Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, has said Nigeria would continue to pursue technologies and measures that would lead to a net-zero emission countrywide.
He said this at the 16th National Council on Environment the highest policy-making body of the government on Environment.
According to him, the decision to remain on the path of low carbon emissions was to ensure a healthy status of the population and the environment for all living organisms.
His words: “We are persuaded by the reality of the imperatives to pursue a low carbon emission trajectory as an indispensable option to preserve the health of the planet as we journey to net zero emission.”
The minister said that if necessary, it would pursue the resigning of agricultural policies to promote smart agriculture as it explores its local and international partnerships.
His words: “Mr President joined the other World Leaders in endorsing the Glasgow Declaration on Forest and Land use committing to working collectively to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 while delivering sustainable development and promoting an inclusive rural transformation.
“We will also leverage our strong partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to ensure implementation and, if necessary, redesigning of agricultural policies and programmes to incentivize sustainable and climate-smart agriculture, promote food security, and benefit the environment.”
He noted that with funding from the annual Appropriation, Sovereign Green Bond, and private sector, more than 20 million hectares of land have been planted up by the Ministry under the National Afforestation/Reforestation programme targeting degraded forest reserves, degraded landscapes and vulnerable ecosystems across all the ecological zones of the country.
Abdullahi further stated that more than 24,000 hectares of degraded lands and erosion sites have been reclaimed or mitigated with the support of Development Partners.
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The minister of environment noted that with the assumption of Nigeria as the head of the Pan African Great Green Wall (PAGGW), it was imperative for the states to ensure that the nation attained the 25 million tree target by next year.
“Mr. President launched on the sidelines of the PAGGW Council of Ministers Meeting on 16th June 2022. Accordingly, States are encouraged to drive their tree planting campaign so that, collectively we can meet the 25 Million trees target by 2023, Abdullahi charged.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Musa Bello, who was represented at the National Council of Environment (NCE) by Olusola Olasade said for the Federal Capital Territory “Our long-term Strategy is the use of electric vehicles for public transportation while we continue to sensitize residents on the need to protect the environment.”
Country Representative and Regional Director, UNIDO RegionalD office Hub, Dr Jean Bakale, said UNIDO will continue to provide technical support to Nigeria on achieving a net zero status.
UNIDO was represented by Mr Osuji Otu, who said such support would come through the promotion of: clean technology, renewable energies like small hydropower, circular economy and waste management, policy and regulatory framework development, energy efficiency, resource efficiency and cleaner production.
For the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), The Country Director, Mr Sufiyan Koroma, the vision of the Nigerian Government aligns with FAO global efforts in supporting its member countries in their efforts to climate change adaptation and mitigation, working towards climate-resilient and low-emission agri-food systems.
He pointed out that it has extended over 40 years of support to Nigeria Country Programming Framework (CPF), in the implementation of evidence-based gender-responsive policies, strategies and programmes that address food insecurity, malnutrition, natural resources management, and climate resilience and integrated disaster management and response systems.
However, current Nigeria’s CPF, which guides FAO support to the Government of Nigeria and other stakeholders, will be coming to an end this year.
Represented by Abubakar Suleiman Asst. Fao Representatives In Nigeria (Programme), he said the FAO would as usual, from now through December 2022, expand its reach to include feedback and views from relevant government ministries, departments and agencies.
This would include civil society organizations, development partners, the academic community and the private sector for the formulation of a new CPF for Nigeria for 2023-2027.
The theme for this year’s National Council on Environment was “Pursuit of Zero Emission.
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