Warning: Coal power plant intensifies- World Bank

Climate change up with migration and pandemics asthe major threat to global economy, says Jim kim






 The planet is in a race against time to stop construction of new coal-fired power plants across the globe, Word Bank head Jim Kim told media on Thursday.

Despite 195 countries approving a new global deal to combat climate change last December, plans to build hundreds of carbon-intensive energy plants were still live, he warned.

 “We are working with countries to make renewables cheaper than coal and push forward efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change,” said Jim.

Rising temperatures, mass migration and the potential of a global pandemic were the current major threats to the global economy, he added at a press conference to mark the start of the Bank’s 2016 spring meeting.

 Last week the world’s top lender to developing countries announced it would spend 28% of investments on climate-related projects by 2020.

Report: World Bank to ramp up climate change portfolio

 Jim’s comments came on the same day pressure groups accused the World Bank of giving over $2 billion to oil, gas and coal projects.

“The Asian Development Bank has had a ban on financing fossil fuel exploration projects for years,” said Alex Doukas from the Oil Change International NGO.

“There’s no reason the World Bank couldn’t adopt a similar policy as a first step toward phasing out all finance for polluting fossil fuel projects.”

 A bank spokesperson said it had not funded any greenfield coal projects for the past five years. Officials are believed to be discussing a complete ban on new coal investments.

Comment: World Bank cash for fossil fuels is worst kind of hypocrisy


 While coal use in Europe and the US is steadily falling, countries in Africa and Asia are among those with plans to build an estimated 1,500 power stations.

 Leaders in Poland, Australia, South Korea and Japan are among those who have suggested new coal plants are consistent with wider efforts to develop tougher climate regulations.

But a new study by WFF and Dutch analytical firm Ecofys warns that development of even the most efficient coal plants will blow the chances of limiting global warming to below the 2C danger zone.

 “It is clear that in a post-Paris world, there is quite simply no role for coal, however ‘efficient’,” said WWF economist Sebastien Godinot.
 source: Climate Home

Surprising: ways climate change harms our health

Climate change is bad for your health. There’s no question that the impacts of a warming world — harsher heat waves, increased flooding — will put a strain on our nation’s public health. Take one example: studies predict some 11,000 additional heat-related deaths during summers about 15 years from now. 

But other health-related climate consequences have proven more difficult to tease out and thus more difficult to quantify. The White House released a scientific report on Monday that draws on research from eight federal agencies to provide the most comprehensive look yet at climate’s health impacts.

 “I don’t know that we’ve seen something like this before, where you have a force that has such a multitude of effects,” U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy told reporters when previewing the report. “As far as history is concerned, this is a new type of threat that we’re facing.” 

Here are some of the more unexpected consequences of climate change identified in the report: 

Americans are at greater risk of eating contaminated food. Higher temperatures and more extreme weather create perfect conditions for dangerous contaminants to make their way into the food supply. For example, researchers found a link between higher ocean temperatures and mercury accumulation in seafood.

Warmer weather and flooding also raises the chance for foodborne illnesses like salmonella.  More of the water we drink may be unsafe. The same problems in food affect water quality, with extreme weather and floods raising the risk of bacteria, pathogens, and other contaminants. Plus, higher temps give harmful algae the opportunity to thrive in new, more widespread parts of the country. Compounding the problem is when flooding overwhelms our existing and quite creaky water infrastructure.

 Mosquitoes and ticks will be more than an itchy nuisance. Mild winters and early warmer seasons allow insects to travel further and faster, carrying illnesses like Lyme Disease with them. 

Disasters will compromise mental health for already-vulnerable populations. Just think about the stress that extreme weather events like Hurricane Katrina or Superstorm Sandy add to people’s lives: displaced families, economic losses, ruined livelihoods. For children, the elderly, and pregnant women, who are among the most vulnerable, these conditions can lead to post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression.

 The air you breathe is dirtier. Fossil fuels make our air dirtier — that’s obvious. But greenhouse gases can impact air quality in other ways. Climate change affects weather and precipitation patterns, changing how smog and particulate matter moves over cities.

 More wildfires add pollution  to the air, too.  Lives are literally at stake if we don’t act on climate change. Even a small global change in average temperature can hurt people at the extremes, and the same holds true for health — affecting the poor, indigenous, very young, and very elderly people the most. 

“The public health case for climate action is really compelling beyond words,” Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy said. “It’s not just about glaciers and polar bears. It’s about the health of our kids.”

 source
 www.grist.org Grist is based in the Emerald City of Seattle, in the Evergreen State of Washington (both green!), with contributors scattered the world ’round. A nonprofit organization funded by foundations, user contributions, and advertising.

