Project Abstract

Abstract
The state of the Earth is a topic of great concern in today's world, with increasing attention being paid to the impact of human activities on the environment. This research project aims to provide an overview of the current state of the Earth, focusing on key areas such as climate change, biodiversity loss, deforestation, pollution, and resource depletion. By examining the latest scientific data and reports, this study seeks to highlight the urgent need for action to address these pressing environmental issues. Climate change is one of the most significant challenges facing the planet, with rising global temperatures leading to more frequent and severe weather events, melting ice caps, and rising sea levels. The impact of climate change is being felt across the globe, affecting ecosystems, wildlife, and human populations. Urgent action is required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change. Biodiversity loss is another critical issue that is threatening the health of the planet. The rapid loss of species due to habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change is leading to a decline in ecosystem resilience and stability. Protecting biodiversity is essential for maintaining ecosystem services such as clean air, water, and food production. Deforestation is a major driver of biodiversity loss and climate change, with vast areas of forests being cleared for agriculture, logging, and urban development. This destruction of forests not only contributes to carbon emissions but also disrupts ecosystems and threatens the survival of many plant and animal species. Efforts to reduce deforestation and promote sustainable land management practices are crucial for protecting the Earth's forests. Pollution is another significant environmental issue that is impacting the planet. Air and water pollution from industrial activities, agriculture, and waste disposal are causing harm to human health and the environment. Addressing pollution requires implementing strict regulations, investing in clean technologies, and promoting sustainable consumption and production practices. Resource depletion is also a pressing concern, with the growing demand for natural resources such as water, minerals, and energy putting a strain on the Earth's finite resources. Sustainable resource management strategies are needed to ensure that future generations will have access to essential resources. In conclusion, the state of the Earth is facing numerous challenges that require immediate attention and action. By raising awareness about the environmental issues facing the planet and advocating for sustainable practices, we can work towards a healthier and more resilient Earth for future generations.

Project 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 participate in evolving an effective environmental management approach. Recommendations were made for the effective and efficient application of the EPM process in the study