Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has called on the United Nations (UN) to establish a dedicated convention for the protection of the world’s river deltas, including Nigeria’s Niger Delta, in response to mounting environmental threats.
Governor Diri made the call on Monday during the opening of the three-day 4th Mega Delta Meeting: International Conference on Dialogue Between Land and Sea in Shanghai, China.
The gathering brought together 180 participants from 31 countries, including policymakers, scientists, community leaders and civil society organisations.
Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, the governor warned that the world’s 25 major river deltas are facing existential threats from erosion, pollution, flooding, land subsidence and shrinking mangrove and salt marsh ecosystems.
"It is with deep emotion that I address this gathering, for these deltas are not merely places on a map. They are the lifeblood of our communities, custodians of our stories, and the fragile promise of tomorrow.
"I speak with urgency and passion — not only to list challenges, but to honour the courage and resilience of those who continue to live, work, and dream in these deltas," he said.
He stressed that deltas such as the Yangtze, Mekong, Danube and the Niger Delta nourish nations, support economies and sustain biodiversity, yet are steadily deteriorating due to human activity and climate change.
"These deltas feed nations, anchor economies, and nurture biodiversity. Yet they face rising seas, land subsidence, and dwindling sediment flows.
"From the Yangtze River (in China) to the Mekong River (in Southeast Asia; from the Danube (in Europe) to the Niger Delta, the pattern is the same. The deltas that sustain us are under threat," Diri said.
Governor Diri referenced the Bayelsa State Oil and Environment Commission’s report titled "An Environmental Genocide: Counting the Human and Environmental Cost of Oil in Bayelsa, Nigeria," as a stark illustration of the consequences of environmental exploitation without accountability. He said environmental justice must underpin any efforts at restoration.
"If deltas connect rivers to the oceans, then this conference must connect knowledge to action," he declared, reiterating Bayelsa State’s advocacy, backed by the Nigerian government, for a United Nations Convention on the Conservation of River Deltas (UNCCRD).
He proposed that such a convention should aim to protect river deltas as unique and fragile ecosystems, restore degraded wetlands, empower local communities and livelihoods, and mobilise global science and financing for sustainability and climate adaptation.
Stressing local initiatives, Diri disclosed that Bayelsa has established a Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, embarked on mangrove restoration, and is investing in youth and women training in aquaculture, eco-tourism and renewable energy.
He urged conference stakeholders to issue a declaration of intent to safeguard river deltas before it is too late.
The conference continues in Shanghai with global experts deliberating on collaborative solutions to preserve these critical ecosystems.
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