As part of efforts to address the challenges of climate change, the President of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) Board of Trustees (BoT), Izoma Asiodu, has called for the sustainable management of nature amid the booming population and environmental challenges across the country so that posterity can enjoy a beautiful habitat.

Asiodu disclosed this recently at the 20th annual memorial lecture organised by the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) in honour of its founder, late Chief S. L. Edu.

He recalled how the NCF was founded as a result of the friendship between late Edu and the Prince of Netherlands, who was the chairman of  World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF1), which led him to establish something similar in Nigeria.

The NCF president expressed delight that NCF has been able to sustain the series of lecture in his honour while giving out doctoral research grants to distinguish scholars and future leaders in environmental conservation.

He said: “NCF is called the premier conservation organisation in Nigeria because before it, there was no existing organisation dedicated to wildlife and environmental management in the country.

“Numerous thought leaders and foremost professionals have graced the occasion to talk about issues like sustainable agriculture, desert encroachment, water conservation, faith in the environment, wildlife conservation, and reforestation.

This year’s theme: ‘Only One Earth’, typifies the need for all stakeholders to collaborate towards ensuring that we achieve the various environmental targets set towards climate change mitigation and adaptation.

“As a flagship advocacy tool for NCF, the annual lecture serves as a platform for public discourse on national and global environmental issues. “

The UK’s biggest seagrass restoration projects is to take place off the coast of Wales.

Five million seagrass seeds are to be planted off the Llŷn Peninsula in Gwynedd and Anglesey, with the aim of creating 10 hectares (25 acres) of seagrass meadow by the end of 2026.

The Seagrass Ocean Rescue project is inviting communities to get involved.

It said a single hectare of seagrass meadow could harbour up to 80,000 fish and 100 million invertebrates.

The Welsh government has recognised protecting and restoring seagrass meadows in Wales as a priority.

Its aims include showing the benefits that community-engaged conversation can bring and reconnect people with the sea and coast on their doorstep.

Farmers have been banned from taking water from the River Eden in Fife after it fell to a “critical” level, the second-lowest ever recorded.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) said the majority of water abstraction licences would be suspended from midnight on Saturday.

A significant scarcity warning was also issued for the River Tweed in the Borders – where a ban could follow.

The National Farmers Union said it was “devastating” for vegetable growers.

Sepa said the suspensions would be lifted as soon as possible.

David Harley, Sepa’s chief officer circular economy, said: “Having to impose suspensions on water abstractions underlines the severity of the conditions being experienced in the east of Scotland this summer.

“It is not a step we take lightly, but the evidence is clear, and it is one we can no longer avoid.”

Abstraction is the process of taking water from a river, loch or other natural source.

Sepa said the main stem of the River Eden had only been lower in 1989.

Flows in Kemback in Fife have not been as low for this long since 2003 and Strathmiglo is also experiencing its most prolonged low flow period on record.

Large parts of southern, central and eastern England have been declared drought areas.

The announcement was made by the National Drought Group, which said it was responding to the driest summer in 50 years.

It says “essential supplies of water are safe”, but water companies in the affected areas could now introduce further restrictions on water use.

Where the drought zones?

The Environment Agency (EA) says eight areas are now in drought:

It says that the West Midlands and Yorkshire are likely to be declared drought areas in the near future.

Map of existing and likely future drought areas in England

What is a drought?

A drought relates to a lack of water, but there are different types of drought.

The Royal Meteorological Society says a drought is not simply a lack of water for a specific time. For example, there can be agricultural droughts where there is not enough water to grow a crop.

The decision on whether to declare a drought in England is taken by the EA, which coordinates the response with water companies.

It says the drought announcement was based on data including rainfall, river flows, groundwater levels, reservoir levels, and the dryness of soils, as how that is affecting the public water supply, commercial water users such as farmers, and the environment.

The EA’s latest water situation report shows some river levels are at the lowest levels ever recorded.

Why are there droughts in Britain this year?

In the first three months of the year, England’s rainfall was down 26% and in Wales it was down 22%.

This meant that even before the summer started, that average river flows were “below normal” or “exceptionally low”.

Chart plotting the top ten hottest UK days on record since 1900

July saw temperature records broken multiple times and rainfall was down 76%.

These conditions have been made worse by the overconsumption of water. More than 28% of underground water sources are overused, the government says.

Drought is declared area by area, rather than for the country as a whole.

The EA says this does not automatically trigger water restrictions, but means it and the water companies will put into effect pre-arranged drought plans.