2020 Earth Day Lecture by Ambassador Tunde Adetunji

Posted by African Examiner Articles/Opinion, Latest Headlines Saturday, May 16th, 2020

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The ongoing global campaign on environmental pollution, global warming, climate change, and the spread of the pandemic corona virus have raised concerns and difficulties for people to envision a future in which healthy people inhabit a healthy planet without struggle. In keeping with this conviction, the level of public interest in climate change, including myself, have risen significantly in recent days, especially as the entire global community is dealing with the deadly effects of the most dangerous pandemic corona virus disease.

As an alumnus of the just concluded environmental and science research project at the university of Phoenix Arizona USA. I am omnipotent and excited to deliver this keynote address and at the same time express my sincere appreciation and congratulations for this year earth day celebration and look forward to witness many Earth day celebration in future.

The interchange between humans and environmental systems is at the core of environmental challenges that affect and undermine human values. In other to predict the course of the present global environmental changes, it is necessary to understand the route cause, consequences, and responses, some of which can alter the course of climate change.

Consequently, it is also imperative to focus our attention on the interactions of environmental systems, which include the biosphere, the geosphere, the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, and human systems, which include economic, political, cultural, and sociotechnical value systems.

As leaders of tomorrow, the question for our teenagers now is, what should we do as a people to prevent climate change from hurting our value? How can we humans’ beings respond to actual global changes? What are the consequences of delaying humanity or inaction to combat climate change and global warming? To answer these questions, both natural and social scientists, economists, educators, and youth must all have a sense of belonging to work together to combat this global phenomenon. “Teamwork makes dream work.”

In celebrating the 2020 Earth Day, another global environmental issues we must also focus attention on is air pollution. Air pollution is all around us, both Indoors, outdoors, in cities and in the countryside even in our classroom, churches and mosques. It affects us all, whether we realize it or not Air pollution is a cancer that humans have long taken for granted.

The air we breathe Contains the smell of cold and hot air that threatens everyone, from unborn babies to children who walk to school, to women who cook at campfires and teenagers that plays basketball or football. According to empirical research Air pollution is responsible for unprecedented and senseless destruction of human lives and property on a larger scale than wars and any form of violence malaria, HIV/AIDS. It is more deadly than smoking, and it can quickly destroy our economy and ecology.

As a former airline instructor, I have the opportunity to travel around the globe and witness the rebirth of industrial revolution especially in India and China, America, and Europe. My observations show that the world is outsourcing to China and India only for cheap labor. But the consequence of the outsourcing/industrial revolution is the resurgence of an uncontrollable air pollution pandemic. By seizing the opportunity of this year Earth day celebration to launch campaign against Air pollution, climate change and global warming, we took bull by the horn to set a record that will make this world a better place for humanity.

The impacts of air pollution on human health, cause immediate and acute health problems, which include heart and respiratory illness, add stress to heart and lungs. Air Pollution is a phenomenon that has swept the world for decades, so the fight against air pollution and victory will determine how we can make the world a better place to live. Air pollution’s control is vital and should be on a priority list of government’s, United nations and the global community.

The clean air act policy has come as checks and balances and promoted the stewardship of resources and future generations through the passing of legislation and bill on global warming, climate change, public health, job creation and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions into the law of the state and federal government.

Policymakers and legislators in developed countries must urgently update all air pollution laws and regulations’ laws. The Environmental Protection Organization (EPA) must effectively coordinate and disinfect all sectors of the air pollution department. An effective environmental protection organization should have enough budget to manage, develop, research and comprehensively control the environment including air pollution.

Although some schools of thought believe that a carbon tax will encourage many industrial companies to switch to clean energy. Others believe that this event will put a heavier burden on low-income, low-privileged people, so it is regressive. To justify the successful reform of the carbon tax, the government must first determine the external cost of greenhouse gas emissions per ton, it is mandatory and very important for both scientists and economist to reach an agreement and conscious of opinion on which assumptions to use since the ideal impact and consequence of a carbon tax is to show the true cost of burning carbon.

Given its challenges, the government should remove subsidies on fossil fuel, which consists of coal, oil, and gas costing over 25 billion a year, subsidize wind, solar, and hydro power, increase energy efficiency standards, build more public transportation to reduce cars on the road and finally implement carbon emissions trading.

In good faith, the carbon tax is a necessary solution to stop global warming, the government should eliminate all subsidies to the fossil fuel industry, and the United Nations should impose sanctions on any country that does not comply with carbon tax regulations. I seize this opportunity to congratulate everyone once again as a benchmark for Earth Day celebrations and for a successful endeavor on global warming and environmental pollution.

Amb. Adetunji is the founder of the African Heritage Center (AHC) in Atlanta, Georgia and can be reached at ahdc96@gmail.com