September 9, 2024

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Environment

Great Green Wall, UniMaid partner on climate change

By Muhammad Nur Tijani

The National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), has restated its commitment towards collaborating with the University of Maiduguri Consultancy Services to enhance the quality of its work.

The Director-General of the agency, Saleh Abubakar disclosed this during an engagement with the University Consultancy Services on Thursday in Kano.

He said the collaboration was for various tree plantation projects.

“We are partnering with the University Consultancy Services to improve our work and have more collaborations.

“We have just had a meeting with them now and we will improve our work. We have built bridges.

“We realised that there were things done in the past, but the results are negative.

“We are going back to the drawing board. With the advice we received from the university consultants gathered here, we are going to do things differently,” he said

He said that the meeting which was attended by 11 frontline states, underscores the significance of the partnership in addressing environmental challenges in the region.

Prof. Adamu Umaru, from the University of Maiduguri, described the engagement as “fruitful” and noted that vital issues would be archived.

He added that the partnership between the NAGGW and University Consultancy Services is expected to boost environmental efforts in the region, particularly in the areas of tree plantation and sustainable land management.

According to him, the consultants are facing challenges in so many areas of their work but expressed optimism that the new director-general will address the hitches for overall success of the agency.(NAN) – www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ese E. Eniola Williams

General News

FG leveraging new climate finance, de-risking opportunities- Envoy

 

By Salif Atojoko

Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, said he was leveraging new opportunities for climate finance and de-risking platforms.

 

Ngelale said that this was aimed at boosting renewable energy technology manufacturing in Nigeria.

 

In a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, he said that series of engagements with major stakeholders continue to be held towards this end.

 

“I welcomed the Executive Vice President of Oando Clean Energy, Mr Demola Ogunbanjo, Member of U.S. President Joe Biden’s Advisory Council on African Relations, Ms Mimi Alemayehou, and USAID Director for Economic Growth and Sustainability, Ms Michelle Corzine.

 

“Later, I hosted a virtual call with the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry, Dr Supo Olusi and his team,” the Presidential Envoy said.

 

He said the participants discussed and profiled existing climate finance partnerships and projects with a view to expanding them.

 

Ngelale added that the meetings also discussed methods for establishing new linkages for the growth of the localised green industry in Nigeria.

 

He said he also held a productive discussion with a technical team from the British High Commission led by its Climate Head, Mrs Martine Sobey.

 

He said this meeting explore the new opportunities for deepened collaboration across multiple spheres of climate action.

 

“Later on Wednesday night, I compared notes with the Country Lead on NDC Partnerships, Mr Huzi Mshelia.

 

“We assessed current progress on adjustments being made and to ensure that nothing in the pipeline is delayed,” said Ngelale. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

Environment

Climate change: Group unveils Nigeria’s maiden carbon literacy programme

A cross section of participants during the unveiling of Nigeria’s first carbon literacy programme in Abuja

 

By Patricia Amogu

Green Waka, a development and communication-based organisation, in collaboration with the UN – recognised Carbon Literacy Project, has unveiled Nigeria’s first carbon literacy programme to ensure smooth transition to net-zero emissions.

Mr Michael Bisong, Co-founder, Green Waka, who spoke at the event on Tuesday in Abuja, said that the carbon literacy training framework presented a platform to sensitise Nigerians and enable them to contribute to achieving a low-carbon economy fairly and inclusively.

Carbon Literacy (CL) is an awareness of the carbon dioxide costs and impacts on everyday activities as well as the ability and motivation to reduce emissions on an individual, community and organisational basis.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the project, which is already widely adopted across the UK and rapidly expanding internationally, will help lay the foundation for Nigeria’s just transition to net-zero emissions.

It will motivate people from all walks of life to devise and deliver their best climate action in order to ensure the nation’s future prosperity.

“This will also ensure that the benefits and burdens of the transition are shared equitably.

“The training will foster widespread low-carbon culture in Nigeria as it is doing in the 26 nations with more than 700 unique Accredited Carbon Literacy courses already being delivered,’’ Bisong said.

Phil Korbel, Co-founder and Director of Advocacy, the Carbon Literacy Project, who delivered a keynote address via a webinar, said that the training propelled everyone in their individual spaces to devise their best action in such a way as to make it do-able.

According to Korbel, carbon literacy is the renewable fuel for a just transition in Nigeria.

“The renewable power that will drive Nigeria towards a net zero future is that of its people.

“Urgent action on climate change is driven by facts agreed by the world’s scientists but this language sometimes needs ‘translating’ so that everyone becomes aware of its relevance to them, whoever and wherever they are,” he said.

