Cross River lawmaker calls for stronger environmental laws at COP17

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Martins Archadu, a member of the Cross River State House of Assembly, attended the 17th session of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to seek international intervention for environmental degradation. Representing a region prone to flooding, erosion, and landslides, Archadu participated in sessions concerning land restoration, biodiversity, and climate financing. He identified significant gaps in Nigerian environmental policy, particularly noting that state governments lack the power to veto federal mining and agricultural project approvals. Archadu proposed that Nigeria adopt a model similar to India, where state authorities profile companies and maintain the power to block projects that fail to meet local environmental standards.

Consequences

Archadu plans to review international legislative materials obtained at the summit to propose new environmental policies for the Cross River State House of Assembly. The initiative aims to shift toward a governance model that mandates state-level participation in the approval and ongoing environmental monitoring of industrial projects.

Sources

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