W.TEC Digital Marketing for Professional Business Women

W.TEC Digital Marketing Workshop for Professional Business Women
W.TEC Digital Marketing for Professional Business Women is an initiative designed to expose young women to amazing digital tools and techniques that would help them drive the desired result for their brand, business or company and career opportunities. The workshop is designed as part of W.TEC SHE CAN with ICT!!! Technology & Entrepreneurship program for women.

The 2-day workshop introduces participants to practical sessions on the following:

1.) Digital Storytelling using videos

2.) Digital Social Media Marketing

3.) Productivity Tools for your Business (Mind-mapping and Newsletter)

The Digital Marketing Workshop will give participants an understanding of how to harness the power of digital marketing as a core driver of the marketing strategy for businesses.


You can call EldaDavid for more information: 08086034420, elda@w-teconline.organd Yemi 08106590284


 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1qISQNR0QIv_ftZ1kLMCPsmPsFSrno7K2C_d-eYosOSM/viewform

Apply for the WHS Pre-Summit Dialogue

Call for Application: WHS
Pre-Summit Dialogue
The United Nations Major Group on Children
and Youth (WHS -Western and Central
Africa) in collaboration with the United
Nations Information Centre (UNIC Nigeria)
is calling on young humanitarians to
participate in its Pre-Summit Dialogue aimed
at bringing together youth and important
stakeholders from the UN to discuss on the
theme - Youth and Effective Humanitarian
Action in Nigeria.

This is an avenue to share success stories
on youth-led humanitarian actions and
acquire more information on how to
become proactive humanitarian actors in
Nigeria.

The participants will also engage in working
group discussions to make actionable
commitments towards the World
Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul.


We are looking for 100 participants with
experience in the field of humanitarian
response, preparedness, reporting or
recovery.
Deadline: 17th April, 2016.
 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1F95HM8F-W62TmgAHTwTouw5AjRVhv_hD8E9dLxZL2To/viewform?c=0&w=1

Register To Attend Africa CleanUp Conference #ACC2016


 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1C-PMrYvanPlSZqDT3Ucfwly0864LM19N8_I_omPyXuE/viewform?c=0&w=1

Africa Clean-up Conference is an international conference aimed at bringing together environmental sustainability champions, civic leaders, producers of recyclables, government agencies and officials of like minds to share ideas and proffer solutions to issues on sanitation, climate change, recycling and waste management. The theme for this year's conference is: “ENGAGING LOCAL COMMUNITIES ON SUSTAINABLE BEST PRACTICE IN SANITATION AND WASTE MANAGEMENT”

The Africa Clean up Conference is expected to attract 200 delegates across Africa, which also presents an excellent opportunity to share expertise and make connections before, during and after the event. The Africa CleanUp Conference objectives are to:

Create a platform for participants to promote their products and service.

 Foster a complete change of attitude in order to completely deal with deterioration of sanitary conditions in cities and towns.

Proffers action plans towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals' 2030 relating to Sanitation, Waste Management, Climate change and Recycling.

• Seek targeted solutions to unique problems in the environment; synergize and network for mutual growth and impact.

 • Inspire participants to obtain fresh motivation to engage in voluntary clean up exercises in their communities.

 • Promote national development as waste could be seen as a resource that could be transformed through recycling, recovering as well as reusing of material that could generate income and also serve as a source of employment and national development.

FIVE DIMENSIONAL APPROACHES TO THE AFRICA CLEAN UP EVENT 2016:

 • Conference Training
 • Africa Cleanup Award
 • Green Exhibition / Fair
 • Clean up Anthony Project
 • Miss Environment International Beauty Pageant

We believe this event will be a highly rewarding and networking experience for all.
The Africa CleanUp Conference will be held from Thursday 23 - Sunday 26 June 2016 at BANEX HOTEL & SUITES – 60 Olorunlogbon Street, VOM Estate, Near Anthony Police Station, Anthony - Maryland, Lagos, Nigeria. Delegates arrive on Thursday 23rd June and Depart Sunday 26th June.

CONFERENCE PACKAGE LOCAL PARTICIPANTS:
• Early Bird: N30, 000 (payment before April 29th, 2016)
 • Regular: N45, 000 (Payment after April 29th, 2016)
 INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPANTS:
• Early Bird: 150.00 USD (payment before April 29th, 2016)
 • Regular: 200.00 USD (Payment after April 29th, 2016)

CONFERENCE FEE COVERS:
 • T-Shirt
 • Feeding (Breakfast and Lunch)
 • Certificate of Participation
 • Airport pick up for our International Delegate
 • Free Health Screening

 ACCOMMODATION FEE (Optional):
• One Hundred Dollars ($100) for International Delegate.
 • N20, 000 for Local Delegate which covers Delegate THREE NIGHTS.

