The Minister of State for Environment Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, has solicited journalists’ aid in creating awareness and sensitisation about the ecological crisis describing it as ‘doomsday clock ticking’ and waiting to explode.
Salako made this call at the Joint Press Conference in celebration of the 2024 World Press Freedom Day(WPFD) held at National Press Centre, Radio House, Abuja on Friday.
The minister noted that journalists constitute the framework for informing, educating, stimulating discussion, mobilizing and setting agenda for the public who are the employers of the government adding that if they fully deploy their reports as climate actions, it will save the planet from a lot of calamities.
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“A press for the planet at this point in time is therefore most needed if we are to get the public behind global and national agenda like net zero, energy transition, biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction, 30 by 30, ending plastic pollution and such other pathways set forth to address the environmental crisis,” he said.
He stated that the country is playing its part in mitigating climate change and safeguarding the health of the planet for future generations adding however, that without mass actions, the nation will be unable to win the fight against the environmental challenges confronting it.
The minister lamented that ignorance, lack of awareness and appropriate knowledge about the climate crisis is still rampant in the country and called on the media for more support in driving environmental advocacy.
“We know that our behaviour and lifestyles are driving the environmental crisis. We also know that changing behaviour and lifestyle is not easy to achieve. Therefore, we must remain persistent in our advocacy, our awareness creation, our sensitization and educating the public.
“The doomsday clock is ticking, bringing humanity closer and closer to a ‘triple whammy’ which may ultimately seal all our fate but if we work together, if the freedom of press is promoted, if our journalists comes fully on board deploying their reports as climate actions we will save our cherished planet earth for ourselves and generations to come,” he said.