The minister of state for environment, Dr Iziaq Salako, has called for urgent action to preserve life-giving ecosystems and prevent the human-induced extinction of wild species in the West Africa sub-region.
Speaking at an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) coordination meeting in Abuja, Salako emphasized the need to change the biodiversity narrative in West Africa to address the rising population of climate migrants and environmentally displaced persons in the subregion.
Salako urged stakeholders to develop a regional 30 by 30 implementation plan, seeking to protect at least 30% of the ECOWAS region to preserve ecosystems and halt human-induced extinction.
He highlighted the increasing population of climate migrants and environmentally displaced people in the subregion, emphasizing the impact on communities, food security, and rural populations.
The minister stated that the ECOWAS region is uniquely addressing biodiversity loss through a regional lens, setting a critical template for global success.
He called on ECOWAS to lead biodiversity ambition and work collectively to expand and strengthen protected areas.
Salako emphasized the importance of supporting indigenous peoples and local communities, who play a vital role in protecting the region’s rich biodiversity.
Salako assured that President Bola Tinubu, also the Chairman of ECOWAS, is a committed environmental advocate and climate hero, prioritizing sustainability in his economic agenda.
On her part, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, represented by the Head of the Environment and Climate Change Division, stressed the shared responsibility of ECOWAS countries in expanding and strengthening protected areas to address threats to physical, economic, and food security.
