The commitment to bridge the gap between humanity and nature using digital innovation remains steadfast, says the Federal Government. Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, emphasized the potential of technological advancements to bolster conservation efforts at the World Wildlife Day 2024 event in Abuja.
Themed ‘Connecting people and planet: Exploring digital innovation in wildlife conservation,’ the event, organized by the Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), highlighted the significance of leveraging digital solutions for various challenges facing ecosystems, including combating illegal wildlife trade and mitigating habitat loss.
Minister Balarabe called for collaborative efforts among stakeholders to combat wildlife trafficking in Nigeria. He stressed the transformative impact of digital innovation in fostering global collaboration, knowledge sharing, and amplifying the capacity to protect endangered species.
In his remarks, Oliver Stolpe, the Country Representative for UNODC, urged the Federal Government to re-instill the love of nature in Nigerians, emphasizing its role in providing lasting solutions to wildlife trafficking and biodiversity conservation. Stolpe presented findings and recommendations from the ICCWC Toolkit Assessment for Nigeria, aiming to strengthen the legal and institutional response to wildlife and forest crime.
Stolpe emphasized the need for a collective effort involving government institutions, religious and traditional bodies, civil society organizations, schools, media, the entertainment industry, and international partners to change hearts and minds, especially among the younger generation, towards nature conservation.
