The Environment.

The Environment, the Business, and the Intelligence for a better environmental sustainability that truly works…

INTRODUCTION

The principles to establish an environmentally ethical conducts with criteria by which investors, business interests, and others can assess the environmental performance of national companies or domiciled international companies; like what NAMA (Nationally Anticipated Mitigation Action) represents for climate change, should be brought in, to socially audit - Corporate Environmental Responsibility (CER) of the process industries most especially with the view to making environmental sustainability part of the procedures of practice/action of all companies and (process) industries especially in the developing countries. That said, the processes and procedures must have clear goals and targeted objectives.

?

Process industries specifically, because they are parts of the larger picture; through employment creation and their operations across spheres: agricultural value-chain, feeding ecosystem, energy, transportation, and of course, since they constitute the most nuisance in terms of waste generation as well as resource depletion in general, priority must therefore be attached as we are about to witnessed. A multi-faceted approach must be embarked upon. Renewable energy investments, community engagements/indigenous knowledge, climate policy and education, proper waste management (waste-to-[economic/energy] resources), climate-smart agriculture et cetera are all ways to achieve an ecologically balance environment that must be geared up.

It would be a reasonable advice to take when we bring together policy and industry experts for net-zero and energy transitioning that climatic conditions/energy and elemental atmospheric standards be established. Environmental justice must be taken seriously; letting the most vulnerable communities dictate reforms that most suit them, finance: initiatives and roadmaps for public/private financial sector to actively engage the menace of climate crisis. Sustainable living; Health; food – discussion around the reduction of emissions from food production, processing and consumption and its attendant waste management would need some serious attention. Transportation and heavy industry and the policies that bound them together must be looked at comprehensively in the same vein for an ecologically balanced environment.

Innovative responses can be or are a combination capability which are acquired and/or synthesized for an improved service/process delivery that favorably considers the environment (business climate and climate change); some will be adduced here as expected. We have said again as always deductive and inductive approach are what we have employed in coming up with this article; the world must be encouraged to listen with the intent of understanding.

The challenge remains that most of these companies have ethical responsibilities that are not judiciously carried out, or they are just within their discretionary responsibilities to act in accordance within the available extant laws that have not yielded much results in the environmental sustainability confines; a place for compliance and enforcement must be created to make a good situation better or good of the worse situations.

Climate change clock is ticking, and the impacts are being felt; the environment is on the other side of the economy as these emerging markets and developing economies bears the brunt of the emergencies occasioned by the consequential effects of environmental irresponsibility that has lasted for a very long time. We however do not encourage the discretionary responsibility on the part of these companies (local and multinational).

?

Discretionary responsibility: are Responsibilities voluntarily assumed by a business, informed environmentally? This is way below par; is this truly how well prepared we are? Should we apply other approaches?? We would suggest so. Utilitarian approach: judging the appropriateness of a particular action based on a goal to provide the greatest good to the greatest number of people. We have heard a lot of things said by different people about the very important concept of value-chain analysis that does not go well, including that we are here for all the wrong reasons.

Value-chain is the go-to word, but only a few know what it represents beyond its literary transliteration which means - Value-chain analysis: An analysis that attempts to understand how somethings or the businesses create customers' value by examining the contribution of different activities within the business (the produce) to that value created for the attributable benefits. Value-chain analysis of all our activities will be good for environmental sustainability if the lens with which we view activities can be refreshed within the confines of the current realities.

Social Audit: an attempt to measure a company's actual social performance against its social objectives. If the social objectives are more environmentally inclined, more can be achieved for climate change purposes - The environment as a business unit, land as a productive resource; now let us discuss environmental education with a view to understanding the nitty gritty of what is; where we are and what we need to do in other to get better. Education is the science and/or act of improving know-how just so that better can become best. It is my belief that if better is possible, good is NEVER good enough; let us move forward quickly. Well intentions will yield good results, but same also applies in the opposite direction as it may have become obvious.

?

OVERVIEW

As little as development of efficient irrigation systems and efficient water harvesting may sound, as well as protection of wetlands to maintain biodiversity and Water quality – those there are what makes the environment better. A better environment brews more food, reducing inflation to its barest minimum. Same can be adduced for large scale tree plantation to help resource availability and combat land degradation.? Environmental educations: revolves around value judgement and the ability to think clearly about complex problem - concerning the environment in some select fronts and areas, which are as follows: Political, Economic, and physiological as well as technical thematic reviews but only for the best results. Thematic and peer reviews are new, but equally very useful viewpoints also, when the environment is mentioned or of concern; the missing link might as well be the readiness for a definite change in the way we interface with our environment. The linkage between the environment and the economy has been established, some of our other papers have extensively made this undoubtedly clear.

