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FG seeks integrated states’ action plan on climate change

By Chinedum Uwaegbulam
27 May 2019   |   4:09 am
In a renewed effort to address the challenge of climate change in the country, the Federal government has called for an integrated state plan...

Participants at the South-east Regional Knowledge Deepening Workshop on Climate Change organised by the Department of Climate Change, Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme held in Enugu State.

In a renewed effort to address the challenge of climate change in the country, the Federal government has called for an integrated state plan of action that drives inputs from the national climate change policy and response strategy.

The plan is supposed to takes cognizance of the national imperative for initiatives to implement the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) in the framework of fulfilling our obligations to the Paris Agreement as well as National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and other sectorial policies.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote made the call at South-east Regional Knowledge Deepening Workshop on Climate Change in Enugu, organised by the Federal Ministry of Environment (Department of Climate Change) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The workshop, which drew participants from Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi States is continuation of creating awareness on climate change and building capacity of Sub-national government, which is in line with the outcome of the 12th National Council of Environment (NCE) held in Akure last year.

She stated that Nigeria recognizes with great concerns this threat that climate change poses to livelihoods, economic sustainability and health and the imperative to embed climate change issues within the context of its work in the country.

“Overcoming the development challenge of climate change require that appropriate mitigation and adaptation measures are implemented in a coherent and integrative manner in which they are appropriately mainstreamed into national programmes and projects for sustainable development. It also emphasizes the need for a strategic plan of action or roadmap for a national approach or response to climate change,” Odusote said.

According to her, the impacts of climate change in Nigeria vary in extent, severity and intensity, but the exact degree remains uncertain. “This is because a detailed and in-depth quantitative research into the vulnerability of Nigeria’s economy is yet to be undertaken. However, it is the general consensus that all sectors of Nigeria’s socio-economic development and the natural ecosystems are vulnerable to climate change.”

The Permanent Secretary, who was represented by Alhaji Muhammed Yakubu, noted that Nigeria’s ability to address the challenge of climate change and achieve sustainable development is dependent on its human and institutional capacity, and appropriate regulatory and legal framework.

She said: “This is in addition to a good knowledge about the challenge of climate change by the citizenry. Hence, a good climate change governance structure and National strategic plan of action, education and awareness is needed.”

Odusote lamented that the annual budget allocations are extremely inadequate for an integrated response to the challenge of climate change. “What is required is a pool of resources into which national and external funds can be made available to upscale national response.

“Some sectors of the State’s economy are going to be more impacted by climate change than others.  These sectors should constitute the main entry points for response to the challenge of climate change, and as identified in the country’s NDC.”

Enugu State Commissioner of Environment, Prince Emeka Mamah said, the state is currently being affected by gully erosion, which have ravaged all local governments.

He said: “Our vision is to build an energy market that is economically sustainable, socially inclusive, and environmentally friendly, more so, exploiting the renewable energy resources and tapping into the energy saving potential in the industrial and building sectors.”

In his remark, the Director, Department of Climate Change, Dr. Yerima Tarfa said the workshop will enable knowledge dissemination and discussion toward climate-resilient and low-carbon development in Nigeria.

Tarfa, represented by Alhaji Musa Yauri, said the establishment of Climate Change Desk Offices in all the 36 states and development of climate change tool kit for states is undertaken to strengthen the institutional capacity of States on climate change education, awareness, mitigation, adaptation and climate finance.

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