Environmentalists have canvassed climate action and support for victims of the disastrous flood who are now picking the pieces at various internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps in the state.
Besides the climate change argument, the Maiduguri flood happened as a result of the collapse of the Alau Dam, leading to widespread destruction of livelihoods with over 30 deaths and, at least, 414,000 people displaced, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
The environmentalists, under the aegis of Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP), a non-governmental organisation based in Abuja, quoted NEMA as saying that over one million people have been affected by flooding across the country with many communities at risk.
“While the immediate cause of the disaster is the dam’s failure, the underlying cause is climate change, which, through increased rainfall, exerted pressure on the dam which eventually overflowed,” SPP said in a statement signed by Ugochukwu Uzuegbu, its communications officer.
“At this point, it is crucial that we deal with the root cause of the flood given the many obvious risks and impacts of climate change. It has become very clear that we cannot continue to play the ostrich. This unfortunate incident is once more a rude awakening to the dangers ahead, most especially highlighting the vulnerabilities of the subnational regions which bear the brunt of these climate impacts,” the group added.
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They expressed concern over the occurrence and advocated that urgent action be taken by the government at all levels, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to provide relief to the people of Borno State.
As the world prepares for the forthcoming COP29 in two months, generally regarded as the ‘Finance COP,’ and as Nigeria prepares to submit her Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) 3.0, SPP is advocating for easier access to international finance.
The group is also canvassing for speedy implementation of the Loss and Damage Fund, and improved funding of the Adaptation Fund to meet current needs. It is equally important that these resources when available are used efficiently and transparently, with the subnational also able to access these funds to help them enhance their disaster preparedness, adaptation efforts and mitigation measures.
SPP wants governments, particularly at the sub-national level, to implement climate vulnerability risk assessments, and develop early warning systems, adding that they should also prioritise developing climate change policies aligned with these assessments to mitigate future risks.
“Efforts should be made to improve climate change awareness among the people. Informed communities are better equipped to adapt and embark on meaningful community-led actions against climate change,” the group said.