Educational process: dealing with man's relationship with natural and man-made surroundings, and including the relation of population, pollution, resources allocation and deflection, conservation, transportation, technology, and urban - rural planning to total human environment.

The most important or at least fairly considerable improvement procedures for effective and efficient environmental knowledge and application are as follows:

- Educational content;

- Educational Strategies;

- Learning procedure.

The above-listed must be viewed with the intent of understanding what and how the relationships are better managed with these understandings.

So much depends on the health of the environment (land, air, water) upon which business processes and procedures are conducted, meaning the better it looks the better the resources (labour, land and capital) are preserved. The impact of our business adventures and how they impact the health of the other occupants of the earth is an important subject matter, some experts have written and spoken extensively about this and we lend our voices. The newly crowned King Charles of England has been on the front burner of this campaign for many years, with proven results both on their Homefront and internationally. The impact and/or otherwise of the best environmental best practices cannot be overemphasized. Extreme weather events can cause a reversal that might require too much resources to recover from, but, with environmental sustainability put to the best used, these impacts will be best adapted to, minimizing the resultant losses occasioned by preparedness to face the warrant even better.

?

Latitudinal patterns of energy distribution abiotic and biotic (food chain structure); net energy = food and fuel; gross energy = amount of this energy useful to man. This had to be added for clarity’s shake. The environment must be understood from these viewpoints and appreciating and bettering same can be initiated and/or activated:

Awareness --> Knowledge and Understanding --> Social & Attitude --> Skill à Ability to evaluate --> Sense of responsibility, this arrow diagram shows what a good environmental (education) projection should be all about. For effectiveness or shall we say efficiency because everything can work itself out: Output/Input = Efficiency. Cryogenic and Biogenic component analysis of wastes from our anthropogenic activities will be redressed with better environmental management systems (EMS). We have imputed these to help further the understanding as we proceed. The business of environmental best practices goes beyond what we can be understood by this thematic paper alone, however, the most important adventure here is to crave the people’s indulgence as far as we have been able to achieve over the years.

?

DISCOURSE

The above diagrammatic representation best explains how our negligence and active environmental sustainability (plans, policies, procedures and processes) can be of significant help to biodiversity, capital and labour.

Ability, Motivation and Opportunity will always equal levels of effectiveness; where skill and attributes connote Ability. Delegate, Act, Report, and Recommend are the best ways to check upward trajectory in any field especially the Environment, this underscores the importance of the write-up we have hereby presented. These above will help us understand the environment beyond its abstractness and what subjective education has made us believe in the past.

There are Six (6) essential elements that make up the Earth or universe as it may be referred, and they are: Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Oxygen and Sulphur; petroleum(hydrocarbons) contains high percentages of all these and are expressed in the production and/or combustion processes. The Earths' ecosystem moves and rotates around the abiotic and biotic in terms of component exchanges and movements (within and without) these essential elements in a cyclical manner, this is referred to as Bio-Geochemical cycles.

The Earth crust is made up of:

Oxygen - 46.6%

Silicon - 27.7%

Aluminum - 8.1%

IRON - 5.0%

Calcium - 3.6%

Sodium - 2.8%

Potassium - 2.6%

Magnesium - 2.1%

Everything works better when we analyze appropriately, using these steps Identify à Plan à Implement à Control à Evaluate. Evaluation now can be periodic or one-off depending on what is at stake. The above-stated will help us in making action-plans formulation that are a lot more sensible in order to attain best practices; as it is applicable across the board.

Well, maybe by looking at the following well, we will get a good enough value for resources, looking at these objectively I mean:

- Environmental assessment;

- Environmental management;

- Supporting measurement; education and training programmes, financial and technical assistance.

The years of turmoil that awaits the Earth for the degradation of many years and/or many years of neglect or denial of written and spoken facts about some of the most harmful practices over well over 150 years (industrial age) of dangerous exploitative programmes and projects.

