai Day is celebrated.It was established by the Organisation of African Unity due to the environmental challenges facing the continent. Africa Environment Day has always been celebrated since 2012 by the African Union in collaboration with Wangari Maathai Day, in order to pay tribute to the late Nobel Laureate's green legacy.
The lack of local information on environment and climate change is a major problem that hinders the efforts to mitigate its impacts. One of the key barriers to accessing this information is language. In many regions, particularly in developing African countries, much of the information about environmental and climate issues is only available in the dominant language of the country, which may not be the native language of the local community. This can lead to a lack of understanding and engagement in environmental and climate initiatives, which is crucial in creating a sustainable future.
Limited language proficiency can also prevent local communities from participating in policy discussions and decision-making processes related to the environment and climate change. They may not be able to fully understand the proposals or share their own concerns and perspectives, leading to a lack of representation and ineffective solutions.
The event however maps out certain targets which sets the pace for advocacy and sustainability of a favorable Africa environment.
Translating articles on African environment to Igbo language.
Sharing crucial environmental information and insights locally.
Bridging linguistic barriers and promoting understanding/awareness of environmental issues.
Bringing people together to work towards a more sustainable future.
Establish a platform for exchanging ideas, fostering collaboration, and spreading environmental knowledge to a wider audience.
Enlighten participants and the general public on the latest scientific findings on climate change and showcasing innovative solutions for mitigating environmental impacts.
Examining the social and cultural dimensions of environmental challenges among others.
The Igbo community, like many other communities, is facing the impact of climate change on its environment. To address this issue, Dr. Chikodili G. Anaukwu, an Environmental Microbiologist and lecturer in Applied Microbiology and Brewing at Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Anambra State, Nigeria, gave an enlightening session on the impacts of climate change on the environment. To ensure that the knowledge gained from the session had a wider coverage in the Igbo community, an edit-athon was initiated on Wikipedia and Wikidata to translate content from English to Igbo.
During the session, Dr. Anaukwu explained what climate change and the environment mean, the causes and impacts of climate change on the environment, and what can be done to mitigate these effects. The event/edit-a-thon aimed to spread environmental insights through translation, and the results were impressive.
At the end of the event, which was 2 in-person events and a total of 32 participants recorded among which are 13 new participants, the event dashboard showed that 42 editors participated in translating content. This resulted in a total of 548 articles created and 1150 articles edited. In total, there were 1670 edits and 1150 revisions on Wikidata.
The feedback and lessons learned from some of the participants were positive, with many expressing gratitude for the opportunity to learn and contribute to spreading environmental awareness in the Igbo community. The edit-a-thon was a successful initiative that helped to transform knowledge in the Igbo community and make environmental insights more accessible to Igbo speakers.
Key Learnings from some participants after the event
"The ozone layer depletion is caused by the emission of harmful gaseous fumes and carbon monoxide into the air. When the ozone layer is depleted, it can cause a series of change in rainfall and also other weather conditions. To this, I suggest the use of less combustible energy sources like the solar power and also wind energy instead of coal and petroleum as a better option and solution." - Ikekamma Nnamdi Emmanuel (Sayvhior)
"What I think of the effect of climate change on the environment is that the environment is really being threatened by the changes in the climate, and there's need for immediate sensitization of people on the solution and adaptation activities that can help to control the effect of climate on the environment. Some of the activities to reduce effects of climate change includes
Reduction in the use of electrical appliances
Reduction in the burning of gasoline and diesel
Reduction in the use of fertilizers
Eat more plant based foods/vegetables to reduce your carbon footprint. Animals release methane and CO2. e.t.c." - Epiphanus Jidechukwu Obia (Epiphanus Jide)
"Rising temperatures can lead to the melting of glaciers and warmer oceans nearby. This, in turn, can cause coral reefs to bleach and die. It makes the environment prone to flooding (especially the riverine areas). The melting glaciers and Ice leads to a rise in sea level. There is an increased risk of extinction as it makes it harder for some species to adapt."
Solutions:
Putting renewable energy sources to use
Planting more Trees and plants
To reduce biodiversity loss and shortage of farm produce, it is necessary to adopt agricultural practices that reduces, the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and bush burning." - Nwoyeka Charles Chiemerie (Lebron jay)
"Climate change is a long term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. It is caused by cutting down forests, manufacturing goods and making use of transportation. Effects of climate change
Flooding
Drought
Increases human health issues
How to reduce climate change or solutions to it:
Drive less
Strengthening water conservation programs
Plant a tree
Switch the home’s source of energy to renewable sources such as solar or wind or bio-based sources" - Korie uchechi Jennifer (Bridget2023)
Africa Environment
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