The United Nations Development Programme, Global Environment Facility, Small Grants Programme (UNDP GEF SGP) has assured Nigeria of continued support for environmental sustainability projects to ensure a healthy environment.

Ibironke Olubamise, the national coordinator of the UNDP GEF SGP, gave the assurance in an interview with journalists on Sunday in Abuja.

The environmental expert said the UNDP GEF SGP would continue to support pilot projects to ensure a healthy environment.

“One of the things we do in our office is to support environmental initiatives through SGP; the maximum amount for a regular project is about $50,000.

“We support community environmental initiatives to address five of the focal areas of the GEF.

“We have five focal areas of the GEF small grants programme: biodiversity, climate change, land degradation, chemicals and International waters,’’ she said.

She assured that UNDP GEF SGP would continue to create awareness in the country on the dangers of some environmental activities to ensure environmental sustainability.

The coordinator cautioned that the way people used the resources in the environment was not sustainable.

According to her, deforestation and marine and gas pollution pose environmental challenges.

The GEF SGP is a UNDP programme in Nigeria.

(NAN)