Eche Asuzu, Coordinator, Climate Change Unit, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), while speaking on the topic “The Role of Civic Engagement in Accelerating Nigeria’s Just Transition, said that what “Green Waka was doing would greatly translate to action among individual work spaces.

“This is the real action on creating functional awareness in the workplace because we have established that the work place is at the heartbeat of climate change challenges because more than 90 per cent of climate change is emitted in the work place

“Yes, we need to transit and for us at the NLC; this must address the welfare of workers; we must ensure workers are free to express these issues around their work spaces.

“The questions of what will happen to the jobs? What trainings are workers going to be given? How will gaps in the workplace be filled?

“Workers must have some cover; we must create new jobs and create a just transition to achieve net-zero emissions in Nigeria,’’ he said.

Mr Osadebamwen Patrick, Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abuja Council, presented the training certificates to the first two Nigerians and co-founders of Green Waka project in Nigeria, who were selected for training in the UK. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

Environment

FG, dev’t partners chart climate-resilient path for Nigeria’s WASH

By Tosin Kolade

The Federal Government has announced partnership with development partners to chart a climate-resilient path for the country’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that experts at a three-day national workshop gathered to develop the Climate Risk Analysis and Action Plan for the sector on Wednesday in Abuja. 

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, emphasised the sector’s role in promoting dignified lives and sustainable development amid climate change challenges.

Utsev, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Aliyu Shinkafi, said climate change presents a significant threat to humanity, impacting WASH services globally.

He noted that the hazards of climate change exacerbate vulnerabilities in WASH facilities, leading to social and economic risks.

He added that “in Nigeria, only 10 per cent of households have access to basic WASH services, while 23 per cent lack basic water supply, according to the 2021 WASHNORM report.

“These include increased household medical expenses, reduced agricultural productivity and higher incidences of civil unrest.”

These figures, he added, underscored the urgency to address climate-related risks in the sector.

He said that the recent cholera outbreaks was a stark reminder of the critical need for robust WASH services in the country.

According to him, the Climate Risk Analysis and Action Plan aims to tackle the challenges head-on, providing comprehensive framework for assessing climate impacts across geopolitical zones.

Utsev urged participants to prioritise behavioural change, capacity building, innovative technology and community engagement for climate-resilient WASH services.

“This plan is about long-term solutions to ensure climate resilience in WASH infrastructure and practices to benefit future generations.

“Education on climate-resilient practices is essential for both children and adults to foster sustainable habits,” he said.

While calling on stakeholders to play active roles in the initiative, the minister assured the ministry’s resolve to continue to allocate resources and create an enabling environment for climate-resilient WASH.

Earlier, Mr Mukaila Babarinde, the Director of Hydrology in the ministry, highlighted the critical impact of flooding in Nigeria, affecting 34 out of 36 states.

He explained that “as of November 2022, the situation had a devastating impact on 3.2 million people, resulting in 600 deaths and displacing 1.1 million individuals.

“Erratic rainfall patterns and rising sea levels are increasingly challenging the maintenance of Nigeria’s fragile WASH infrastructure, particularly during floods and droughts.

“Flooding causes severe damage to homes, farms and infrastructure, and it can also harm water and sanitation facilities.

“This pollution of water sources and damage to sanitation systems increase the risk of waterborne and vector-borne illnesses.

“Drought, on the other hand, reduces the availability of safe drinking water for households.

“This scarcity makes it difficult to maintain proper sanitation and hygiene practices during climate crises.”

Babarinde emphasised that the situation not only poses immediate health risks to families but has far-reaching impacts on education and the economy.

He noted that the Climate Risk Analysis and Action Plan assesses Nigeria’s current climate conditions across geopolitical zones and proposes innovative solutions to enhance WASH services.

On his part, UNICEF WASH Manager, Chiranjibi Tirawi, said climate change poses the most significant threat to humanity today, impacting every sector, including water services.

He explained that majority of hhouseholds in the country already face challenges with limited access to quality water services, underscoring the timeliness of collaborative efforts to change the narrative.

Goodwill messages were delivered by representatives of WaterAid, state water agencies and the Ministerial Advisory Council, urging collective action to protect those most affected, particularly at the grassroots. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

Agriculture

NGOs, OXFAM train women on agriculture, climate change

By Abigael Joshua

The Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP), in partnership with OXFAM, have launched a training programme for women on agriculture and climate change.

Dr Michael David, Executive Director of GIFSEP, announced this at a workshop on Female Food Heroes (Ogbonge), Women on Climate Change, and Access to Climate Finance on Tuesday in Abuja.

