Climate change another looming danger, RATTAWU warns

The Radio, Television, Theatre, and Art Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU) has warned against another looming health crisis in the world that could  result from climate change.)

General secretary of the union, Comrade Akpausoh Akpausoh in a statement said though the discussion on climate change had been silenced due to COVID-19, yet sustainable development even after the pandemic  cannot be possible without addressing the fundamental issue around climate change.

 Comrade Akpausoh hinted that the federal government must ensure the post-COVID-19 recovery efforts were tied to climate change actions and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

 “The environment is the life wire of bios, human life inclusive. This is because it is in the environment that all forms of temporal and corporeal life exist. This therefore underscores the relevance of the environment and the need to pay special attention to what affects the environment. “Furthermore. whatever happens to the environment has a multiplier effect at times far more than it meets the eye.

“Since the advent of COVID-19 and its continued spread, the environment needs to be considered as a special factor. This is because the disease itself lives in the environment and spreads also in the environment. Little wonder all the precautionary measures/protocols such as cleaning of surfaces and fumigation among others are environment-related.

“Yet the non -pharmaceutical measures against COVID-19 seem not to be bringing the environment in the front burner of the discourse. This is not to be considering how critical the environment is to bios in particular and even the workplace in general,” the union said.

The union also called for the planting of trees across Nigeria as a measure to protect the environment and the workplace against the health of workers and their families.

They further said  COVID-19 had revealed the inter-relationship between the environment and human health as well as the need to strengthen essential environmental health services, knowledge, and capacities that were fundamental to achieving universal health coverage.

“It is against this background that Radio Television Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU) as directed by UNI Global Union, a global umbrella body of union in the media is calling for action(s) that will protect the environment and workplace, especially in this era of COVID-19. As a matter of fact. COVID-19 has impeded negative.

” On the economies of countries: lt has worsened the age-long challenge of livelihoods of families. particularly in developing countries.

“All these culminated in having a toll on the environment thereby adding salt to the already existing injury of the crisis of climate change. We must know that human interaction with the ecosystem has remained essentially unbalanced thereby disrupting nature which has consequences as we are seeing in the COVID-19 pandemic in order to avert this all stakeholders must understand that biodiversity is the foundation of life with the benefits of strengthening the global healthcare support system.

“In this connection, RATTAWU insists that we must ensure that post COVID-19 recovery efforts are tied to climate change actions and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“If anything at all,COVID-19 has revealed the inter-relationship between the environment and human health as well as the need to strengthen essential environmental health services knowledge and capacities that are fundamental to achieving universal health coverage. As a union.

“RATTAWU makes a case for greening the country (Nigeria) as well as addressing environmental determinants of health such as climate change. water. sanitation and hygiene. air pollution and prevention of chemical poisoning hazards.

“While it is commendable that COVID-i9 made the imperative of fumigating public places unavoidable, this was rather done in a manner that left many unresolved questions. For instance, what was the environmental impact assessment of fumigants used? What was the safe duration to stay away from such places? especially markets. shopping malls etc? What was the effect of the fumigants even on stored foods among other pertinent issues” He inquired.”

RATTAWU, therefore, called on all workers to be conscious of their environment in relation to their health and safety as the nation begins the gradual easing of lockdown.

It said: “This is very crucial to do, However. equally important is also the need for workers of the world to consider the crisis of climate change as another threat to life that has not received the desired attention.

“It will only be fair If governments own up to the different treaties signed regarding cutting down on emissions that are responsible for the climate change crisis. Workers who work In environments that disregard standards that will enhance climate change should rise to challenge it. RATI’AWU cautions that the world can only change if humans change It. And climate change will continue to be an Issue If we don‘t change from counterproductive attitudes. For RATTAWU the best time to change is now”.

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