Nigeria will be world example in emission cuts, Buhari tells world leaders

Nigeria will be one of the worlds’s best examples of how reducing emissions can benefit the environment and the economy, as President Muhammadu Buhari declares his administration will ensure that the right policies are put in place to address climate change.

Speaking at the ongoing 22nd Session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22) on Tuesday in Marrakech, Buhar said Nigeria plans to reduce emissions by 20% by the year 2030, with the intention of raising this target to 45%.

He said all is set to launch a strategic plan for the implementation of the country’s own Intended Nationally Determined Contributions.

“In Nigeria, we are launching a strategic plan for the implementation of our Intended Nationally Determined Contributions and we have equally embraced the issuance of green bonds as an innovative means and alternative way of raising climate finance both locally and internationally. We cannot afford to wait until 2020. We are already
making far reaching changes to all sectors of our economy including through: Substantially increasing the use of climate smart agriculture: Diversification of our energy mix through renewable and efficient gas power: Creating a more efficient, cleaner and lower-carbon oil and gas sector especially through a gas to energy programme: Initiating the implementation of the clean-up of the Ogoni-Land in the Niger-Delta region” the President said.

President Buhari also stated Nigeria’s ambitious but achievable commitment to ‘green growth’.

“We have reflected our determination for green growth in my country’s ambitious Intended Nationally Determined Contribution. We have also announced our plans to reduce emissions by 20% by the year 2030, with the intention of raising this target to 45%, with the support of the international community. This is one of Africa’s most ambitious
Intended Nationally Determined Contributions – covering all emissions from all parts of the economy,” he said.

President Buhari, while signing the Paris agreement at the COP 21 last  year committed Nigeria to reducing “Green House Gas Emissions unconditionally by 20 per cent and conditionally by 45 per cent” in line with Nigeria’s Nationally Determined contributions. The Federal Executive Council recently ratified the Paris agreement for onward
transmission to the National Assembly.

The Paris Agreement which came into full force on 4 November 2016 seeks to amongst other things strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The number of countries tha have ratified the agreement currently stands at 110.

According to Buhari Nigeria has no choice but to key into the global action on climate change which may cause colossal human damage if not addressed by 2050.

“In Nigeria for instance, the impact is being felt by the more than 2.1 million people displaced by devastating floods that the country has continued to suffer since 2012. If not addressed by 2050, the human and financial cost would be colossal. For us in Nigeria, the larger dimension of the challenge goes beyond emission rights. Survival rights are also at stake” he said.

He reminded the gathering of World leaders of the agreement signed at the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly that climate threats and security threats go hand in hand and called for concerted efforts on them.

“The Lake Chad Basin for example, has shrunk to a mere 10% of its original size, and this has seriously affected the livelihood of over 5 million people and contributed to the growth of insecurity in the region, including the emergence of Boko Haram as a terrorist group.
Hence the urgent need to resuscitate Lake Chad. In this regard, I seize this opportunity to express gratitude and appreciation to those who have responded to our call and to encourage other well-meaning partners to join in our efforts to revive the Lake Chad Basin,” Buhari said.

He expressed the readiness of Nigeria to join hands for the change  that the whole world is working towards. “We, therefore, stand ready  to engage in meaningful partnerships to tackle the menace, and call on  our neighbours and developing partners to fulfil their financial  obligations in support of efforts to mitigate the negative impacts of  climate change,” the President declared.

He also called on world leaders, “to recommit ourselves to the  achievement of the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement that we  collectively signed in 2015 for the benefit of this and future  generations. Nigeria has submitted its instrument of ratification for  the new global agenda on climate change. We urge others to do the same  in order to make the world a safe place.”