David noted the importance of the training, saying that female farmers produce much of the food consumed in the country.

“Climate change is affecting how they grow their food. Given the food inflation the country is experiencing, we can attribute climate change as one of the causes of this issue,” David said.

He stressed the need to train farmers to become change agents in their communities and states, enable them to teach others how to build resilience to climate change and implement simple adaptation techniques.

David also called on the Federal Government to support smallholder farmers with interventions that would ensure bumper harvests.

“To achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2030, we must empower small-scale farmers. We need to train more women, not just the ‘Ogbonge’ women, to help our country attain food sovereignty,” he said.

Similarly, Peggy Maimaji, Project Coordinator of Together Against Poverty at OXFAM, stated that the project addresses issues crucial to female farmers, especially the impacts of climate change on farming.

She assured that the project would continue to address issues of access to land and finance, noting that OXFAM has awarded no fewer than 12 women farmers every year since 2012 through the Female Food Hero project.

Monica Maigari, a participant from Kaduna State who was awarded by OXFAM in 2014 for her achievements, praised the NGOs for the training.

Maigari said she had learned how to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

Impact of climate change in Nigeria
Environment

Climate Change: FG, experts review environmental permits, licensing systems regulations

By Doris Esa

The Federal Government has started the process of reviewing the National Environmental (Permitting and Licensing Systems) Regulations, S.I. 29, 2009, to address areas of gaps in trending and emerging environmental issues.

Speaking at the expert critique meeting for the review on Thursday in Abuja, Dr Innocent Barikor, the Director- General, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESERA), said the document sought to strengthen environmental laws.

He said that the regulation also aimed at improving air quality and environmental conservation and avoidance of exposure to waste and hazardous substances.

“The regulation seeks to achieve statutory environmental targets and outcomes.

“Such as improvement in air quality, environmental conservation and avoidance of exposure to waste and hazardous substances by issuing Environmental Permits to the Regulated Community.

“These permits have significantly aided the agency to achieve her mandate of ensuring compliance with environmental laws, policies, standards and guidelines.

“However, in the course of operationalising the provisions of these regulations in the last 15 years, some gaps were identified.

“These gaps included trending and emerging environmental issues such as climate change, marine pollution and biodiversity conservation which are of global concern.’’

Barikor said that the factors necessitated NESERA to seek for assistance through the Quick Wins of its 5-Year Impact Plan from the UNEP-LEAP Small Scale Funding Agreement (SSFA).

He said this was under the Montevideo Programme V to facilitate the review of the regulation.

The director-general said that permitting and licensing regulations was the backbone that provided the necessary structure to balance growth and innovation and public safety.

“However, as with any system, there is always room for improvement, thus, the need for the ongoing efforts to refine and enhance our regulatory processes,” he said.

He said that the agency had so far conducted desktops reviews/documentations and interacted with relevant stakeholders across the six geo-political zones.

The director-general said that the agency also interacted with stakeholders from the 35 States of the federation through its zonal and state field offices.

Barikor urged stakeholders to consider the review process as a testament to the agency’s commitment in leaving a legacy of environmental sustainability for generations to come.

An expert, Mr Victor Ojogbo, said that the issue of the environment was critical.

Ojogbo, a former Director, Department of Planning and Policy Analysis, NESERA, said that the essence of the review was to examine the issues of offences, penalities for defaulters as well as enforcement by the agency.

He said that the review would also ensure that the regulators and regulated were placed on their toes for a seamless enforcement.

“I said that the issue of the environment is not to be treated with kids glove; because if it affects me; it affects you and then the environment,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

Environment

World environment day: FG inaugurates climate justice ambassadors

By Felicia Imohimi

The Federal Government has inaugurated Climate Justice Youth Ambassadors (CJYA) as part of activities to commemorate the World Environment day.

CJYA is an initiative of Oxfam Nigeria geared towards promotion of sustainable environment.

The Minister of Environment, Mr Balarabe Lawal while inaugurating the ambassadors on Wednesday in Abuja, lauded Oxfam for mobilising youth to be vanguard of  environmental protection.

He said that the constitution of the  ambassadors was a great progress in the nation’s efforts to ensure environmental sustainability.

Lawal said that environmental protection was not the responsibility of the Federal Government and States alone,  but for all and sundry.

“We need to continue to propagate the issue of climate justice from big cities like Kano, Lagos Port Harcourt among others who are major polluters of the environment.

“We in the ministry are on it and we need to fight for climate justice at all levels.

