NAN

An ecologist, Mr Abdullahi Aremu, on Wednesday urged the government to impose taxes on heavy manufacturing industries and transport companies across the country for greenhouse gas emissions.

Aremu, the Director-General, Advocacy for Environmental and Sanitation Integrity, an NGO, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the proposed policy would strengthen efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

“There is need to put in place a proper tax system to impose heavy levies on gas emitters; this will be a good strategy to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

“The civil society and the government should begin information gathering on those industries that emit heavy greenhouse gases if at all such apparatus has not been in place,’’ he said.

The ecologist stressed that the information gathered in the process would facilitate efforts to put in place greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategies for the industries or transport firms.

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Aremu underscored the need to strengthen legislation on greenhouse gas emissions testing and control, especially for the manufacturing and transportation sectors as the two sectors largely contributed to air pollution.

“The Federal Government and other relevant stakeholders need to promote sustainable mobility plans in the transportation sector.

“Nigeria needs to learn from developed nations as they are switching from carbon emitting to non-carbon emitting technologies such as electric cars and other renewable energy options,’’ he said.

Aremu urged the Federal Government to strengthen legislation on greenhouse gas emissions control and monitoring, so as to achieve maximum compliance in industrial production processes and the transportation sector.

He said that increasing greenhouse gas emissions could affect agricultural production, while distorting natural environmental systems.