The Changing Climatic Condition in Nigeria: Environmental Concern - Research Paper Example

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and its role in innovating Nigerian Transportation Table of Content This report provides an innovative approach to meet the various challenges faced by the Nigerian Transportation System through the help of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). The transportation system of the nation has been found to be in a very poor state which requires to be improved as it will open the roads for economic and societal development of the nation. The report has been prepared with an attempt to understand the relationship between the major transportation issues. This report also provides ample amount of information for Strategic approach towards the assessment of environment which has became a debatable topic globally since it provides a strategic approach to resolve environmental issues and challenges. The work represents the innovative role of SEA in improving the Nigerian Transportation issues and challenges. Introduction to Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a collection of strategic approaches with an aim of integrating the various environmental considerations to support the sustainable development of the environment. SEA is an effort to have a strategic approach towards the various environmental issues which requires critical analysis and participatory approaches for integrating all of the environmental issues and present them in format of policies, plans, and programmes. The other aspect of SEA is to synchronize those policies and plans with the available social and economic considerations to have a holistic assessment of sustainable development (DAC, 2006). The process of SEA helps in ensuring the developmental activities towards the environment which are taking place according to the policies, plans, and programmes developed through the process. The tool of SEA has proved to be an effective measure in achieving the sustainable development in context of public planning and policy development (SEA-info, 2008). The SEA is performed prior to the introduction of environmental impact assessment (EIA) which serve as a decision making process concerned to the environmental issues and considerations. Due to the early requirement of SEA it is also considered as the key approach towards the achievement of sustainable development (UNECE, 2003). Concepts of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) The SEA can be described as a method of identifying the way which supports the application of relevant procedural criteria into the decision making process. The underlying concept of SEA is based on criteria such as the functional description of the process of decision making, decision windows, various implications of decision windows onto the environmental condition, and the procedural criteria which are found to be relevant and considerable (Caratti et al., 2004). The concepts of SEA focus on the environmental damages and generate decisions which are more rational and open in nature. Facilitating rational and open decisions indicates that SEA also supports the principles of democracy and uniformity around the world (Therivel, n.d.). The approaches of SEA include several tools which are used for the prediction of environmental and socio-economic effects during the assessment of the considered criteria. These tools includes carrying capacity analysis (CCA), cause-effect analysis which is also referred to as Network analysis, Ecological or environmental footprint analysis, surveys concerned with social and economical impacts, geographical information system (GIS), land usage, mapping and forecasting, and assessments of participatory techniques and the quality of life. Each of the tools has their crucial contribution for proper carrying out of SEA (OECD, 2006). Significance & Benefits of SEA The approaches of SEA supports the mainstreaming of environment as it is capable of influencing the planning and decision making process during their primal stages. The approaches of SEA also help in implementation of objectives which are set through the strategies. This systematic approach of SEA indicates the feature of Structured Learning Program (SLP). These are certain capabilities of SEA due to which it is being used extensively by the World Bank and its client nations and also by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (World Bank, 2009). Nations which possesses nuclear power also require the proper assessment of the environment since nuclear power have numerous impacts on the environment which are required to be identified and solved for the protection of the environment. A very relevant example in this context could be the nuclear power station at Temelin which realized that using EIA technique alone for the environmental assessment is not sufficient enough and adopted the SEA approach for the assessment of the environmental condition. Adopting the SEA approaches provided them with strategic approach towards the assessment and development of energy policies (Partidário & Clark, 2000). The SEA is identified as a group of approaches which includes several tools and techniques instead of adhering to a single fixed approach. It emphasizes on the impact basic study through a strategic approach which helps in enhancing its functionality for environmental assessment (Ahmed & Triana, 2008). The most prominent benefit of SEA approach is that it gives a strategic approach to the environmental assessment which helps in identifying the various issues present in them. Due to the strategic approach of SEA it has made possible to give the environmental issues format of policies and programs. These policies and programs mainly include the considered criteria of the environmental issues (Ahmed & Triana, 2008). The policies developed by SEA provides a scope for advanced sustainable development which requires presence of certain conditions such as the policy framework and its proper positioning to provide articulation among the sectoral policies and the contexts of intuitions (ECMT, 2000). One of the most prominent features of SEA approach is that it provides better communication mechanisms which ensure the uniformity in the involvement and awareness among the participants and the partners which are involved in the process of SEA (BNRCC-a, n.d.). It has been designated as a second generation instrument for assessment in terms of ‘environmental sustainability