FG restates commitment to UNFCCC negotiation —Minister

The Minister of Environment, Mrs Amina Mohammed, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment towards the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiation to address climate change.

The minister said this while addressing newsmen in Abuja on Nigeria’s participation at the ongoing 22nd Conference of the Parties (COP22) to the UNFCCC in Marrakech, Morocco. She also noted that Nigeria is striving toward climate compatible sustainable development.

“There is the need to align policies, resources, institutions and legislation in support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the global commitment on climate change,’’ she said.

She added that President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to officially announce the ratification of the Paris agreement on climate change at the ongoing COP22, which the president had earlier signed on September 22 in New York.

The minister said the agreement committed Nigeria along with other countries to put forward their efforts through the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and to strengthen the efforts in the years ahead.

“Nigeria together with other parties to the UNFCCC reached a historic agreement to combat climate change, to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments needed for a sustainable low carbon future.”

According to her, delegates will deliberate on the operationalisation of the Paris agreement which covers issues such as the transparency regime, the information required in communicating Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).