Prince Emeka Obasi junior, a Nigerian born British undergraduate, has formally launched a non-governmental organization, ‘Our Tomorrow’ to raise awareness on the need for youths and stakeholders to take bold actions in addressing the issue of climate change in Nigeria.
The 21-year-old stated that climate change is the most consequential issue of the 21st century.
“My trepidation stems from the fact that our continent is in danger, threatened menacingly by climate change. Already, Africa is confronted by the twin challenges of insecurity and poverty; now climate change also threatens the continent’s very existence,” Obasi said at the launch of the NGO, Tuesday, in Lagos state.
Climate change has been declared an emergency by the United Nations which could have devastating effects on countries. A United Nations climate panel has warned that global warming, caused largely by man, is becoming worse, and profound climatic changes already manifesting may be “irreversible” for centuries to come.
WHO also estimates that between 2030 and 2050, climate change is expected to cause approximately 250 000 additional deaths per year globally, from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea, and heat stress alone; this was estimated to translate to direct damage costs to health of between USD 2-4 billion per year.
According to the Department for International Development (DFID), climate change will cost Nigeria between 6 percent and 3o percent of its GDP by 2050.
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According to the founder, Our Tomorrow has a broad three-point agenda. First, to wake up the African youth to the reality of the existential threat climate change poses to their future.
Secondly, to sensitize African leaders, both at the government, corporate and non-governmental levels, to heed the clarion call for sustained action against climate change. Third, to mobilize resources, both material and human, to campaign and create sustained awareness of Africans, especially the youth, on the need to be actively involved in the battle to save the environment for their future and that of the future generations.
“Yes, the challenge of climate change is enormous, but I’m confident that we have what it takes as the youth of Africa to galvanize action towards averting the climate crisis that now stares us in the face, and which is why I am speaking to you today.
I am also optimistic about the future of our continent. I look at the numbers; the millions of young Africans doing exploits globally, and particularly because the vast majority of Africa’s population consists of young people,” he said.
Obasi explained that his target is to mobilize the teeming numbers of the youth of Africa to achieve a critical mass of climate change advocates, whose voices will resonate loudly and clearly and catalyse positive action.
“Our continent is being ravaged by multinational corporations which are extracting resources without adequate consideration for the environment. The youth of Africa must rise up against this injustice and save the environment for our tomorrow,” he said.