assurance’ (Marsden & Dovers, 2002). A quality SEA is considered as a sustainability-led approach since it provides opportunities to identify the available options and alternatives which could enhance the sustainable developmental activities. The process is also found to be cost-effective and consumes less amount of time during its usage (Marsden, 2008). Introduction to Innovation Innovation can be described as an idea which is newly perceived by an individual. It can be an idea or particular practice approach, or an object which is entirely new to be perceived by an individual or a group. Innovation has characteristics which are perceived by the members of the social system and determined by the rate of its adoption by the social system. There remains chances of uncertain consequences from the innovation which is avoided by the individual or group through innovation-decision process which comprises five basic steps such as, Knowledge about the innovation possessed by the individual; Persuasion refers to the attitude formation towards the innovation by the individual; Decision signifies the activities which are performed to decide the acceptance and rejection of the innovation; Implementation of the innovation after its acceptance by the individual through decision making process; and Confirmation refers to the evaluation of the outcomes which are obtained from the innovation-decision which have already been taken by the individual or the group (Anonymous-a, n.d.). It has been found that through the innovation base approach growth and development can be achieved and it also support in gaining the sustainable growth and development through its approaches (Grossman & Helpman, 1994). Relating SEA and Innovation The relationship between innovation and SEA is very much obvious from the fact that the concepts of SEA are entirely new approach to involve strategic management into the environmental assessment and transform the identified issues into policies and programs. SEA concepts and innovation have relationship in every aspect of SEA which has been introduced for the first time and is entirely new to the world. Biotechnological concepts are one of such example where innovation and SEA concepts meet with each other. Providing cross breed crops through the biotechnological application which is also beneficial for the environmental concerns signifies the relationship between innovation and SEA. More of the interests have been found in international development institutions where SEA approaches have helped in performing the Environmental Management System (EMS) which is done to promote the mainstreaming of environmental factors into various policies and programs (Linacre et al., 2005). In the context of transportation management and related problems the concepts of innovation and SEA is also very much obvious. The approaches of SEA provide more innovative ways to support the smooth flow of transportation and its proper management. The concepts of SEA provides innovative ways in terms of reducing the risk level of transportation management including the airline route improvement, movement of traffic in the city, and improved and expanded routes of railways. These innovations can be brought through the adoption of SEA approaches in the context of better transportation management in the targeted area (Anonymous-b, 2008). Introduction to Nigerian Transportation System The major indicator of economic and infrastructural development is the transport system of any nation which in case of Nigeria has remained uncared for a longer duration of time. The nation has realized the importance of a good transportation system which has resulted into numerous research works carried out to study the transportation system of Nigeria. Many of the government and non-government organizations have initiated works to address the issues. One of the non government organization Frank Agbasi transportation Infrastructure Research (FATIR) which is working in the field of transportation considering its infrastructural policy, their planning and development, implementation, and the delivery of programme and their management. These programme are customized and planned according to the demand and challenges posed by the infrastructural development of Nigeria (FATIR, 2009). The transportation system of Nigeria is very much versatile with availability of all the fundamental modes of transportation such as railways with substantial coverage area by both broad and narrow gauge, highways are also present which covers a distance of 194,394 km. the nation has potential waterways and pipelines with ports and harbors. The number of ships for trade purpose is 46 which includes cargo, tanker, and passengers types and used accordingly by the nation. The country has 70 well equipped airports which have both paved and unpaved runways (Anonymous-c, n.d.). Apart from the airports the country also has three heliports which are used for the helicopters specifically. The roadways of Nigerian transportation consist of 193,200km which includes both paved and unpaved roadways (CIA, 2009). Issues and challenges of Nigerian Transportation The major challenges faced by the transportation management of Nigeria are related to their waterways through which many trade activities are being performed. According to the International Maritime Bureau the country is more exposed to pirates and armed robbers who have robbed many vessels and cargo ships. The activities of hijacking and robbing have been observed at both anchor and on their mid way (CIA, 2009). In context of improving the maritime transportation of oil and related trade affairs the environmental concerns are being taken up by the nation to have control over environmental impact of the offshoring oil and petroleum products (Kloff & Wicks, 2004). Other transportation issues present in Nigeria is related to the urban areas which have informal transportation system. Most of the vehicles operating in the urban areas of Nigeria are out dated and many of them are over 10 years old. In addition to that the maintenance of vehicles is also very poor and bears only the third party insurance in most of the cases. Since the nation has all of the possible modes of transportation the pollutants are obvious to be produced by those means of transportation. Chemicals and fumes produced from the industries also contribute to those pollutants. Fuel consumed by the vehicles in different modes of transportation also produces numerous