German Embassy, SustyVibes Highlight Need for Youth in Biodiversity
The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Abuja, and SustyVibes, recently hosted the Bioverse NG National Conference in Abuja as part of the programs to conclude the seven-month-long Bioverse NG project.
The Bioverse project, funded by the German Embassy in Nigeria, is an initiative aimed at connecting young Nigerians to nature via a double-pronged approach to climate action and biodiversity protection.
The conference, themed, “The Indispensable Role of Youth in Nigeria’s Biodiversity,” allowed Nigerian youth, government, and global stakeholders to discuss Nigeria’s biodiversity challenges.
Delivering his opening speech, Deputy Ambassador of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Johannes Lehne stated that Nigeria’s diverse biodiversity has come under significant threat over the past few decades. According to him, hundreds of animal species and thousands of plant species are currently at risk of extinction, with wild animals losing their habitat as a result of people cutting down almost all the trees in the forest.
Johannes also noted that educating Nigerian youth on the subject can positively impact the country’s biodiversity.
In her keynote address, the National Coordinator of the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme, Mrs. Ibironke Olubamise, who echoed Johannes’ concerns, stated that young people must identify gaps and develop nature-based solutions with economic value.
On her part, the Founder of SustyVibes, Jennifer Uchendu, stated that the event is quite historic as it provided an opportunity to showcase several months of work on the Bioverse NG project while offering young Nigerians the chance to learn and actively participate in Biodiversity protection and climate advocacy.