“l assure Oxfam that the ministry will continue to support and provide all that is required to achieve climate justice across board to ensure sustainable environment for our future generations,”he said

Kenneth Akpan, Climate Justice Project Coordinator, Oxfam Nigeria said the organisation through the African Activist for Climate Justice (AACI) Project, has deepened its engagements towards ending poverty.

Schools that participated in the quiz competition.

Akpan said the vulnerable populace includes women, youths and persons with disability in the face of climate reality and injustice.

He said the climate justice  ambassadors was borne out of the AACI project to tap into the strength,  and capacity of  youths as solution bearers to the country’s climate challenges.

According to him, it is also to support the government as foot soldiers to deepen and carry out governments drive to solve the global climate crises at the grassroot, local, states, national among others.

“The mission is to see how Nigerian youths can become global leaders and reference point to the global climate crisis starting from home.

“We have encouraged them to take charge as climate activists,  leaders of tomorrow in climate space.

“Among these ambassadors are youth that are converting plastic into interlocking tiles, youth that are taking care of Jabi Lake by removing water hyacinth and recycling it and others.

”They have come up with climate gain that children can play and improve their knowledge on climate action, “he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that World Environment Day is commemorated annually on June 5 with the theme ”Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience”.

Event to mark the day was a quiz competition by Government Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) Wuse, Maitama and Jabi.

JSS Jabi emerged winner, JSS Wuse came second while Maitama came third. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Joseph Edeh

Metro

Tinubu calls for transition to prosperous, clean economy

Tinubu calls for transition to prosperous, clean economy

By Salif Atojoko
President Bola Tinubu has called for earnest effort and action by citizens, stakeholders, institutions, and development partners to safeguard the environment and ensure a win-win transition to a prosperous and clean economy for all.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity, said in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja that the president made the call on World Environment Day marked every June 5.

Tinubu restated his commitment to ensuring the planting of 25 million trees by 2030, not only to protect the environment but also to provide opportunities for Nigeria’s youths within the green-economy value chain.

While calling for a more proactive approach to protect the land and ecosystem through afforestation, water conservation and the cessation of indiscriminate felling of trees, the President emphasised that to “heal our world, we must begin by healing the land and its people.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the World Environment Day, established by the United Nations during the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment in 1972, is used globally to raise awareness on environmental matters.

“The theme of this year’s occasion, ‘Land restoration, desertification and drought resilience,’ is very significant, particularly for Nigeria, where the scourge of drought threatens parts of the country.

“According to the projections of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, about 40 per cent of the planet’s land is degraded, which directly impacts half of the world’s population.

“The UN Convention to Combat Desertification also says the number and duration of droughts have increased by 29 per cent since 2000 and that without urgent action, droughts may affect over three-quarters of the world’s population by 2050,” the president said.

NAN also reports that to ensure Nigeria achieves carbon neutrality by 2060, Tinubu established the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions in May, which he chairs.

The committee oversees the nation’s climate mitigation and adaptation efforts, as well as green economy initiatives.

The president also approved the establishment of Nigeria’s first Green Industrial Zone, Evergreen City, which is poised to be the leading manufacturing hub in Africa for renewable energy technologies, green solutions, and climate-adaptation technologies.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz 

A cross section of African leaders
Banking , Business , Environment , General News

African leaders advocate financial architecture to tackle climate, public finance

By Lucy Ogalue

African Leaders have advocated for a reform of the financial architecture that integrates climate change and public finance to liberate Africa.

They spoke on Wednesday at the official opening of the ongoing 2024 African Development Bank (AfDB) Group meetings in Nairobi, Kenya.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the leaders included presidents of Rwanda, Kenya, Congo DR, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Burundi, Namibia, Niger, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique and Libya.

Declaring the event open, the President of Kenya, Dr William Ruto, said climate change had often resulted in substantial reallocation of resources towards mitigation, adaptation and resilience.

“This is why Africa advocates a financial architecture that integrates the issues of climate change and public finance.

“Climate change and sovereign debt are now firmly interconnected, trapping governments in a vicious cycle where increasing losses and damage from climate impacts lead to rising costs of mobilising resources for public investments.

“With such higher financing costs and constrained government budgets, developing countries continue to struggle to invest in low-carbon and climate-resilient development,” he said.

Therefore, ”climate action and our sustainable development goals are at risk. A better, more responsive and fairer international development financial architecture is urgently needed and time is of essence,” he said.

According to Ruto, the financial architecture we advocate for Africa today should integrate the continent’s most challenging development issues, such as debt sustainability and climate vulnerabilities.

He said this was to enable the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2063 commitments.

Ruto commended AfDB’s vision for Africa, which is underpinned by the “High 5s” strategies and the objectives of the newly adopted 2024-2033 10-Year Strategy. These provide important foundations for these critical continental objectives.