pollutants which pose adverse impact on the environment of Nigeria (Anonymous-e, n.d.). SEA approaches innovating Nigerian Transportation System The SEA can contribute to better transportation either by impacting the traffic movement or through infrastructural development by constructing flyovers and bridges (ECMT, 2000). The concern for the environmental assessment has also been observed from the various industry sector such as Petroleum sector in which the project planners are continuously working on adjusting the timeframe required to carry out the assessment from its initiation till its approval from the Federal Environmental protection Agency (FEPA) which is the governing body of environmental assessment and also the certification of EIA (ECA-a, 2005). The increasing level of challenges and issues also has generated more number of opportunities in the transportation sector of Nigeria in form of joint ventures and investments in all of the categories of the transport including the sub-sectors of aviation, maritime, railways, road transport and other related modes of transportations of Nigeria (Anonymous-d, n.d.). One of the neighbor countries of Nigeria named Benin has also initiated the SEA approach to resolve the transportation issues which has been considered as one of the six priority areas considered by the Benin Environmental Agency (ABE). This information gives support to the importance of SEA approach towards the betterment of Nigerian Transportation. The entire plan for the development of considered key areas are embedded in frameworks which are handled by the different ministries. Two of such ministries have central roles in the SEA process, namely the Ministry of Planning and the Ministry of the Environment. The Ministry of Planning contributes towards the coordination of various departments, administrations, and sectors at the national level while the Ministry of Environment serve as the expertise and provide coordination among departments, and sectors at national level. The transportation issues of Nigeria also require huge amount of energy which is consumed by the transportation sector. The amount of energy consumed by the sector had an average growth of 24% during 1998. This careless usage of energy also poses environmental threats which are solved through the SEA approach (Baglo, et al., n.d.). Providing better transportation could reduce the energy consumption rate by making it efficient. Adopting SEA approach for resolving transportation issues could also impact the energy consumption leading to protect he environment. Requirement for more routes for railway is also very much essential as to replace the informal transportation of Nigeria. By providing more rail routes the mass transit of population could be done which will also reduce the number of over aged vehicles improving the condition of transportation. In accordance to that the Federal Government has introduced the facility of Metro railway which has also contributed to the improvement of Nigeria Transportation. To improve the road transport more autonomy is given to public owned vehicles and should be made purely for profit business which will help them in better maintenance of the vehicles. Availability of fund is also a major concern for the operators to purchase new vehicles. This has led to convenient mode of loans available for the vehicle operators to purchase new vehicles and stop the usage of old and outdated vehicles which have profound adverse effect on the environment (IDRC, 1995). As a concern towards the environmental issues the nation has different forms of frameworks pertaining to legal, institutional, and funding aspects. The legal framework constitutes Nigerian constitution, national Laws, guidelines and regulations such as the National Policy on Environment. There are Acts and Regulations present in the legal system which is intended to protect the system from toxic chemicals and other substances which are harmful to the environment. The report on EIA conducted in 1986 and 1992 specified guidelines towards agricultural and rural development. There are National guidelines and Standards present which control the environmental pollution in Nigeria. There are agencies present at state level which takes care of environmental protection. To provide better source of funding the nation has budgetary provisions on national, state, and local government level. Provision of multilateral and bilateral funding is also there which provides assistance in funding activities (Anonymous-e, n.d.). Another major initiative has been taken up by several groups which work in favor of such assessment and environmental preservation activities. As a result of which Building Nigeria’s Response to Climate Change (BNRCC) project has been initiated to support such activities (NEST, n.d.). Conclusion Startegic approaches to the activities of environmental assessments have encouraged the initiatives and actions which are taken up in favor of environmental protection and its preservation. Under such initiatives transportation has also been included which is required to be managed for better environmental condition. The concern for the environmental condition has been realized lately by the nation and the effect is also not very impressive as compared to many other nations. Numerous challenges still persist in context of effectiveness of the EIA decisions and their application under the available societal and economic circumstances (Gouldson & Roberts, 2000). Transportation sector has received substantial attention under the initiatives taken up for environmental assessment in Africa which is very much evident from the fact that out of five SEAs undertaken in Cameroon from 1996 till 2004, three of them were into the transportation sector while the other two were related to nationwide participatory development and forest environment sector (ECA-b, 2005). The SEA approaches have not only influenced the Nigeria but it has also influenced several other nations such as Lagos and Benin where the emphasis is given on the capacity building and improving the efficiency of the road and its networking of routes (Anonymous-f, 2009). Also there is a need of more environmental concern for Nigeria since the changing climatic condition will have a major impact on Nigeria’s several aspects such as agriculture, land usage, diverse biological resources, energy, health, and water resources which (BNRCC-b, n.d.). 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