Climate change: Inaction will compromise Nigerian economy, development ― Minister

The Nigerian economy would be exposed to a compromise, that would further affect national development, for non-cohesive national action against climate change, Minister of Environment, Sharon Ikeazor said.

She stated this on Monday at the High level inter-ministerial meeting in Abuja.

Addressing her colleagues, Ikeazor noted that “As an oil-dependent nation, our economic and developmental aspirations will be compromised, if we do not define our transition pathways to align with our broader developmental goals.

She noted that the action was important because it would mitigate the effect of climate change and improve national aspiration on many sides, where definitive transitional measures are adopted for the future of Nigeria.

Ikeazor pointed out that the danger of inaction was not to be contemplated and charged participants at the meeting to be focused on the targets of low emission by 2030 and net-zero by 2060.

Her words: “You are aware of the country’s vulnerability to climate change and the huge social, economic and security costs associated with impacts of global warming.

“Nigeria as a Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) actively participated in the negotiations held at the recently concluded Conference of Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom, from 31 October to 13 November 2021.

The conference also emphasized “the need to galvanize political will, demonstrated by President Muhammadu Buhari on Nigeria’s Net Zero Emissions commitment by 2060.

She noted that the national commitment facilitated by the presidential conviction “created an even greater urgency to implement activities for rapid reduction of emission across all sectors of the economy to avert disastrous and catastrophic climate impacts.

Part of the action taken for implementation was that: “As you are aware, Nigeria has a revised Nationally Determined Contribution with additional sectors (waste and water. more ambitious targets and an increase from 45 to 47% conditional with international support.

It would be recalled that in a letter dated 27th May, 2021, by the federal government to the Executive Secretary, of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The letter signed by the immediate past Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, read in part: “The Federal Executive Council will in due course review and approve the level of mitigation ambition in Nigeria’s 2021 NDC update.

“In the meantime, we reaffirm the Federal Government of Nigeria’s commitment to the Framework Convention and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and its objectives.

“We reiterate the unconditional contribution of 20% below business-as-usual by 2030 and a 45% contribution conditional on international support made in 2015.”

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