Experts discuss ways Nigeria can minimise climate crises

Climate change experts and activists, on Wednesday, converged in Abuja to discuss ways to minimise the burdens of climate change in Nigeria and how to leverage opportunities within the climate space to achieve green growth and economic development in the country.

The experts shared their views during a policy dialogue organised by the Agora Policy in partnership with the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation, The Cable Newspapers, The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Clean Technology Hub, Centre for Climate Change and Development (CCCD), and Nature News in Abuja.

The dialogue, themed: “Nigeria, Climate Change, and the Green Economy”, was organised as part of the activities mapped out in the lead-up to the forthcoming 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) later this month in Dubai and aimed at charting a sustainable pathway for the country.

“We have invited you here for two reasons: one, for a public presentation of the 84-page report by Agora Policy entitled “Climate Change and Socio-Economic Development in Nigeria”; and two, for a deliberation on how Nigeria can minimise the burdens and maximise the opportunities of climate change,” said Waziri Adio, Founder of Agora Policy, while delivering his remarks.

He said the event aims to contribute to raising the status and the depth of climate change discussion and action in Nigeria.

Mr Adio emphasised that climate change does not enjoy the prominence that it deserves in Nigeria.

Based on this, he stressed that there are some individuals, organisations and government agencies that are making a strong case for and designing and implementing consequential climate interventions in the country.

Existing concerns

However, he lamented that the sad and inconvenient truth is that climate change still does not rank very high on the country’s policy agenda and popular imagination.

“Both in official circles and among the populace, climate issues are not seen as really important and urgent. Our national attitude oscillates between denial and indifference,” he said.

He said: “Most of our people, including highly-placed government officials, see climate change as other people’s problems or an issue that is only for tree-huggers and environmentalists, or something that should bother only those who have the luxury of not wrestling with hunger and other existential matters.”

More so, because we are a people of fantastic faith, the official said many citizens simply think and believe that the negative impacts of climate change will never be their portion.

“But the burdens of shifts in climatic conditions are already our portion,” he added, stating further that the rise in temperature, the irregular raining patterns, the near perennial flooding across the country, the increasing threats of desertification and gully erosion among others are already having deep and negative impacts on food production, food security and food inflation, and on water, on health and productivity, on energy and infrastructure, and on the conflicts that continue to multiply partly on account of vanishing natural resources.

“Climate change is already exerting a big toll on the things we consider critical and urgent. It is already here and now, not a matter of hereafter. It is not what we can simply wish away by faith,” he said.

Experts speak

Speaking during a panel session, Emmanuel Oladipo, a professor at the University of Lagos, lamented the way Nigeria has been handling the climatic issues with levity and inconsistencies.

“Nigeria has been handling the climatic issues within the development context of the country is fairly the same as the way they have been handling the country’s total development,” he said.

Mr Oladipo lamented that the government is not too sure of what to do, “is not persistent, makes a lot of noise, goes to a lot of negotiations, makes statements, the president leaves, everybody leaves and the next year they will go again, just as they are preparing for COP28 later this month.”

He noted that climate change issues should not be addressed in isolation and that the country must harness the opportunities associated with climate change to develop its economy.

The climatologist applauded the creation of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), chaired by the president and that it is a “move in the right direction” towards upscaling climate action and justice in the country.

He said talking about climate change in isolation without relating it to development will not make much sense.

“No society can survive without responding adequately to the issue of climate change. Nigeria as a nation needs to recognise the problem,” Mr Oladipo said.

He explained that climate change is not a totally bad story and that developed nations are using their response to the climate crisis to create unique innovations.

That, Mr Oladipo said, is what Nigeria is missing. He noted that Nigeria has a lot of policies and plans but that is yet to articulate it and carry out proper implementation.

“With the creation of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), there is a probability of having a comprehensive action plan that will incorporate the private sector, civil society organisations, the government and development partners.

Way forward

Experts say there is a good opportunity that we will be in the best position to respond adequately to the impacts of climate change.

“And to use that response as an opportunity to develop an economy where poverty and food security will not be a challenge anymore.”

Tengi George-Okoli, a senior officer at the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI), said Nigeria needs to work inwards and outwardly by interacting more with both the international and local communities to achieve climate justice.

She emphasised the need for Nigeria to develop “bankable projects” and negotiate more specifically in order to achieve its net-zero targets.

To address the lingering climate concerns, Ms George-Okoli noted that Nigeria requires technology, finances, technical capacity and human resource development to be able to shift from fossil fuels to renewables.

This, she said, would require a lot of infrastructure, development and understanding of the value chain across the climate space.

“What Nigeria can do is to negotiate more specifically in terms of what we need that international communities can actually key into,” she said. She said that “This can help us to achieve our goals. We can take concrete steps by developing bankable projects and taking advantage of the opportunities that exist.”

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Another discussant of the panel, Olufunke Baruwa, a programme officer at the Ford Foundation, said there is a need to “break down” the concept of climate change.

She explained that this will help people in vulnerable communities to understand the impacts of climate change and how it concerns them.

“The most vulnerable people in society will always be affected, particularly women and girls, persons with disability and those that don’t have access to compensation,” Ms Baruwa said.