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Environment minister meets EU Ambassador, seeks collaboration ahead of COP28

AS the world concludes plans for the United Nations Climate Conference (COP28), the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, received a European Union (EU) delegation led by EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Samuela Isopi. The meeting was part of efforts to establish areas of collaboration between Nigeria and European countries ahead of COP28 and to understand the support Nigeria will receive in implementing climate action.

At the meeting, the minister stated that “Nigeria’s dedication to combating climate change is unwavering, and I am thankful to the European Ambassadors who registered their commitment to collaborate with Nigeria in improving renewable energy capacity and push for the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

“Our cooperation will extend beyond COP28. We are happy to continue to work jointly and assiduously in combating climate change.”

Meanwhile, the Environment Minister of State, Dr Iziaq Salako, at the ECOWAS Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) coordination meeting in Abuja on Monday, stated that the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Ministry of Environment, is committed to ratifying BBNJ treaty in line with the focus of President Bola Tinubu to pursue development by unlocking the energy and natural resources of the nation in a sustainable manner.

He noted that biodiversity loss and climate change should no longer be seen as two different problems. “They are part of the same crisis, and we cannot solve one without solving the other.”

He stated that “The status of the world’s oceans today is a clear indication of this dire interaction.

“Our oceans are under threat today more than ever before with sea level rise, temperature increases, acidification, pollution, biodiversity loss, unsustainable exploitation of marine resources, depletion of fish stocks, the near disappearance of coral reefs, and the destruction of fragile ecosystems.

“The urgent need to address this threat has led Nigeria and its sister ECOWAS member nations to unite and call on the international community to be more ambitious in its response. Our appeal for an ambitious global response to the biodiversity crisis is urgent and focused.”

He added that “With the adoption of the high-seas treaty last June, we are one step closer to achieving our goals. In September this year, at the High Ambition for the High Seas event on the sideline of UNGA, Nigeria joined other 22 countries to symbolically sign a commitment to ratify the BBNJ treaty. We must now rally to ratify the new high-seas treaty promptly so it can come into force.”

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