*Intensifies policies to address it
By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Nigeria President, Bola A. Tinubu on Tuesday said his country is one of the most vulnerable to adverse impact of climate change in the whole world.
He made the assertion in an address at the Twenty Ninth Session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29-UNFCCC), held in the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Tinubu however explained that to address these concerned, his country is intensifying the implementation of policies and plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions, increase resilience, and include climate change solutions into national planning processes.
The President, represented by the Minister of Environment and Ecological Management Mr. Balarabe Lawal, also said Nigeria is making investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency, afforestation, transportation, and other climate- friendly initiatives.
“Nigeria is one of the countries of the world most vulnerable to adverse impact of climate change.
There are increasing evidences that the country is experiencing widespread challenges attributed to climate change and its impacts.
“These directly constitute severe limitations to the achievement and progress of our sustainable development and associated aspirations.
“To address these concerns, the country is intensifying the implementation of policies and plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions, increase resilience, and include climate change solutions into national planning processes.
“Nigeria is making investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency, afforestation, transportation, and other climate-friendly initiatives”, he said.
He further explained that “Almost ten years after the Paris Agreements, the world stand at a defining juncture on the transition away from fossil fuels.
“Nigeria has joined the world in the deployment and adoption of several interrelated technologies especially that of renewable energies sources, alternative energy sources such as compress natural gas (CNG) mobility systems and electrification technologies such as electric vehicles (EVs).
“The country is committed to implementing its Energy Transition Plan and Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy, with the goal of increasing renewable energy sources and energy efficiency.
“We are open to collaborating and partnering to expand our proportion of renewable energy mix. Further, Nigeria is working towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2060 and enhancing its National Determined Contribution (NDC)”, he further explain.
“Accordingly, Nigeria has developed its NDC implementation framework and looks forward to partnering on its delivery”, the President added.
According to him, “In Nigeria, in our stride towards reducing susceptibility to climate change, we are incorporating adaptation measures into policies, programs, and actions.
“An Adaptation compact with project pipelines exists to help us build the much needed resilience. We are open to partnerships in this regard. Also, the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) is being finalized to make Nigeria more resilient to its development priorities and systems.
“To enable countries resilience strong enough to withstand climate change impacts, Nigeria hereby advocates for the provision of means of implementation to achieve the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA).
“In our effort to reduce our carbon footprint and achieving our national objectives, we have developed a framework and strategy plan for participation in the Article 6 Carbon Market.
“In 2023, an Intergovernmental Committee on Carbon Market Activation Plan was formed to oversee the carbon market’s efficient implementation. Further, Nigeria has established an Article 6 Carbon Market Framework that incorporates national interests in carbon market activation plan.
“Currently, a national carbon registry is being developed. Nigeria aligns with the rest of Africa in demanding greater, easier access to international climate finance, including grants and concessional loans, to support mitigation and adaptation efforts.
“We stress the need to significantly scale up adaptation finance to enable developing countries to accelerate adaptation and build resilience. We also urge for accelerated efforts to operationalize the loss and damage fund to mitigate the damaging impacts of climate change.
“Nigeria further aligns with the Harare Declaration by the African Ministers of Health to take action on the impact of climate change on health.
“Addressing Climate change is a common and shared responsibility. This COP presents all of us another useful opportunity to move from rhetorics to concrete action. The world must act now”, he said.
The Minister used to occasion to further extend heartfelt gratitude of Tinubu to the President Ilham Aliyev and the good people of the Republic of Azerbaijan for hosting the first COP in the Caucasus Region.
