The Roles of All Tiers of Government and Development Partners in Environmental Conservation of Natural Resource: A Case Study in Nigeria

Abstract

Environmental damage usually comes back to development in one way or another and causes a development challenge. As the global demand for natural resources increases, human welfare and its implications relating to environmental degradation and exposure to environmental risks have caused many to lose their means of livelihood, triggering high level of poverty which remains a serious concern. However, globalization has played a central role in determining the future of the world. The role of globalization has proven to be essential to a nation’s ability to yield the maximum potential from its available resources. The maximization of those resources generally leads to the improved economic development of the nation; wellbeing of man and the sustenance of his livelihood are closely associated with the natural resources base. Consequently, there is a global concern for natural resources protection and conservation so that man can continue to sustain his livelihood. Part of the overall development activities of man is industrial growth. As desirable as industries are, their growth is associated with deleterious consequences. This paper examined the threatened natural resources by mans various activities and call on all tiers of Government and Development partners on the need for natural resources conservation in Nigeria. This revealed that industrialisation and its concomitant urbanisation has brought to mans environment such negative factors like loss of biodiversity, enhanced greenhouse warming, desertification, drought, water and air pollution and accumulation of toxic wastes. It is believed that well conserved natural resources will bring economic, social, visual, and aesthetic benefits that guarantee sound and qualitative health of inhabitants. It concludes that conservation of African biodiversity has come to the fore due to its numerous cultural, scientific and economic values. Also, environmental protection regulations should be intensified to protect the environment from excesses exploitations and for sustainable development. This can be achieved principally through recognition, understanding, appreciating and/or integration of endogenous technologies with exogenous technologies whose synergies are capable of enhancing conservation of natural resource base.

Keywords: tragedy of the commons, environmental conservation, natural resource, development partners, globalization, environmental risk, economic development