 N.B: SHARED ROOM (2 IN A ROOM) All local payment should be made in favour of THE PASSION HOUSE (Naira Account) 0015454620.
 Guaranty Trust Bank All international payment should be made in favour of THE PASSION HOUSE (Dollar Account) 0106508203. Guaranty Trust Bank.

Please call Elizabeth on 08164747968, 08175945045 OR send a mail to info@cleanupnigeria.org if you have any concern or enquiry.

 We look forward to seeing you at Africa CleanUp Conference in June 2016. Participation in this conference is STRICTLY by registration. Register here:

Apply for the UN Conference on Housing and sustainable urban development

Sustainable Urban
Development and Housing
Working Group
The Working Group within the UN MGCY for
Habitat III: UN Conference on Housing and
Sustainable Urban Development

 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1RDBC1IWSOgmRbcdYF_60cXHLGbH-FTJMdxAqAhDWddk/viewform

Motivating individuals to engage in pro-environmental behavior haven’t gain prominent momentum in our society today. Psychological understanding of the different variables to behavior and attitude peculiar to Nigerian people, which is influence by their social, cultural and religious beliefs, has to be further capitalized for policy making and research seeking solution to solving environment problems, that require behavioral change. Studies have indicated that no single technique can be used to ignite pro-environmental attitude in different people.

 Pro-environmental behaviors are the activities or actions that people do, engage in everyday life that significantly promotes the betterment of the environment. For example, recycling of used waste, reduction in household consumption of fuel (firewood), elevating the green nature of the surrounding environment (planting new tress, pollinating fruit trees). Reforming the act of pro-environmental behaviorism among youths’ in Nigeria shows the need to identify the existing factors that influences attitude. 

According to Kollmuss and Agyeman (2002), environmental influence can be separated into both direct and indirect experiences. “Direct experience have a stronger influence on people’s behavior than indirect experience, ….. such as learning about environmental problem in school as opposed to directly experiencing it”. 

Behaviors which pre-existed in both direct and indirect influence, such as childhood experiences, knowledge and education, felt responsibility, cultural norms and values (depicts a traditional belief that a forest or tree possess/attract spiritual power, in some cases are to be destroyed), age difference, gender concern, social class, urban-rural differences, proximity to problematic environmental sites, cultural and ethnic variation among others.

 This begin to explain how the society or individual is influenced, having non-environmental goals to contribute to environmental development. The mindset that the environment is idle, which continue to exist without flaws, mainly because it has not (yet) had a direct influence or experience of hostile effect on their personal wellbeing. They don’t even know the outcome of their actions. For example, much of the Nigerian household do not even understand the implication of the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, what green house effect means or even what it is about climate change.

 Identifying the need for environmental activist to integrate solutions derived from individual and groups psychological processes, and from survey statistics to relay, orient individuals towards particular action. Lack of openness to speak freely, not relating well with others for a proper data collection, hinders efficient analysis. Community sample and undergraduate student sample are of a necessity. 

Information is one of the key approaches to reformation; people need to know what they do, the way they do it, the result of what they do and also providing facts. Although, most individuals neglect this climate change issues even when they know all about it, these people needs to see some goal settings that will prompts their actions, like the economic benefits. 

 Understanding existing beliefs to introduce new ways of acting according to those beliefs is a prerequisite. Goal setting ask people to set their own target, such as certain reduction in consumption of fuel, pledging to plant new trees, recycling and proper waste disposal. These are some of the social-psychological techniques to transform pro environmental behavior in Nigeria. Getting feedback on the level of impact have, on their behavior as seen or reward/incentive of pro-environmental behavior.

 Transforming youths’ attitude needs to be taken with utmost priority. Starting from elementary schools, to tertiary level, they need to know about sustaining the environment, need to identify key element in the environment. And live up to have a positive environmental behavior. Knowledge learned will infuse into their parent and families.

Youths’ in institutions are to take active role in participating, volunteering and contributing to solve these issues of climate change. We need to voice out our GO FOR GREEN campaign in the mind of every Nigerian. 

Send in your suggestions and comment.  Subscribe to our blog to get more articles on environmental engagement.

OUR GOALS: HOUSE OF BABITI

The organization is committed to preserving the earth natural resources, green life in particular. We campaign against discriminated activities that will hamper its very unique nature, which is also a way in attaining the state of Africa which we hope for. House of Babiti is one of the initiatives on environmental education, organizing flagship program for youth engagement for sustaining the environment across universities. The organization was propounded by YALI NETWORK (Young African Leaders Initiatives) which was establish by President Barack Obama, it has provided the enabling environment for African youths to exploit their full potentials across even across boundaries, mainly with the more elaborate understanding of climate change and the provided networking site to reach the outside communities. African is growing to become a mega continent where you can find intellects of various fields of the world and this is the time we need to take action, I mean the growth and development of African that I see should not be base on burning and destruction.

