‘Nigeria policy negotiation will promote NDCs’

Muhammad-Bande to attend COP25 high-level segment

As nations prepare for the high-level segment of the Conference of the Parties (COP) tomorrow, the Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar has charged Nigeria delegates to the climate summit to actively engage in policy negotiations that will facilitate the realisation of Nigeria Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). 

The minister who sees climate change not only as a disaster but also as an opportunity affirmed that, “Nigeria sees climate change as an opportunity, thus approaching it to help diversify its economy and build resilient towards achieving sustainable development, lifting its people out of poverty and providing greater physical and economic security”. 

The two-day high-level segment will bring together representatives of groups while national statements by ministers and other heads of delegation will be delivered during joint meetings of the COP, meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP) and meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA).

According to the minister, Nigeria participation at this year convention on climate change will be characterise by its commitment to implementing an all-inclusive natural response through emission reduction and optimal solution to climate change response.This is in addition to other previous concerted efforts by the Federal Government of Nigeria at reversing the effect of Climate Change which include the signing of the Paris Agreement by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 a step that demonstrated Nigeria’s commitment to the global efforts of reversing the effect of climate change and open the opportunity for reducing greenhouse gas emission unconditionally by 20 per cent and with international support by 45 per cent. 

Towards realising the objectives of the Paris Agreement, Nigeria issued a Sovereign Green Bond becoming the first African Country and fourth globally to achieve this milestone towards financing green projects.The proceed of the first tranche of the Green Bond was deployed to fund green projects which include provision of solar powered electricity to higher institutions through the energising education scheme and afforestation activities. 

Abubakar charged the delegates to among other things ensure and support the quick resolutions of all outstanding issues pertaining to the Paris Rulebooks and carried over from COP 24. The President of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Prof. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, will also be participating in the high-level segment of the COP 25.
 
The President is expected to call on Member States, the international community, the private sector and civil society to use the momentum set by the General Assembly High-Level Week, the SDG Summit and the Climate Action Summit to both assess the level of progress achieved, and to mobilize support at the highest political level.

The President will meet with Ms Caroline Schmidt, Minister of Environment of Chile and COP25 President, as well as with Ms. Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).Through his remarks, to be delivered at the high-level opening segment of the COP25, the President is expected to stress the existential threat of climate change and encourage Member States to celebrate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations by recommitting to a rules-based international system that is able to provide solutions to modern challenges, including the climate emergency.
 
Meanwhile, the civil society society groups have taken stock of the first week of the negotiations. Isaiah Toroitich, head of advocacy and development policy at the ACT Alliance, says, “As observers, it is frustrating and frightening to see how slowly talks are evolving.”The first week focused on technical matters, including rules for carbon markets, and a review of the work on loss and damage for people and communities who are losing their homes, land and livelihoods to climate change, including those living on islands that will be lost to rising seas, and those in regions of increasing desertification.