Nigeria’s Fight Against Climate Change: What You Need to Know
So, here’s the deal – Nigeria is taking some serious action to tackle climate change and deal with its big consequences. The House of Representatives’ Committee on Climate Change is all about putting a stop to or seriously cutting down on carbon emissions in the country.
The head honcho of the committee, Hon. Chris Nwonta, made it clear during a workshop in Abuja that it’s super important to get rid of or at least reduce carbon emissions in Nigeria. He had his right-hand person, Dr. Chidi Nwankpa, deliver the message and he basically said, “Hey, let’s all get on board with this and work together to make Nigeria have zero emissions.” He really stressed how urgent it is to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions because if we don’t, we’re just going to keep messing up the planet, putting people in danger, and causing more climate disasters because of all the pollution.
Nwonta is totally committed to the goal of zero carbon emissions and wants to make sure the environment is healthy and sustainable for all of us. He’s feeling pretty good about this workshop and thinks it’s a big deal in creating a long-term plan for Nigeria to cut down on emissions.
He gave a big shoutout to all the different groups and people who are working together on this, like the National Council on Climate Change, the National Assembly, and a bunch of other important folks. Nwonta really appreciated their dedication to making sure Nigeria sticks to the Paris Agreement and comes up with solid plans to keep emissions low.
The big boss at the National Council on Climate Change, Dr. Salisu Dahiru, talked about how Nigeria’s Long-Term Low-Emission Development Strategy 2060 is a game-changer. He said it’s all about making the economy more green and resilient, and looking out for the environment and the future of the country. He’s really hyped about this strategy and sees it as a way to protect the environment, take care of the people, and make sure the economy is booming for the next generation.
Dahiru thinks this strategy is a shared vision that’s full of ambitious goals and cool ideas, and it’s all about making Nigeria a better place for everyone. He’s not just talking about some boring document; he sees it as a vision that brings together the hopes of young people, the wisdom of old folks, and the dreams of future generations.
The workshop was a big deal because it gave everyone the lowdown on how Nigeria is doing with its promises to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions as part of the UNFCCC process. Dahiru said the strategy document is going to help Nigeria stick to its 2021 Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement. Basically, Nigeria is committed to cutting emissions by 20 per cent by 2030, and maybe even more if things go well.
Dahiru knows there are some tough times ahead, but he’s calling on all the big shots in politics and the National Assembly to get behind Nigeria’s plans to go carbon-free without messing up the country’s resources. He’s all about getting everyone to work together to make Nigeria’s future low on emissions but high on impact. He’s saying that a sustainable future is the way to go for progress, clean air, better health, inclusivity, food security, green jobs, and a better life for all Nigerians.
Now, let’s hear from Prof. Samuel Ugwu, who’s repping the governor of Enugu State. He’s talking about how mining is causing a lot of trouble in the state and messing with the environment. He’s at the meeting to chat with climate folks and international donors to help make the state a healthier place.
According to him, “In Enugu State we have a lot of environmental degradation, we’ve seen a lot of devastation going on and it has caused a lot of climate change. A lot of people who are mining cause emissions in the state.
“We’ve done some investigations and found out that the areas these people are operating in are polluted and the new government, that is just about six months old, has a deep interest in ensuring that the environmental conditions of people are taken good care of. We want to leave the state better than we met it.