Group alleges abandonment of climate commitments in Niger Delta region

A Non-Governmental Organisation – Africa Network for Environment & Economic Justice (ANEEJ) has said that despite the urgent need for the world to move away from fossil fuel and drastically reduce carbon emissions, oil and gas companies have failed to meet climate commitments in the Niger Delta region.

The group stated this at a dialogue organised to present the “Sustainable Energy Transitions for African Petroleum Producers” report published by the African Climate Foundation (ACF), and also discuss Nigeria’s framework and policy response to climate change, which is expected to increase participants’ knowledge on the existing Climate Change Act and Nigeria’s energy transition policy.

The participants emphasised the need for partnership between government and civil society organisations, and proactive action on climate change issues, as part of the implementation of advocacy for fossil fuel phase-out in Nigeria project supported by the African Climate Foundation (ACF).

ANEEJ Acting Executive Director, Leo Atakpu, who asserted at a one-day Stakeholders Meeting/Dialogue on Climate Advocacy on the theme: “Nigeria’s Framework and Policy Response to Climate Change,” said the climate advocacy was meant to discuss emerging issues and implications for the environment in the Niger Delta region.

He said major oil companies have abandoned initial climate commitments for short-term profit because of increased global demand for crude oil. “In 2023, the Church of England Pensions Board, a major investor in Shell and other oil companies announced that they were withdrawing their funds from Shell and other companies because such companies have abandoned their climate commitments for profits,” he said.

The dialogue, which was attended by journalists, community representatives, representatives of the National Climate Change Council and the Delta State Ministry of Environment, featured a presentation on the role of the National Climate Change Council whose mission is to strengthen national initiatives to adapt to and mitigate climate change in a participatory manner involving all sectors of Nigerian society, including the poor and other vulnerable groups, especially women, and youth.

An expert, Dr Uyi Ojo, also provided key advocacy steps and strategies, which were adopted to push for the phase-out of fossil fuels extraction in Nigeria. The Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) released a report on emerging issues impacting the environment and the peoples’ livelihoods in the Niger Delta that was articulated and adopted by the participants.