The Federal Government will come up with effective legislation to tackle the problems of oil spill and other environmental degradation in the country, Minister of Environment, Mr. John Odey, has said.

The developing national legislations will spell out the liabilities, response actions and compensations for damages caused by activities to the environment.

Odey made this known in Nairobi, Kenya, Tuesday at the 25th Governing Council and Global Ministerial Environment Forum of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The Minister, according to a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Rotimi Ajayi, in Abuja yesterday, noted that the time has come for stringent measures to be taken to ensure the protection of the environment.

He said: "as I speak, environmental degradation, climate change, global economic downturn, food and energy crises are the multiple challenges staring us in the face. Environmental degradation has been worsened by the vagaries of climate change. Of more concern to us should be the fact that these challenges, if not tackled head-on, could weaken efforts to attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

"Oil spillage poses very serious environmental problems in Nigeria. Aside from the un-ending threats to the marine or aquatic lives in that area, the means of livelihood of the people has been drastically endangered.

"In an effort to address these problems, the Nigerian government is developing a national legislation on liability, response action and compensation for damages caused by activities dangerous to the environment in line with UNEP draft guidelines."

Odey said Nigeria is in support of the Global Green Economy Initiative which seeks to reduce environmental degradation while still opening up economic development through creation of millions of new jobs and improvement of the livelihoods of the poor masses.

He said: "Nigeria supports the initiative on the green economy as it presents opportunities for diversification of our economy that is dependent on oil.

"Nigeria's environmental governance policy initiative on green economy is focused on new investments in renewable energies, clean technologies and sustainable food production.

"Nigeria advocates that support should be given to the global 'green economy" for the realisation of renewable energy and clean technologies on recycling, sustained biomass production, sustainable agriculture, ecosystem infrastructure, reduced greenhouse gases emissions from deforestation and forest degradation."

"The situation in the developing countries, especially African states, has worsened owing to lack of access to technology and inadequate financial resources to enable appropriate remedial measures.

"As a pre-requisite for the realisation of the goal for implementing the global green economy, it is important that relevant technical partnerships are formed in view of the weak financial circumstances of most of the developing countries," he added.