Thesis Abstract

Abstract
The state of the earth's environment is facing numerous challenges that have significant implications for the planet and all its inhabitants. From climate change and deforestation to pollution and loss of biodiversity, these environmental issues are complex and interconnected, requiring urgent attention and action. Climate change is perhaps one of the most pressing challenges facing the earth today. The increase in greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, is leading to global warming and erratic weather patterns. This has resulted in rising sea levels, more frequent and severe natural disasters, and disruptions to ecosystems and agricultural practices. Deforestation is another critical issue that is contributing to environmental degradation. The clearing of forests for agriculture, urbanization, and logging not only reduces carbon sequestration capacity but also leads to habitat loss for numerous plant and animal species. Deforestation also disrupts the water cycle and can exacerbate climate change. Pollution in its various forms, such as air, water, and soil pollution, poses significant health risks to both humans and wildlife. Industrial activities, improper waste disposal, and the use of harmful chemicals have contaminated air, water bodies, and soil, leading to respiratory diseases, waterborne illnesses, and loss of biodiversity. Loss of biodiversity is a growing concern as human activities continue to encroach on natural habitats and exploit resources unsustainably. The extinction rates of plant and animal species are alarmingly high, with significant implications for ecosystem functioning, food security, and human well-being. Addressing these environmental challenges requires a multi-faceted approach that involves individuals, communities, governments, and international organizations. Sustainable practices such as renewable energy sources, reforestation efforts, waste reduction, and conservation initiatives are essential to mitigating the impacts of climate change, deforestation, pollution, and biodiversity loss. Education and awareness-raising efforts are also crucial in fostering a sense of environmental stewardship and promoting behavioral changes that support a more sustainable relationship with the earth. By working together and taking concrete actions to address these environmental challenges, we can strive towards a healthier planet for current and future generations.

Thesis Overview

Environmental issues are meant to be operationalized through the formulation of actor-specific environmental actions plans, which define priority action that will convert strategy into practice. The Environmental Planning and Management (EPM) process which is an increasingly popularized cans of solving the myriads of problems afflicting the environmental in contemporary world.

The study examines the use of Environmental Planning and Management (EPM) process as a strategy of solving environmental problems in Bonny Island, Rivers State, Nigeria by investigating the perception of the general public on the state of the environment in the area, level of participation of people in compliance to existing environmental strategies, causes of ineffective environmental management in the area and assessing community satisfaction with existing environmental management approach using well structured questionnaires administered to sampled households.

Questions were related to socio-economic characteristics of households, willingness to participate by the community in the EPM process, perceived level of environmental degradation in the area, level of compliance of oil and gas companies to environmental laws and the role of Government environment protection agencies in protecting the environment of the study area.

The results confirm that the level of damage from oil exploration, gas activities, pollution and pipeline vandalizations is chronic and cumulative, which has resulted to the degradation of the environment, routine of facilities and compliancy to environmental management approaches are not regular, facilities and equipment were found be grossly inadequate therefore proper inspection can not be well carried out, the community expressed dissatisfaction with the existing environment approach which they attributed to the inability of fully implementing the environmental approach, the community indicated that given the opportunity they are willing to particimendations were made for the effective and efficient application of the EPM process in the study area.