Conference Background

In an era where global concerns about environmental issues is at a peak as shown by the current drive of high level business corporations and governmental bodies and international academic institutions towards sustainability, Nigeria and indeed Africa has a role to play. The deliberations at the last Climate Change Summit at Copenhagen attests to this.

Africa has become the focus of global deliberations and discussions in the international environmental community because of its vast resources with a potential for degradation if not sustainably managed, it’s potential to act as the global carbon emission sink with its extensive tropical rain forest, its infancy at environmental models and therefore the potential for environmental integration into governmental policies, business frameworks and systems and community structures.

A principal challenge with the African continent as pointed out in several international discuss is the lack of concrete knowledge and understanding of and competence and expertise in current environmental models and processes. These new and improved models cover the following relevant environmental subject matters:
1. Climate change
2. Waste Management
3. Renewable/Alternative Sources of Energy
4. Environmental Economics & Finance
5. Environmental Auditing
6. Environment and Gender Issues
7. Historical and Political Consequences of Environmental Problems
8. Responses by African Governments
9. Environmental Law and Ethics

‘With a clear understanding of the functioning of the developed world where environmental systems are well understood, research shows that in other to fully integrate environmental awareness and enhance a green image in Africa, the bedrock of a developing nation, The University and Academia, should be a principal focus. For this to be effective however, it must be done in partnership with industry’.

Therefore, Dr. Akanimo Odon of Envirofly Group (www.envirofly-group.com) and Dr. Sam Guobadia of Benson Idahosa University (www.idahosauniversity.com) , have founded an initiative known as ACADEMIA FOR GREEN AFRICA (AFGA) – www.afgainitiatives.org targeted at bridging the environmental gap in Africa’s academia through a collaborative network and strategic partnerships with overseas academic institutions and bodies.

As a result of this initiative, the first AFGA project is an international conference tagged AFGA CONFERENCE 2010 which took place at the Benson Idahosa University, Benin City, Edo State in Nigeria  from October 19th to 21st 2010. About 150 participants graced the event including the presence of three Federal Government Ministers,  Directors of Governmental bodies, Senior Professors from Universities to mention but a few.
Find attached the Communiqué that was issued to the Press, Governmental bodies, Agencies etc at the end of the two day conference in Nigeria.

Also, a new publication titled African Environmental Perspectives Volume 1 has been put together and  is currently being Published in London, and this is a compilation of papers presented, speeches made by imminent personalities that graced the AFGA International Conference as well as technical papers.

We hope to launch this Publication during the AFGA Event at the Lancaster Environment Centre. It is the first environmental –inclined publication with a special focus on the African Content from the perspective of capacity building.

Upon request and based on the huge success of the first international conference, Envirofly Group in partnership with Lancaster Environment Centre wishes to host the Second International AFGA Conference.