Minister canvasses collaboration to tackle environmental challenges,deepen gas investments

Nigeria’s environmental challenges requires the adoption of a sound and integrated environmental management strategy through stakeholder collaboration and public involvement says Timipre Sylva, minister of state for petroleum resources.

While giving the keynote address at the Environmental Society (NES) conference in Benin, Sylva, who was represented by Justice Derefaka, recently appointed technical adviser and programme manager of the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme (NGFCP), said the Nigerian environmental management narratives and plan need to consider and balance “what I would refer to as the three “Es”: environment, economy, and equity.”

The global community has adopted over 500 environment-related international treaties and agreements including 195 concerned with water, 180 with chemicals and wastes, 155 with biodiversity, 60 with the atmosphere including climate change, and 45 with land use and Nigeria is signatory to these treaties.

L-R: Technical Adviser on Gas Business & Policy Implementation to the Honorable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources/Program Manager, Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialization Programme (NGFCP), Justice O. Derefaka, (representing the Honorable Minister of State Petroleum Resources, His Excellency, Timipre Silva as keynote speaker); The Executive Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki; National President of the Nigerian Environmental Society, Lawrence I. Ezemonye (FNES) Director, NOSDRA, Oladipo Obanewa at the ongoing 29th National Conference of the Nigerian Environmental Society (NES) with the theme: Narratives of the Nigerian Environment Needs – A Holistic Approach in Benin City, Edo State.

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Sylva said that as part of an initiative to identify a core set of environmental goals, the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) examined progress in achieving 90 important goals from these treaties and found that only 4 of them showed significant progress globally.

“You all will agree with me that there is much unfinished business on the international environmental agenda how much more for Nigeria,” the minister said.

Citing a report by the World Economic Forum which says that six (6) of the ten (10) greatest risks, in terms of likelihood and impact, are environment-related, the minister said that the environmental challenges are complex and interlinked, not only in themselves but also with social and economic issues.

“As a nation, we have committed ourselves to the delivery of the SDGs and the accompanying targets.  It is not possible to have sustainable social and economic development if we allow our environment to degrade. Alongside alleviating poverty, there is clearly a need to prevent and reduce all forms of pollution.

He warned that climate change is altering the character of the country hence “we must increase our collective efforts to prepare and protect ourselves, our communities, and our environment from existential threats that climate change will bring. We are running out of time.”

He said policies need to have a firm scientific basis. “For us in government, a key way we can do this is our emphasis on collaboration. My Ministry operates under a consensus governance system, and this approach to working together translates to how we work with industry, academia, service providers, communities, and other government agencies, MDAs and groups to create effective programs, services and initiatives that will demonstrate sound environmental stewardship and benefit our economy and our people.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, collaboration is the name of the game in our quest for a holistic approach to our environment. History tells us that when we look for common solutions to existing challenges, we benefit from collective insights and wisdom.

The Minister said that as a proof the government’s intention to collaborate can be seen in the gas sector where it has opened avenues for deep cooperation. Gas which is regarded as a cleaner fuel is routinely flared in Nigeria and the government has created a programme to use this wasted resources.

“To prove that the adoption of such approach is achievable, the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialization Programme (NGFCP) in my office passed through that sieving funnel, hence the design of the NGFCP according to our development partners, is an innovative, robust and scalable approach to gas flare reduction – a “game changer” (first of a kind) consistent with the climate change action plans anticipated in the Paris Climate Change Accords which could be replicable in many other gas flaring countries around the World with Nigeria setting the pace,” Sylva said.

Justice Derefaka, a gas industry professional seconded to the ministry of petroleum resources will continue to run the programme as well serve as Technical Adviser, gas business and policy implementation to help in driving the national gas policy.