Lithosphere (solid structural aspect of the Earth crust), Rocks --> Igneous, Metamorphic and sedimentary rocks fall within this category. In short, plants (foods and energy) might be dependent on all of these; Lithosphere. Important to note also, is the personal believe that some of us have had, that the creator (God) has put us here to maintain an ecological balance at reasonable levels and at all times on the Earth; how well have we fared in this regard? We could do better by paying a little more attention to the following at an above average pace:

- Identification of major pollutants (esp. Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs);

- Environmental aspects of natural resource management;

- Environmental development in general;

- Educational, Socio-cultural and informational aspects of environmental issues;

- Planning and management of human settlement for Environmental improvement;

We have emphasized active participation in preventing and solving environmental problems always, again we say much more is needed in this respect corporately and individually). Examining major environmental issues from the world's point-of-view, with the aim to amelioration of the notable problems would be a very welcome development going forward. Renewable energy integration, energy efficiency; smart agriculture; natural resources management; climate resilience planning are all ways that a better planned environment through the use of any means can be beneficial to the populace of Africa most especially and the world at large. Furthermore, policy making and planning, waste management – by encouraging recycling, reuse where applicable and refusing what cannot be reused of recycled would be a good start point and most importantly the ban of a single use nylon can be more than effective in the combat against these menace and transportation optimization which reduces emission significantly. The end cannot be said to be in sight when all our activities are not compartmentalized efficiently, here even the use of AI would be a great resource.

Promotion of values of local, national and international cooperation in the solution of environmental problems should be a continuous lifelong process, interdisciplinary in approach, and most importantly consideration given to/of the environment in its totality. Let us not forget to note also, that the Environment in its natural state - there is a perfect harmony between the various cycles and flows of energy; establishing a dynamic and fluctuating equilibrium à this equilibrium is known as Ecological Balance.? We delivered more than 6 lectures and wrote several articles on this. Some of the most interesting reviews some of our work has come in when we discuss the nexus between the ecology and man’s activities and the required balances and the most necessary balancing required.

Stoichiometry, Computable General Equilibrium and/or stock-listing to know where is most deserving of attention; we have to stop or at least reduce these motions without movement. For many years there have been several projects and projections to deal with flooding and other prevalent climate change signs and symptoms on the African soil, but not a lot of results to point at, only talk at best. Forced conflicts takes a clue from these and how much more can we wish them away, and for how much longer?. Increased standard of living in the world is clearly best illustrated by energy consumption per capita and GNP (gross national product) which all stems from best practices in the related terms; since the USA, UK, Japan, China, Singapore, even Rwanda have achieved same with the above-described procedures; it is only the most sensible thing to do evidently what abates the excesses. Energy, when cleanly sourced would make the development as best as practically possible… Best practices!

?

OBSERVATION

Disasters occasioned by increased climatic energy are on the rise; temperature levels have never been this high in the world's recorded history, but less funds for propaganda against climate crisis by denials should be encouraged. Extreme weather events now defile all connotative bearings, early warning systems wherever available can do nothing actively but just serve as reminders to the agencies saddled with the responsibility of doing better or bettering things; in places where they are not available what happens. Destructions are high ranging and vast in that, the wanton devastating ruins left behind in its wake is/are out of this world in financial, physical (infrastructural) and socio-economical term.

Let us consider the following regards:

- Environmental pollution (physical destruction to Air, Water and Land structures)

- Resource deterioration (human, soil, wildlife, minerals, energy and Water);

- Radioactivity from weapons and energy;

- Human health and quality of life (communicable, degenerative and Neoplastic diseases), carcinogens and Cancers have been coming all-along; never this rampant. Physiological, social and economic views if you may.

Training (Human capital development) is/are skills impartation, until recently, it was same business-as-usual, with only frivolities with little or no substance (almost no knowledge or very little in practice). We encourage that they should not be who are most offended at this facts/research documentation we have presented; it is totally understandable, but we have only presented same for cross-sectional impact and for learning processes for one interested.

?

The current leadership seem to have seen that more is required to get us out of the woods. Levels of trainings and skill development (environmentally) include but not limited to the following:

- Ecological foundational levels;

- Conceptual awareness levels (Issues and values);

- Investigation and evaluation levels;

- Environmental action levels;

Honestly a lot of work needs to get this explanation clearer to these individuals in positions of authority especially of nations that are considered most impacted by the imminent disastrous climate change effects even to the better prepared countries; places where basic amenities have been missing without amends for several hundreds of years cannot afford to toil with what we have enumerated here. The gains are much more and knowledge would play an active role from the governed and the government to better prepare.

?

However, everyone is guilty as charged of not doing enough, we have to be and/or do so much more in the adaptive and anticipatory mitigation projects to forestall these devastations too many in-waiting. Project management: planning - implementation - control, so it beats one when nothing seems to be in place and the most qualified are in charge; how tenable is the qualification(s); to what end?! However, EDUCATION, we have since corrected that impression on TV and radio programs; training and capacity building are thoroughly of importance, these are views expressed. Words are clearly designed for the ears of the wise, leadership in Africa has been the missing link. How best can one describe the negligence that leaves people’s lives and livelihoods in ruins, yet, nothing is done year-in, year-out.

