Why we are focused on achieving the environmental aspect of the Sustainable Development Goals – Ezeibe

Christian Ezeibe, a professor of Political Economy and the director of Youth Friendly Resource Centre, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), in this interview with REGIS ANUKWUOJI explains the gain in partnering UNICEF to establish a plastic bank in the university: Excerpts:

Kindly introduce yourself to our readers?

Thank you. My name is Christian Ezibe, professor of political economy. I am the Director of Youth Friendly Resource Centre of the University of Nigeria Nsukka.

Youth Friendly Resource Centre of UNN the other day, activated the green rising initiative in the University and you are looking at picking up plastics and carrying out clean up exercise that could have been done on the World Environmental Day. What are you aiming at?

Very good; this initiative is aimed at taking a very solid climate action with a view to achieving the environmental aspect of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG goals). The other day, we were involved in tree planting exercise, where we planted over 100 trees across the University of Nigeria as part of greening the environment, however, 20th September was World Environmental Day for sanitation, but we could not do that that very day, because in Nigeria, we conventionally have our clean up days on Saturdays; so, we had to shift our own to 21st.

What is the target of the exercise?

Today, we are looking at picking plastic waste. Today, the students have come out, the Nigerian youths in the University of Nigeria have come out in their massive numbers to collect plastic waste. Our target today is collection of plastic waste, and then this plastic waste collection is important if we must be able to achieve not just cleanliness, but we also see how we can, through this collection of plastic waste today, help students to overpower or to empower students. The programme does not just aim to collect plastic waste; that is to clean the environment. Clean up programme also aims at helping the students make some little money from waste collection. So, if students are able to collect waste, this plastic waste, the University of Nigeria, is in the process, of course, it is in advanced level of discussions with partners to create or establish a plastic bank where students can collect waste and then come and deposit in plastic banks and get paid for it. So, it’s not just enough these days, now to say that you’re collecting plastic waste to keep the environment clean or to help the environment. Now, you help the environment, that is important, but then the students will also have a possibility of making money in this plastic box, or what we may call plastic collection centres, and then it’s going to be easily accessible.

You said you are in an advanced level of discussion with some partners to establish a plastic bank; may we know who your partners are and their involvement?

UNICEF is supporting us to see that we’re able to realise this in the University of Nigeria and also to see if we will not just collect it. See if we can recycle these plastics. Recycle these plastics. Of course, we have a lot of partners that are interested in plastic recycling in the University of Nigeria. So, if we’re able to achieve this, would have gone a long way in taking a very solid, very effective climate action aimed at, of course, achieving the Goal 13 of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Why do you always refer to Goal 13 of the SDGs more?

Good question. This Goal 13 is very central to achieving the rest of the goals of the SDGs. I’ve said this over and over. It’s important because environment provides a platform for the rest of the SDGs to thrive. It’s in the environment that you undertake. Education is in the environment that you undertake. Farming, that’s agriculture, to be able to conquer hunger. It’s an environment that you provide water; is in the environment that you provide health facilities. If the environment is threatened, if the environment is challenged, the rest of the 17 SDGs, and all of their targets will be defeated. We must be very resolute in our commitment to this climate change, action in protection of this environment; so, the rest of the SDGs may be achieved. Of course, this is 2014, we have about six years more, so that we’ll get to 2030 which is a rounding off for these SDGs.

Are we achieving these SDGs? What are the prospects?

I think this action today is on the right path towards facilitating prospects; of, course, achieving these SDGs, even if it’s not in full, in part, so that by 2030 we begin to look at a fresh development agenda that will have to run for the next 20 years. We continue doing that. Of course, we came from Millennial Development Goals, and I think very soon, the next two or three years now, they will begin to talk about from 2030 to maybe, 2050, anybody that is alive within the period, they will be alive to talk about them. But I hope we will all be alive so that we can see how we can take our environment and our society to the next level of prosperity.