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OPENING
ADDRESS BY CHIEF (MRS) OPRAL M. BENSON (OON), CHAIRPERSON, BOARD OF
DIRECTORS, FOUNDATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION IN
NIGERIA (FEDEN) AT THE FEDEN WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY SYMPOSIUM HELD AT
THE AUDITORIUM OF CHIC AFIQUE HOUSE, 3, THORBURN AVENUE, SABO, YABA,
LAGOS ON JUNE 2, 2004
On behalf of the Foundation for
Environmental Development and Education in Nigeria (FEDEN) and the
Leadership for Environment and Development Programme (LEAD,
Nigeria), I welcome you most heartily to our Year 2004 World
Environment Day Programme.
The global theme
for this year’s World Environment Day is
“Wanted! Seas and Oceans – Dead or Alive”
This has informed
the choice of the theme of this symposium “The Seas and
Oceans: Towards a Sustainable Heritage”
Most discussions on the environment
usually focus on the land environment which is relatively more
familiar to us. However much more of the Earth is covered by Seas
and Oceans than by land, about 71%. So in terms of its size, the
Ocean is an important environment on earth. Also, Oceans are vital
to support life on earth. They modify climatic regimes, are
reservoir of dissolved gases such as carbon dioxide, provide habitat
(to plants and animals) and food.
Human beings on the other hand are
pivotal in maintaining the life and health of the oceans. People
determine the rate of economic development in coastal zones, the
quantities of food harvested from the seas and the amounts of wastes
dumped into global waters. The impact of human activities on
Coastal waters and semi-enclosed seas manifest as coastal pressures
caused by demographic trends, maritime trade, and offshore oil and
gas exploration.
But as important as
the symbiotic relationship between Seas and Oceans and human beings
is (and had been) not much has been known about the oceans until
about a hundred years ago. Before then, Coastal dwellers knew about
the tides, sailors about currents and fishermen, also had some
knowledge of what fish could be caught and where. But such
knowledge was generally limited to the surface layers of the ocean.
What happened below the surface, and even how deep the ocean was,
were unknown until in the past century.
These were some of
the issues that have engaged the attention of scientists and
researchers in the areas of oceanography, marine biology, marine
resources management and environmental sustainability in general.
Our panelists will be addressing these and other environmental
concerns relating to seas and oceans.
The Symposium is
part of FEDEN’s environmental awareness and education activities and
a fulfillment of the United Nation’s General Assembly’s Resolution
2997 of 15th December 1992 which encourages governments
and organizations worldwide, to undertake annually, on that day,
activities reaffirming their commitment to the preservation and
enhancement of the environment for present and future generations.
The panelists are
authorities and accomplished experts of international repute.
Professor Kola Kusemiju is a renown environmentalist and marine
biologist at the University of Lagos, while Mr. Larry Awosika is a
marine geologist of international repute at the Nigerian Institute
of Oceanography and Marine Research.
This symposium is a
great opportunity for us to interact with the panelists and share
experiences. For members of LEAD-Nigeria family, an added advantage
for us is the opportunity to meet and share ideas across cohorts.
Distinguished
Ladies and Gentlemen, once again, on behalf of FEDEN and
LEAD-Nigeria, I welcome you to this great event and I wish you
fruitful deliberation, and a more optimistic 2004 World Environment
Day.
Thank you. |