• To incorporate youth fervent attitude to success, leadership skills and participation in sustainability activities both within and beyond the universities. Integrating environmental sustainability concerns into teaching, research, community engagement and greening of the university structures/facilities/operation as well as enhance student engagement and participation.
• To provide a strategic platform for youth concerns issues, to pass the real education for healthy youth act, which is a call to action for the case of so many youth who grew up in environment that seems to limit the intellectual capacity which they purpose, viewed well outside those of the mainstream.
• To build through university education system, a professional capacity and leadership needed for the prevention of and responses to environmental issues, risks and associated sustainable development challenges. This is done in accordance to the UN 2015 Sustainable Development Goals, the UN decades of education for sustainable development and the outcome document of the Rio+20 Summit; - The future we want among ourselves.
• To contribute to revitalizing the global higher education system and enabling it to address the current systems in remote areas across the current. Enquiring and relaying the information about the priority needed for scrutiny to achieve a better result.
• To optimize development opportunities provided by eco-system services in a sustainable manner in line with the principle of “Green Economy” and in the context of sustainable development.

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to go far beyond the reach, across Africa to make a change. Purposefully, for the voices of future leaders to be heard;, to develop individual capability, to attain a carbon-free and a richly made Africa.

OUR VISION

We envision a world where all youths, even in the remote areas of the world, have sovereignty to create opportunity for themselves and the society. At House of Babiti, we believe that a well-versed youth is best to take care of his/her environment. This is why we engage youths to plant a tree in their youthful years, which signifies in the latter their contribution to curb the problem of climate change.

HOW DO WE INTEND TO FULFILL THIS GOAL?

House of Babiti, with regards to it preference is committed carryout different project like community campaign, organizing discussion session in local community, secondary g and tertiary institutions across the country to know the actual needs of these people. We believe, it’s not all about just given aid, support and basic materials, but trying to know more about them; get to talk to them, we hear people side of story about things that is drastically affecting them and share collective ideas and way forward. The information will help us to make good impact in their lives.

Part of the organization goals of accomplishing a GREEN AFRICA, we would integrate African youth to be involve in the green world that is agriculture. Many rural communities in Nigeria, which are mostly occupied by farmers have restricted infrastructure like telecommunication and power supply which upholds today’s youth activities. Many youth will not want to go to such areas because there is no access to internet, if these infrastructures are been provided it will promote agriculture in Nigeria. For example, a youth whose father is a farmer and reside in the village, he/she will not want to go to his/her village just because they will be deprive of access to the internet and so on. Therefore, they see it as an obsolete profession. The point is, youth needs to be oriented about the significant of venturing into agriculture to get back to the once upon a time glory in our climate.

YALI.GOV STARTS #AFRICA4HER CAMPAIGN

YALI Network starts new campaign on girl child education and issues affecting girls in general. In a press release on the foundation website Yali.gov the director explain explicitly on the new campaign.



Investing in women and girls is not only the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do. That’s because each action you take to in
 access to equal opportunity in the workplace, to let girls learn, and to eliminate gender-based violence benefits your commu5nity, country, and continent.

On March 1st the YALI Network will again turn its attention to #Africa4Her, a Network-wide initiative to spur awareness and positive action around the issues that keep women and girls from reaching their full potential. Over the coming weeks, YALI Network members can show their support for #Africa4Her by engaging in the activities we’ve outlined for the campaign.

Visit yali.state.gov/4her to pledge and learn what you can do throughout the campaign:

On March 1 start by pledging to invest in women and girls in your community. Once you make your pledge you will receive a personalized graphic with your name and pledge to share with your friends on your social media platforms.

On March 2 at 13:30 UTC join the conversation with a Twitter #YALICHAT with the Ambassador-at-Large for global women’s issues, Cathy Russell! Start asking questions today by tweeting at @YALINetwork using #YALICHAT and #Africa4Her.

Get inspired with the young African leaders at YALICreatives and submit, photos, art, videos or music that help tell a story of inspiring women and girls or individuals working with them in your community. Find more information at yalicreatives.com/africa4her/.

Later on this month, take our new YALI Network Online Course, Understanding the Human Rights of Women and Girls and earn a certificate. Once you have taken the course go out and educate your community by hosting a #YALILearns event and then tell us about it here.

There are more than 220,000 young African leaders in the YALI Network. Imagine the impact you could have on your community, your country and your continent if every one of you took an action to empower women and girls.

I look forward to pledging with you on March 1st!

Sincerely,
Macon Phillips Coordinator, Bureau of International Information Programs U.S. Department of State