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The Society for Planet and Prosperity in collaboration with the Department of Climate Change of the Federal Ministry of Environment, and the Nigeria Governors Forum will launch and discuss the report of a survey on climate change in Nigeria.
The Lead Convener of the meeting and President of SPP, Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, confirmed this in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos.
Okereke said the meeting would converge key stakeholders and selected survey participants to discuss the recommendations that would support sub-national climate action and facilitate climate-related transitions for sustainable development.
According to him, the objective of the report entitled: “Mapping Climate Change Impact, Policy and Action in Nigeria’s 36 states and Federal Capital Territory, “ is to map the impact of climate change in the 36 states of the federation and FCT.
He added the report would analyse the existing climate policies and actions in the states, conduct an assessment of online visibilities and identify the specific support needs of each of these states to effectively domesticate climate change policies to attract climate funds and investments.
“The project is conceived as a first step to galvanise awareness for climate action at sub-national levels in Nigeria, showcase the status of climate change policies, highlight the efforts and gaps in climate action and programmes at sub-national levels, and ensure improved climate change action and resilience among the state actors.
“Climate change is one of the biggest developmental challenges facing Nigeria today.
“Its impacts such as flooding, desertification, drought, erosion, and sea level rise are destroying ecosystems and livelihoods thereby pushing many into poverty.
“The Nigerian government has committed to achieving Net Zero by 2060 and has also signed a National Climate Change Law which establishes a National Council on Climate Change.
“The Federal Government has a National Climate Change Policy, a Nationally Determined Contribution, and some flagship projects such as the Great Green Wall, the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project, and Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscape to address the impacts of climate change,” Okereke said.
He, however, said most climate change actions and initiatives were focused at the federal level, with little or no attention to sub-national climate change policies, action plans, and investment at the state level.
“This is a big gap given that the impacts of climate change are mostly borne by states that house the local communities.
“Therefore, the implementation of policies and actions at the subnational level is crucial to addressing climate change and meeting Nigeria’s net-zero target and other national climate commitments.
“This current situation calls for an improved understanding of the climate change governance landscape at the subnational including the level of awareness of climate change, available policies and the extent and range of policies and the degree of implementation,” Okereke said.
He explained that during the scheduled high-level event, experts and facilitators would discuss the findings of the report and opportunities to promote climate policy, action, and investment at the state level.
He added that the event would help to facilitate coordination, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and learning among various stakeholders at the sub-national level, with an opportunity for key stakeholders and policymakers to develop new partnerships to address the gaps for a renewed frontier for climate action in the 36 States of Nigeria and FCT.
“This is the first ever and most comprehensive mapping of climate action at the subnational level in Nigeria.
“This is also timely because it helps Nigeria understand the peculiar needs of the different subnational units of the country in order to encourage improved action either by government, civil society, the private sector, or international donor agencies,” Okereke said.
He added that the report launch would be held in Abuja on Nov. 17, 2023.
(NAN)
