Abuja — National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has begun the process of mainstreaming civil society groups and gender in environmental compliance monitoring and enforcement.

Speaking at the flag-off of the third National Stakeholders Forum on fashioning of a new mechanism for enviromental protection and sustainable development in Nigeria, Minister of Environment, Mr.John Odey, said as part of effort to reduce the impact of Climate Change, the Federal Government is engaging all segments of the society in anation-wide sensitisation programs on environment.

He said it was in recognition of the increasing role of the civilsociety and gender in promoting safer environment and sustainable development that NESREA is partnering the CSOs."I want to appeal to members of the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) andthe Community Based Organisations (CBOs) to deploy their networks for the mobilisation of the Nigerian masses on the threat of Climate Change and other environmental challenges"." These organisations should encourage Nigerians to embark on measures that will enhance green house gases emission reduction.

The most fundamental of these measures is to mobilise Nigerians to imbibe the culture of planting at least a tree and nurturing same", he said. This Minister said the forum is intended to provide a unique opportunity for sector players to chart a new course for civil society and gender in environmental governance in Nigeria, adding that theforum will evolve pro-active strategies to mobilise CSOs and CBOs to buy into the overall policy of the present administration to make the environments afer.

Director-General of NESREA, Mrs. Ngeri Benebo, explained that one of the primary functions of NESREA is to identify and build viable partnerships with all key stakeholders in order to monitor and enforce compliance with the environmental laws.

She said the forum is intended to give CSOs prominent role in environmental governance by removing all forms of barriers inhibitingparticipation by women, indigenous peoples and youths in the wholeprocess.