Experts have called for increased access to clean and modern energy sources for cooking.
The experts noted that this would reduce the pressure on deforestation.
The Dean, Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Bayero University Kano, Prof Aliyu Barau stated that more than 70 per cent of Nigerian households relied on fuelwood for cooking due to the energy crisis and insecurity that have entrapped Nigeria for decades.
The Don spoke at a workshop to present the report of a research funded by the Royal Society on ‘Improving Access To Clean And Modern Energy For Cooking While Reducing Land Degradation And Biodiversity Loss In Nigeria.’
The final report of the research work which was presented on Monday, was jointly carried out by BUK, Nigeria, and University of York and University College London (UCL), UK, funded by the Royal Society and studied the effects of deforestation in Nigeria.
According to Barau, the project highlighted the direct and complicated relations between overdependence on fuelwood for cooking and land degradation, biodiversity loss, environmental quality, and human health.
Prof Barau, who was the Project Lead in Nigeria, said the team has been working on the field-based and desk-based aspects of the study over the last two years and have made significant progress.
He said: “More than 70% of Nigerian households rely on fuelwood for cooking. Rising prices of LPG may also push more to resort to charcoal and fuelwood.
“Invariably, this situation exerts more pressure on our forest assets and will have negative effects on the national efforts geared towards landscape restoration, biodiversity and ecosystem services, climate action and other multidimensional challenges, vulnerabilities and risks. Surely, we running out of time. But it is not too late to act.
“Your participation in today’s event is a strong indication of the commitment of your respective organisations in driving various policies and programmes of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I am immensely happy that Nigeria is now on the proper seat through the various organs and policy instruments that the Federal Government puts in place.
“In my humble opinion, the onus is now largely on the various States and Local governments to translate such actions locally. The civil society is also doing wonderful things.”
The UK Team Lead, Prof Lindsay Stringer said that about 400,000 hectares of trees are being deforested for cooking and other uses annually.
She added that while the government was aware and committed to conserve forests, reduce land degradation, it was however challenged by the heavy use of fuel and Charcoal particularly for cooking.
She said: “That has impacts on everybody and on all sectors. I am talking of biodiversity, soil quality which results in human health particularly the women and the children who lose out on the health side.
“So, we look at things in a more holistic way and answer the question on how progress can be made in improving clean and modern cooking energy.
“We focused on the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa and Kaduna States and all of these areas have growing populations, high fuel demands and high deforestation rates.
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“The project started during the pandemic when there were travel restrictions. This is a really complicated situation. It is not going to be a thing where one policy can fix everything.
“We need a mix of solutions to address all the fuel related issues as well as the challenges associated with its solution.
“And that means considering the health aspects, the livelihood aspects, the environment aspects as well as energy aspects, the environmental aspects.
“Policymakers at national and subnational levels should synergise and harmonise policy and resourcing efforts, seeing efforts to tackle fuelwood extraction and use as a route to achieving SDGs 3, 5, 7, 13 and 15.
“Cross-sectoral dialogue between Nigeria’s stakeholders is essential in developing solutions to issues surrounding fuelwood use in cooking, and will help overcome challenges, reduce trade-offs and harness co-benefits.”