TOWARDS THE REALIZATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS ON BIODIVERSITY THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE IN NIGERIA'S EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRY

Abstract

The necessity of biodiversity conservation as a pathway to sustainable development accounts for its mainstreaming as a cardinal component of the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The symbiotic affinity between mineral resources hubs and biodiversity constitutes a source of tension between the ends of resource exploitation and the aspiration for biodiversity conservation. Employing the analytical model as methodology and survey of relevant literature as source of data, this study situates Nigeria’s rich biodiversity profile in the context of the negative resource extraction and consumption patterns which combine to threaten the actualization of the SDGs otherwise known as Agenda 2030, in the country. The study found that over exploitation of natural resources and weak environmental governance regime accentuate biodiversity loss in the extractive sector with serious implications for intergenerational equity. The article recommends the adoption of the precautionary approach to mineral resources extraction as a framework of affirmative action for biodiversity conservation and the realization of the SDGs.