The Rivers State University (RSU), Port Harcourt, has called for a coordinated urban greening campaign to combat rising temperatures, air pollution, flooding and the rapid loss of tree cover in the city.
The university made the call on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, when scholars, government officials, environmental experts and other stakeholders converged at the Vice Chancellor’s Conference Hall, Senator Francis Ella’s Administrative Building, for a public lecture on urban greening.
The programme, organised by the university’s Centre for Climate Change and Sustainable Development Studies, examined practical approaches to creating a healthier and more resilient urban environment in Port Harcourt and its environs.
The lecture, which also featured a tree-planting exercise, underscored the relevance of urban greening to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDGs 3, 11, 13 and 15, which focus on health and well-being, sustainable cities, climate action and life on land.
Declaring the event open, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Isaac Zeb-Obipi, said the initiative reflected the university’s commitment to environmental stewardship amid growing threats from deforestation, perennial flooding, air pollution and climate change.
Zeb-Obipi, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Professor Blessing Jaja, said the programme went beyond symbolism by offering practical approaches to achieving a cleaner and more sustainable environment.
He assured participants that the university would continue to provide intellectual leadership and strengthen partnerships with communities, government institutions and other stakeholders in tackling environmental and climate-related challenges.
In his welcome address, the Director of the Centre for Climate Change and Sustainable Development Studies, Professor Sodienye A. Abere, described the programme as the centre’s maiden tree-planting initiative in host communities and beyond.
Abere said the centre, established on January 18, 2023, was created to combine academic knowledge with practical action on climate change and sustainable development.
He described the initiative as a starting point for wider environmental intervention across Rivers State, stressing that sustained collaboration among universities, government, communities and other stakeholders would be critical to its success.
The centre, he added, would prioritise economic and environmentally beneficial trees according to the needs of host communities.
The keynote paper, titled, “Urban Greening to Reduce Extreme Heat and Improve Air Quality in Port Harcourt Metropolis: The Role of Stakeholders,” was delivered by Professor K. E. Opara.
Opara warned that the rapid loss of tree cover in Port Harcourt, driven by unplanned urbanisation, infrastructural expansion and inadequate land-use planning, was contributing to increased heat and poor air circulation. He identified vehicular emissions, industrial activities and gas flaring among sources of air pollution affecting the metropolis.
According to him, strategic tree planting, green belts, rooftop gardens and the preservation of wetlands could provide practical nature-based solutions to the city’s environmental challenges. He said vegetation could help moderate urban temperatures, improve air quality, support biodiversity and enhance the quality of life of residents.
Opara called for greater involvement of government agencies, the private sector, traditional institutions, youth organisations, civil society groups and residents in the urban greening agenda.
He recommended mass tree planting along streets, around schools and markets and within residential communities, as well as stronger enforcement of environmental planning laws.
He also advocated the integration of green infrastructure into urban development plans and sustained public awareness of the economic, environmental and health benefits of a green economy.
In a goodwill message, the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Environment, Tamoialadieokuma Ishmael, represented by Dr Nimi Elele, advocated increased tree planting across the state.
He said a greener Port Harcourt could be achieved if tree planting became both a deliberate government policy and a sustained community culture. She noted that the initiative would contribute to healthier communities and advance the objectives of SDG 3 on good health and well-being.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, represented by the Director of Forestry, Mrs Mercy Iboroma, urged youths to explore agriculture and other opportunities in the emerging green economy.
She said sustainable agriculture could provide employment, entrepreneurship and other economic opportunities for young people, while expressing the ministry’s readiness to collaborate with RSU and host communities on tree planting and related initiatives.
The Director of the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA), Dr Ibimina Wokoma, pledged the agency’s support for the university’s environmental initiative.
Wokoma said RIWAMA was prepared to collaborate with the university and other stakeholders in improving waste management and creating an enabling environment for tree planting. He stressed the importance of effective waste management and sustainable consumption and production to building a cleaner and more sustainable urban environment.
Also speaking, the President of the Rivers State University Women Association (RISUWA), Dr Victoria Zeb-Obipi, underscored the role of women in promoting environmental sustainability.
She said women had an important responsibility in nurturing, protecting and sustaining the environment for future generations, noting that tree planting could also contribute to the development of a green economy.
The event culminated in a tree-planting exercise led by the Vice Chancellor’s representative, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, the Managing Director of RIWAMA and the President of RISUWA.