Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has called on the United Nations to institutionalise the protection of the world’s river deltas, including Nigeria’s Niger Delta, through a formal international convention.
Diri made the appeal on Monday during the opening of the three-day 4th Mega Delta Meeting: International Conference on Dialogue Between Land and Sea, held in Shanghai, China.
Speaking against the backdrop of growing threats from erosion, flooding, pollution, and the loss of mangroves to human activity and climate change, the governor said the time had come for global cooperation to safeguard the 25 major deltas across the world.
“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,” Diri said.
The governor lamented that deltas, from the Yangtze in China to the Mekong in Southeast Asia, the Danube in Europe, and the Niger Delta in Nigeria, face a shared crisis of rising sea levels, land subsidence, and dwindling sediment flows.
He cited findings from the Bayelsa State Oil and Environment Commission’s report, “An Environmental Genocide: Counting the Human and Environmental Cost of Oil in Bayelsa, Nigeria,” as evidence of the devastation caused by unregulated exploitation of natural ecosystems.
“Environmental resilience must begin with justice,” Diri stressed, urging the global body to act swiftly to prevent the continued depletion of river deltas.
The Bayelsa governor proposed the establishment of a United Nations Convention on the Conservation of River Deltas (UNCCRD) to coordinate global science, finance, and policy actions for delta protection, restoration, and sustainable development.
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“If deltas connect rivers to the oceans, then this conference must connect knowledge to action,” he said.
“The proposed convention would protect deltas as unique and fragile ecosystems, restore degraded wetlands, and empower local livelihoods.”
Highlighting efforts back home, Diri disclosed that Bayelsa State had created a Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to align its conservation agenda with economic opportunities. He added that the state was investing in mangrove restoration, aquaculture, eco-tourism, and renewable energy to empower women and youths.
The Shanghai conference drew 180 participants from 31 countries, including policymakers, scientists, academics, community leaders, and civil society groups, all united by a shared commitment to sustainable delta management.