As WHO Predicts 250,000 Death In 2035 As A Result Of Climate Change
By Godwin-Maria Utuedoye
As the world celebrates the 2024 International Press Freedom Day with the theme; “A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of Environment Crisis”, the President of the Catholic Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria, CAMPAN, Chimdi Oluoha, has said it is the duty of journalists to highlight cases of despair, loss and dislocation due to environment issues for possible assistance to the victims.
Oluoha, in a press release made available to Journalists in Umuahia, Abia State, noted that every May 3, journalists are celebrated for the various ways they have used their practice to promote peace, safety and good governance across the world.
Chimdi Oluoha, a veteran Journalist and leader of all Catholic Journalists and media workers in Nigeria, also maintained that, it is a day the international community attention is drawn to the importance of providing an enabling environment for journalists to practise responsibly and in freedom for the common good.
Speaking on the theme of the year’s celebration, “A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the face of Environment Crisis” Oluoha said, the theme is significant at a time when the world is undergoing climate, biodiversity and pollution crisis.
According to him, the World Health Organisation WHO, predicts that in 2035, the damage expected to be caused by climate change could be as high as 4 Billion Pounds financially, and that about 250,000 deaths might occur as a result of malnutrition, heat stress and other temperature related illnesses.
The statement added that, the prediction of the WHO will be worse in less developed countries where there are little or no infrastructure capable of mitigating the dangerous effects of climate change.
Equally threatened badly is the earth’s biodiversity which represents the flora and fauna which make the planet beautiful and functional, even as the living processes of the plant and animal kingdoms as well as their interdependent capacities are diminished when the earth’s biodiversity is damaged.
It also leads to disruptions in food production and depletes the natural raw materials for medicine production.
“In Nigeria, desertification, deforestation, water and air pollution, erosion and poor mining practices are major environment issues which come to the fore as we mark the 31st World Press Freedom Day which focuses on Journalism and the Environment.
“There is no doubt, that these issues form part of journalism practitioners works.
“However, journalists should intensify efforts in reporting and analyzing environment issues, especially in highlighting scientific researches which promote sustainable and earth friendly practices in the manufacturing, agriculture and building sectors of the economy”, he added.
He further stated that to make the earth green, beautiful and sustainable is a task journalism must lead. He called on Governments, industry leaders, community and religious leaders to co-operate in the effort to make our planet beautiful, functional and livable