Miss World United Nations, Queen Hadassah Ibinyingi Allaputa says the key to protecting the environment from contemporary challenges facing it was in ensuring that its biodiversity was preserved.

Queen Allaputa said this in a special message on the occasion of the 2020 World Environment Day which she personally signed and made available to Kristina Reports.

She stated that “The emergence of COVID-19 has underscored the fact that, when we destroy biodiversity, we destroy the system that supports human life,” posing that question that “DID YOU KNOW? It would take 1.6 Earths to meet the demands that humans make on nature each year.”

The beauty queen harped on the need “to seriously engage governments, businesses, and the community to focus their efforts on pressing environmental issues, helping to drive changes in our consumption habits, as well as in national and international environmental policy on a common outlook on how to address the challenges of preserving and enhancing the human environment”.

Ms World United Nations noted that “the foods we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink and the climate that makes our planet habitable all come from nature,” pointing out that “each year, marine plants produce more than a half of our atmosphere’s oxygen, and a mature tree cleans our air, absorbing 22 kilos of carbon dioxide, releasing oxygen in exchange.”

“So, despite all the benefits that nature gives us, we still mistreat it. That is why we need to preserve nature and enhance the human environment.”

“Biodiversity is the foundation that supports all life on land and below water. It affects every aspect of human health, providing clean air and water, nutritious foods, scientific understanding and medicine sources, natural disease resistance, and climate change mitigation.”

She flayed actions that undermine the natural environment such as deforestation, encroachment on wildlife habitats, and carbon emissions.  

“Changing, or removing one element of this web affects the entire life system and can produce negative consequences. Human actions, including deforestation, encroachment on wildlife habitats, intensified agriculture, and acceleration of climate change, have pushed nature beyond its limit.”

“If we continue on this path, biodiversity loss will have severe implications for humanity, including the collapse of food and health systems.”

The beauty queen, who hails from Akiama Community in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, called for an end to gas flaring, asserting that it remains one of the major causes of environmental and health challenges affecting the people of the area.

“In Bonny, gas flaring is one major cause of environmental and health challenges affecting the people and causing a lot of damage and very harmful implications. I assume that our leaders and the multinationals already know the dangerous effects.

“The question is how can we stop this environmental hazard and how can we protect the people and save our environment? The people are dying slowly, the environment is contaminated.”