Environment

Insulate Britain protests: 49 arrests as group defies injunctions

Forty-nine members of Insulate Britain have been arrested after the climate activist group blocked three major junctions in defiance of a series of injunctions banning them from protesting anywhere on England’s strategic road network.

In their 15th day of action since starting their campaign in mid-September, members of the group staged roadblock protests near the M25 Dartford crossing in Kent and another on the A40 in West London.

According to the group’s estimates, 146 members have been arrested 690 times since 13 September. It is calling on the government to commit to insulating all Britain’s homes by 2030 as a first step to tackling the climate crisis.

In Kent, police arrived within minutes of 14 protesters walking out on to Crossways Boulevard in Dartford. The protesters were quickly intercepted and arrested, many before they could glue themselves to the road surface, and traffic was flowing again by 8.30am.

However, that action was a decoy for another nearby on junction 1a of the M25, where about an hour later another 14 protesters walked into traffic and glued themselves down. It took officers nearly two hours to get traffic flowing again at that location.

At the same time in Acton, west London, a number of protesters walked out on to the junction of the A40 and the A4000. Before police were able to reach the scene two older protesters were sprayed with blue ink, while passersby snatched their banners.

Sitting by the side of a motorway slip road in Dartford after being arrested for the ninth time as part of the campaign, Rev Sue Parfitt, 79, from Bristol, said: “We have to do this. It’s four days until Cop [26, the climate summit in Glasgow] starts. If they don’t do better than the previous 25 Cops, we’ve had it.

“If we slow down the [climate] emergency, it’s worth doing this; and we are going to go on doing it until our last breath, because what else can we do?”

Benjamin Buse, 36, from Somerset, who was lying on the floor nearby after being arrested, said: “We are here because of the need for insulation, and because everything else has failed. We know disruption causes political pressure, which gets media attention and government attention. People have been campaigning on these issues for decades, and we have waited too long.”

The Metropolitan police said 17 activists had been arrested in Acton, where traffic had been diverted to avoid the roadblock. “Police worked quickly to get roads open again,” the Met said. “Traffic is now flowing.”

Kent police said a total of 32 people had been arrested in Dartford, including 14 at each roadblock and a further four in a nearby car park. All those detained were arrested on suspicion of obstructing a highway or conspiring to cause a public nuisance and remained in custody, the force said.

Environment

NEMA warns against bush burning in Harmattan period

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has warned members of the public against bush burning during the harmattan period to avoid the destruction of property and loss of life.

DAILY POST reports that the NEMA Head of Operations, Edo Office, Ojuedene Kenoma, gave the warning at the training of officials of local governments and volunteers in Edo State on disaster prevention, response, and control measures.

Kenoma said the training was aimed at strengthening disaster preparedness, response, and recovery at the grassroots level.

He opined that disasters such as tanker accidents, fire outbreaks, or other emergencies do not wait for the opportune moment.

“It is essential that “we foster a culture of preparedness, awareness, and response across every level of society, especially at the grassroots level.”

“This workshop is a critical step toward empowering our communities with the knowledge and tools they need to respond to disasters.”

“By training and mobilising volunteers within these communities, our Director-General Zubaida Umar is building a network of emergency responders who can take swift and effective action when emergencies arise.”

“The workshop is aimed at raising public awareness, particularly around the high risks associated with tanker accidents and fire outbreaks, both of which present significant challenges in Edo State,” he said.

He further explained that NEMA is taking disaster management to the grassroots by training local government officials and volunteers at the grassroots level.

He added that the agency expects the participants to cascade the training down to the grassroots and sensitise the local population on how to prevent and respond to fire incidents.

One of the resource persons, Superintendent Asimu Sumaila, in his lecture that safety is everybody’s responsibility and that the knowledge of fire one has determines the chance of survival when it happens.

Sumaila explained that 80 per cent of fire incidents happen as a result of carelessness and negligence by individuals.

He said that in fighting fire disasters, one has to know the right solution to use, as using the wrong solution can create more problems.

He stated that the solution to extinguish ordinary fire is different from PMS (petrol) fire.

“Most people leave their houses without removing appliances from the socket or turning them off, and while burning refuse, people will not be there to control it. The embers from that fire can flow in different directions and ignite fires elsewhere,” he said.

He, however, cautioned the people against leaving their appliances on when leaving home and against bush burning, especially near residential areas, as it can destroy houses and result in loss of lives.

Environment

NiMet forecasts 3-day sunshine and dust haze

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has forecasted weather conditions featuring sunshine, dust haze, and isolated thunderstorms across the country from Monday to Wednesday.

In its weather outlook, NiMet predicted slight dust haze for the northern region on Monday, with localized visibility expected to range from 2 to 5 kilometers throughout the day.

The North Central region is expected to experience sunny skies with a hazy atmosphere, while the southern region will see sunny skies with patches of clouds. Thunderstorms and light rains are anticipated in parts of Cross River, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom states during the afternoon and evening hours.

On Tuesday, November 26, moderate dust haze is forecasted for the northern region, with localized visibility potentially dropping below 1,000 meters. Slight dust haze is expected in the North Central region, while the southern region is likely to experience sunny skies with scattered clouds. Afternoon and evening thunderstorms, accompanied by light rains, are expected in Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom states.

NiMet’s outlook for Wednesday, November 27, indicates continued moderate dust haze in the northern region, with localized visibility below 1,000 meters. The North Central region will experience slight dust haze, with visibility between 2 to 5 kilometers. The southern region is forecasted to have sunny skies with patches of clouds and potential thunderstorms with light rains in parts of Rivers, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom states.

The agency cautioned the public about suspended dust particles and advised individuals with respiratory conditions, such as asthma, to take precautions during this period.

NiMet also warned of strong winds potentially accompanying thunderstorms in some areas, urging residents to stay safe and adhere to weather advisories.

Airline operators were advised to obtain airport-specific weather reports from NiMet for effective flight planning.

Environment

KAI demolishes 138 Shanties, dislodges 169 illegal Lagos residents

The Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) popularly known as KAI on Thursday demolished 138 shanties, subsequently dislodging 169 illegal residents occupying the Ajao Estate Canal bank in the State.

This development was made known by the Corps Marshal of the Agency, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (rtd) at the Agency’s Command Headquarters, Bolade-Oshodi.

He said, ‘‘our intelligence sources identified the humongous infractions across the Ajao Estate Canal banks stretching several metres where people were living illegally in shanties and paid rents between 60,000 to 100,000 Naira to a particular syndicate and this made us activate our enforcement teams for a total dislodgement’’.

Cole expressed dismay at the brazen level of disregard for public health and safety due to the clustered illegal encampment, citing the development as a catalyst for the spread of communicable diseases, sexual violence and social issues resulting from the accommodation of miscreants in such hidden areas.

The Corps Marshal reiterated the Agency’s commitment to upholding the THEMES+ agenda of Mr. Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu which seeks to make Lagos cleaner and habitable for business, a mandate that KAI exhausts all resources on a daily to achieve in the State.

In his final comments, the KAI top man admonished Lagosians to desist from patronising illegal public encampments as he affirmed that many infractions will be identified and demolitions will be activated in due course.