Nigeria’s bid to reduce carbon emissions has received a boost as Dangote Cement Plc entered into partnership with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and National Environmental Standards and the Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA). It is to promote environmental sustainability.
Dangote Cement also collaborated with the Lagos Business School Sustainability Centre, and Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) as part of the Company’s initiatives to mark the 2022 World Environment Day in all its 14 production plants in Nigeria and Pan Africa.
Dangote Cement’s Environment Week programme supports African countries and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) joint venture (JV) agreement to invest in carbon avoidance and offsetting projects.
In carrying out the initiatives, Dangote Cement engaged experts to build the capacity of employees, local communities and other stakeholders on biodiversity conservation and progressive reclamation of mining sites. Other topics addressed were soil rehabilitation and carbon mitigation. The company also set up a biodiversity garden at one of its mines in Nigeria to serve as model.
Mr Michel Puchercos, the Group Managing Director of Dangote Cement Plc, noted that the company demonstrated support for governments’ efforts by contributing climate solutions that would reduce Nigeria’s carbon emissions.
The World Environment Day featured a web forum entitled ‘Only one Earth: Conserving the Values of Biodiversity’. It centered on the need for humans to make deliberate efforts to save the earth by conserving biodiversity. The forum brought together about 560 participants from the manufacturing and extractive industries, academia, government agencies, international agencies, civil society (NGOs), media, and environment enthusiasts across Africa.
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Dr Igazeuma Okoroba, the Head of Sustainability, Dangote Cement Plc, gave insights into the activities of Dangote Cement during the forum stating that the organisation is complementing government efforts through collaboration with stakeholders in civil society and industry. She noted that as Africa’s leading Day commemoration avails us the opportunity to create awareness on sustainability initiatives to conserve the earth and maintain the values of biodiversity.” business, the “World Environment
According to Dr Okoroba, the initiatives were “aimed at entrenching sustainability consciousness across the business’ value chain. One of the ways Dangote Cement seeks to achieve this is by complying with rehabilitation plans and exploring ways to protect the ecosystem in the communities where we operate.”
Engr Tukur Lawal, the Head of Environment and Social Performance, Dangote Cement Plc, while speaking on World Environment Day, said the objective of the initiative was to make mining sites safe for current and future land use. Specific goals include creating awareness amongst mining personnel, enabling mining stakeholders to understand the processes of identifying and evaluating species, flora and fauna for climate risk management.
Adducing reasons on why Dangote Cement is taking the challenge, Engr. Lawal asserted that “The Company is ready to engage with stakeholders to conserve biodiversity, mitigate carbon emission and make the environment safer”.