?

LITERATURE REVIEW

In 2030 there will be more than 41 major cities in the world with inhabitants of more than or about ten (10) million people. 80% of GHGs are from cities, 70% GDPs and 60% are coastal settlements ~ UN

Population has a way of contributing to the environmental woes of the Earth in the amount of waste generated part individual which each is put at between (450-530) Kilograms/year, disposal rate and consumption patterns... food types all have their say on what becomes of our drainage systems. If food waste was a country is would be the third largest emitter of climate pollutants; 50% of food produce make it to the plates, the other 50% ends up through the value-chain as wastes.

?

There is a world of difference between processed/prepared food(s) as it may have been obvious. Throughout the production processes of food or agriculture in general waste generated are usually organic and most harmful to the atmospheric conditions of the globe; there are more mouths to be feed, which means more agricultural processes and procedures must be great. Environmental values and ethics are somewhat non-existent in some places, in fact, some people are morally bankrupt as regards environmental sustainability ideas and implementation procedures; you know what?! They are the ones saddled with these responsibilities painfully. Things will only go from bad to worse for the gap we have hereby identified; knowledge gap principally. In places of high population density, the associated challenges must be viewed dispassionately as it concerns social amenities as well as environmental connotations. Policies are not the only keys to getting the job; implementation of these policies are much more important.

Prevention of the numerous policy summersault is to be taking seriously, through social reengineering and/or education of the mind. Example, Population density follows the same pattern and assumptions as what we have here = (population/cross-sectional area) X 100; this is why we say Lagos is one of the most densely populated places in the world considering its land mass but has this being managed well? A lot in the area of sanity is being and has been improved upon, and his succession plans has been good also, implementation of some of the above-mentioned strategies which requires collaboration among all levels of government with some requiring regional government collaboration would ensure sustainability in development and especially in combatting climate change which ravages the environment taking away most of its benefits.

Civilization is directly proportional to environmental degradation, so Lagos at twenty (20) million residents, generating that amount of waste yearly is not a child's play. The pitfall is that these wastes are bad wastes and mostly cannot be used for energy generation, speaking of 2016 when we were involved in the futuristic and procedural process checks [research] of Waste-to-energy overview; these wastes were bad wastes. Circular economy can do so little with the huge volume of wastes from the commercial nerve center of the most populous black nation in the world. Greenhouse gases (GHGs) from waste and transportation both of which are very present with us across the world daily, only better managed in some places than others, is not an easier contention with/by for the policymakers and residents alike; we would attempt to place better mechanisms and approach on the table. ?

?

Emission intensity from our daily activities by quotient is to be known? So that we can go headlong in redressing it properly. Kano state (Nigeria) is also worthy of mention and we are very pleased to find out what is happening there as well, the intentions to do better at least. Efforts alone counts for nothing as they say. Kano might have to re-consider what becomes of the state by paying prompter attention to Life expectancy, this is considerably lower than that of Lagos and that is not supposed to be so, at least for some notable reasons, since China and India are equally populated in relative terms. We have mentioned Kano state for population’s sake and their peculiarities which when better managed can be a huge benefit for the northern part of Nigeria against what is currently obtained.

?

Quality of life: an impact assessment measurable by environmental health especially in population and pollution co-efficiency terms. This can be the best viewpoint with the most immediate impact in terms of assessment. The difference between them is as it is clearly stated here: Annual population change rate (APCR) = Birthrate -Death rate/10; with the above relationship, Kano State (Nigeria) is keeping it real in terms of population growth rate. Holistic view, if we may contribute, will make good things better, and bettering our best in the same vein, but not every good idea is welcome, commenting my reserve before we start to hear stories??

?

Environmental problems associated are classified as follows to further help our understanding of what is expected of policymakers and city dwellers alike. Typical considerations for a meaningful impact assessment of environmental Problems (irresponsibility):

- Geographic scale;

- Stage of development - social, economic, technological and transportation systems;

- Time scale (long-term, short-term or middle-term ranges);

- Nature of consequences (physical, Social and economic);

The Wind Power in Katsina state which has since gone under for instance, would have made us move forward quickly if we look at the best means to an end, maybe not this time anymore.

?