“We have been clear and consistent in our advocacy. Africa is neither seeking handouts nor asking for charity.

“We are a continent of sovereign people who aspire to grow in a just multilateral system and access development financing on fair terms.

“We were clear at the African Climate Summit 2023 when we called for reforms of international financial institutions and a range of new global taxes to fund climate action.

“We also agreed to support the creation of markets that can mobilise resources at scale and called for the reform of the international financial architecture.”

The president reiterated the importance of transforming the financial architecture for Africa to turn its immense potential into opportunities, overcome multiple challenges, and develop inclusively and sustainably.

Ruto called on donors and development partners to scale up their investments in the AfDB Group, to strengthen the institution’s capacity to offer more support to countries on the continent.

The Kenyan president also called on AfDB to work towards ensuring an African Credit Rating Agency that would factually rate African countries and assess their risks.

According to him, the right financing architecture in Africa must offer long-term financing of about 40 years, low interest rates, concessional financing, and possibly grants.

“We also need financing upscale that is agile and flexible, climate responsive when there are shocks. Finally, it must be sensitive, moving from potential to investment.

His Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, said that the international financial architecture was framed in line with the interests of the architect.

According to Kagame, Africa must also protect its interests and ensure that they are addressed with one voice and louder.

“The reform is how do we disrupt the current framework? It must be based on our interests. How can anyone interested in the interests of the world sideline our continent?

“Soon, Africa will be the only continent with a growing middle class. So, it is in the world’s interest to see Africa’s interest.

“If Africa grows, the whole world will grow. But Africans cannot wait on the borderline for handouts; we need to be more proactive in this cause,” Kagame said.

Also speaking, President of AfDB, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, restated that the system plays a great role in mobilising resources for development.

“But the current architecture is not delivering enough for Africa in multiple areas.

“This includes climate financing that avails only 30 billion dollars out of the 277 billion dollars needed yearly to cushion the devastating effects of drought and flooding in several countries.

“Also, the global financial system is not delivering the financial scale of 1.3 trillion dollars needed for accelerated development to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

“No wonder there are economic divergencies between Africa, developed and even emerging market economies,” he said.

According to Adesina, the financing facilities for the global continent have not been fair and equitable.

He said that the global financial system was also failing to deal with the debt burdens of African countries, thus requiring a more timely, comprehensive debt treatment.

“The global taxation rules need to be modified to serve developing countries.

”Cooperation across jurisdiction tax rules is needed to avoid Africa losing taxes to multilateral corporations that do illicit capital flows.

“Therefore, we must ensure the whole issue of profits, tax avoidance and profit base shifting are addressed; thus, if you do business in Africa, you should pay taxes in Africa,” Adesina said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Joseph Edeh

Impact of climate change in Nigeria
Banking

Africa loses $7bn to $15bn yearly to climate change – Adesina

By Lucy Ogalue

Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, the Group President, African Development Bank (AfDB), said Africa is losing about seven to 15 billion dollars annually to the ravages of climate change.

Adesina said this during a media conference in Nairobi on the sidelines of the ongoing AfDB Annual Meetings 2024.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting marks the 60th anniversary and 59th Annual Assembly of the AfDB and the 50th meeting of the African Development Fund (ADF).

Adesina said while Africa contributed minimally to global emissions, it bore the disproportionate burden of environmental degradation catastrophes.

According to him, the continent, accounting for a mere three to four per cent of emissions, is unexpectedly suffering the most severe consequences of environmental upheaval.

He said the situation would worsen if immediate action was not taken, adding that by 2030, Africa’s annual losses to climate change could skyrocket to a staggering 40 billion dollars.

“Africa loses seven to 15 billion dollars yearly to climate change. If that does not change, that will grow to roughly 40 billion dollars annually by 2030.

“That means we are losing much of our potential for something we did not cause, because Africa did not account for more than three to four per cent of climate emissions.

“But it is suffering today disproportionately from the negative consequences of climate change which can amplify the strain on already vulnerable economies,” he said.

According to the AfDB president, the unfolding events clearly portray Africa’s struggle against the elements.

“From Malawi’s worst drought in memory to Zimbabwe’s declaration of a national emergency due to severe drought, Mozambique grappling with devastating floods, the continent is besieged by extreme weather events.

Adesina emphasised the need for action that was beyond mere acknowledgement, a need for global financial support to bolster Africa’s resilience and facilitate adaptation measures.

“Africa’s economy’s future is going to depend on building resilience to these particular shocks because climate change is devastating the whole continent,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Joseph Edeh

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