Building Capacity Towards Ensuring Sustainable Environment 

A two-day International Sustainable Development Dialogue, organised by the Global Affairs and Sustainable Development Institute, Osun State University, in conjunction with the African Network of Environmental Humanities, and Rachel Carson Centre for Environment and Society, a research centre of Ludwig Maximillian University, Germany, was aimed at attracting and engaging the attention of policymakers towards promoting locally-driven responses to issues of the human factor in the environment, as well as proposing policy-oriented solutions towards solving issues of environmental management. Funmi Ogundare reports

The Global Affairs and Sustainable Development Institute (GASDI), Osun State University, Osogbo, recently held its third International Sustainable Development Dialogue in conjunction with the African Network of Environmental Humanities (ANEH) and Rachel Carson Centre for Environment and Society, a research centre of Ludwig Maximillian University, Germany.

Themed ‘Making and Unmaking Africa: Global Developments and Environmental Humanities’, the conference was aimed at proffering solutions to the range of interconnected environmental crises that threaten human health, well-being, and overall development.

For two days, scholars, traditionalists, practitioners, students and activists from across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences converged on the Olagunsoye Oyinlola Auditorium of the university to foster a rich and productive dialogue that enlightens the understanding of the complex relationships between humans and other-than-humans as a critical first step to devising innovative and effective strategies to addressing environmental challenges.

In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Odunayo Adebooye, explained that environmental humanities (also known as ecological humanities) remain an interdisciplinary area of research that draws on the various environmental sub-disciplines, stating, “It is geared towards employing humanistic questions about language, culture, values, ethics and responsibilities to address the globally pressing environmental challenges.” 

In the last two to three decades, Adebooye, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic, Research, Innovations and Partnerships), Prof. Anthony Kola-Olusanya, noted that there had been growing concerns about the human and natural disruptions of the ecosystems. He explained that the concerted efforts of scholars globally have led to identifying key issues that have each constituted a body of knowledge, with growing scholarly interest, efforts and output arising from each. 

“These issues include but are not limited to pollution, global warming, overpopulation, ocean acidification, deforestation, ozone layer depletion, among others. It is the contextualisation of these issues to Africa, and the exploration of the effect of these from Africa on the global environment that I am sure this dialogue is hoped to address,” he stressed.

Director of the institute, Prof John Agbonifo, expressed concern about the environmental crisis threatening the planet and Africa as a whole, saying that the crises are human-induced, and demand urgent attention and action. He stated that the conference was designed to enable participants to understand the tools and insights various disciplines could use to address the crisis. 

“We have neglected our culture, ideas and values that we can bring to bear to address these issues. What are the insights that we can get from environmental humanities? Importantly, the dangers of the time we live in require us to think beyond conventional disciplinary boundaries and silos,” he said.

Scholars at the conference presented various papers to propose policy-oriented solutions towards solving issues of environmental management and; attract and engage the attention of policymakers towards promoting locally-driven responses to issues of human factors in the environment.

Speaking to journalists on what the institute intends to do to ensure that the research papers presented do not end up on the shelf, Agbonifo noted, “For a while, we have been running a radio programme on Rave FM called ‘Uniosun Solutions Forum. Every week, a faculty from a relevant department in the university goes on the radio to address at least one Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). The knowledge that has been made available will be transferred to the society through the mass media.”

The director noted that this and other issues from the conference would be documented in books and journals, adding, “We are coming out with a publication on what has been done here today and documented in journals and books. Thereafter, we now go to town to make the knowledge available through the mass media.” 

In his paper, ‘Illicit Refineries and Environmental Deterioration in the Nigeria Delta: Policy Options for Sustainable Environmental Remediation’, Prof. Samuel Aghalino of the Department of History and International Studies, University of Ilorin, expressed concern about the illicit oil-refining economy in the Niger Delta, saying that it has contributed to the growing environmental challenge in the region.

“It is argued that while the activities of multinational oil corporations contribute significantly to oil pollution and environmental degradation of the Niger Delta, the emergence and proliferation of illicit refineries across the region has further compounded the environmental and human existential crises,” said Aghalino. “Oil pollution, worsened by the activities of illicit refining activities, is devastating the rivers, land and air of the Niger Delta, leading to not only environmental, economic and social consequences, but also significantly undermining environmental clean-up, remediation and conservation efforts in the region over the years.”

Aghalino called on the federal government to take pragmatic measures to develop and operationalise initiatives for alternative livelihood options in the Niger Delta, adding that effort should also be made towards diverting attention and moving dependency on illicit oil refineries and other oil-related crimes that impact heavily on the environment, to other productive economic and livelihood engagements. 

He stressed the need for the government and oil companies operating in the region to conduct sustainable remediation to clean the environment.

“In this regard, remediation and conservation efforts must consider the practical, environmental friendliness, safe, cost-effective, efficacy and appropriateness of bioremediation technique. It is important to emphasise that environmental remediation is purposefully more than just the removal of hydrocarbons from contaminated areas,” Aghalino explained. “It is about protecting people and the environment from the hazards of pollution.”

The scholar added, “To achieve this, going by the current global trend in the selection of environmental remediation technologies, the application of bioremediation as a natural way of restoring the environment of the Niger Delta is imperative.”

An endowed professor of Defence and Security Studies and Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, Usman Tar, in his paper, ‘Crisis of Sustainable Development in Reflection on Key Issues, Trends and Way Forward’, explained that sustainable development and environmental humanities play crucial roles in Africa’s journey towards a prosperous and environmentally conscious future.

The continent, he noted, faces numerous environmental challenges, including climate change, deforestation, land degradation, water scarcity, and loss of biodiversity, adding addressing these issues requires a multidimensional approach that combines sustainable development practices with the insights and perspectives of the environmental humanities.

“Sustainable development in Africa involves promoting economic growth, social equity, and environmental protection. It recognises the interconnectedness of economic, social, and environmental systems and seeks to find a balance that allows for progress while preserving natural resources for future generations,” he stated.

Tar explained how environmental humanities provided a valuable lens through which to understand and address environmental challenges in Africa.

“This interdisciplinary field combines insights from the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences to explore the complex relationships between humans and the environment. By studying cultural practices, historical narratives, ethical frameworks, and artistic expressions, environmental humanities help us comprehend the ways in which humans shape and are shaped by their natural surroundings. They also encourage critical reflection, creative thinking, and engagement with diverse perspectives, fostering a deeper understanding of environmental issues and potential solutions,” the don stressed.

In a communique issued at the end of the conference, participants proposed that stories about the environment, which have been told for centuries in Africa, should be encouraged and told collaboratively by academia to present forthcoming generations as a compelling force for action towards preserving the planetary environment.

They noted that scholarship on environmental humanities in Africa should borrow from Africa’s traditional understanding of the environment.

They added that members of the local intelligentsia in Africa should be sourced and engaged in promoting environmental humanities’ aims and objectives. 

“Knowledge communities should be built and developed from the relationship between academics and members of the local intelligentsia. Capacity-building mechanisms should be put in place in African research and policy development centres while academics play important roles in developing action plans and projects,” they stated.