PERT and Gap analysis are best considered when the facts are true, how often is that the case? Like the efficiency of horizontal -axis wind will works on one-dimensional aerodynamic theory: P= 2(22/7)r^2.pVf^3.a(1-a)^2 or Vf^2/2.dm/dt m = (22/7)R^2pX. P= Power; X = (length of a cylinder of Air).

r= radius, p = air density, a= axial interference factor, Vf = free stream velocity; parameter analysis is advised.

We have stated this only to show that Renewable energy can be an easier way out, aside the rhetoric of what should be and all the we have done this and that; all of which is not in consonance with what is obtainable on ground. If a densely populated city goes into self-power generation in an unclean way for a long-time, you see what is happening in New Delhi, Wuhan, we cannot escape it - Air pollution affects about 8.6 million lives fatally each yearly ~ World Bank.

Combustion and/or Production fossil fuel when duly considered, we would see clearer. Crystallization of plans would do better by paying attention to environmental health of Lagos, PH and Kano states in Nigeria in order to forestall a health emergency in-waiting, more has to be done to better anticipate and/or prevent these harmful consequences.

?

SCOPE

Furthermore, Box-Jenkins: Improving the accuracy of forecasts not only for businesses but for what is on the other side as well, variance (qualitatively and quantitatively). Contribution analysis of the following is some of the most notable problems and adjoining factors of excessive civilization and uncontrolled population growth (2/4/2018); these follows:

- Overgrazing and Unrestricted disastrous land usage;

- Deforestation;

- Excessive use of Fertilizers and Pesticides;

- Unsustainable industrialization;

- Transportation;

- Indiscriminate waste generation and disposal;

- Growth and Urban settlement;

Only if spoken in the language of the aliens, if not, we have always made these as clear as notably possible everywhere, all the time.

?

Looking broadly at what we often say, the environment is on the other end of the economy, dubbed from the Prince of Wales; Prince Charles of Britain. It has become apparent. Business Capital can be influenced by many of or all of the following: Depreciation, the pure return on capital, the risk premium, and pure or economic profit. The above listed are all directly linked with whatever the weather conditions bring. Extreme weather events and all will be in the negative with better preparedness (anticipatory adaptation). However, most businesses are a disaster away from total collapse due to colossal losses with increasing magnitude with increased global average temperatures.

?

CONCLUSIONS

Finally, Rational thinking is what we have explored here, by making sure we have explained our own strengths and interests; shadowing; looked at our past projects; discussions even as we search the literature more intensively. The above is done in a very creative manner by Brainstorming; balance brought forward from our note of ideas examined by relevance tree. No known success is ever achieved without a creative ingenuity, if we have not taken you there yet; kindly read again, as that is our purpose for writing this article and others.

?

Elaborately, we have looked critically at the following thematically: The nature of environmental management research à Critically reviewed literature à We have written and presented virtual project reports à Used secondary data --> formulated and clarified several research topics à Understood research philosophy that best works and have presented same à Prime and proper research ethics à Negotiating access and research ethics, that started in 2014 officially à (we collect primary data through observation + collecting primary data using interview and focus groups + collecting primary data using questionnaires) à Analysis quantitively and qualitative data. Energy cost subsidy is a major risk factor in many nations especially the fuel importing nations which is more often than not a clog in the way of progress.

?

Radical structural paradigm, interpretive and functionality are our gauges to see if we have looked at the following holistically:

- Subjectivism;

- Realism;

- Positivism;

- Pragmatism;

- Interpretivism;

Like we have categorically stated in times past, and for the umpteen time, I say again; clean environment generates foreign direct investment (FDIs) which creates quality jobs.

Singapore, South Korea, Rwanda etc. are service dependent nations that are more than 50X better than most resource-based economies, meaning they have done creditably well. We have over the years provided service excellence to our nation, we are poised to do more so in the years to come in terms of environmental sustainability and connecting same with how prosperous and/or otherwise the nation becomes; obviously, listening and paying prompter attention has been the missing link with the people saddled with these responsibilities, maybe due in part to limited know-how or just gross ineptitude or both... Answers to the fools who would ask, what are you selling? Ideas and Service, excellent service in the Energy transitioning, environmental sustainability, climate crisis mitigation/adaptation, disaster preparedness et cetera à thereby looking after the People|Planet|Peace|Prosperity|Partnerships. Green and Blue economy as we have stated in our numerous posts on new-media or better still, clean development strategy (CDS) would have made Nigeria and the African nations better. We listen only on the function of interest, hopefully things change fast enough before we go past the remediation points.

?When Energy use by sectors has to be clearly spelt out in costs, greenhouse gases contribution, and losses (YDL and YLL) would have to be known relatedly.

?

Owa O. Raymond