The Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) and Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have reviewed Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for air conditioners in Nigeria.
HFCs are described as the world’s fastest-growing climate pollutant and are used in air conditioners and refrigerators. Photo credit: Getty Images
The review, which has the support of Clean Cooling Collaborative (CCC), was done at a technical committee meeting on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Abuja.
The inception of this review process was marked by a stakeholders’ workshop on May 15.
The Director-General of ECN, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, said that the organisations had been working diligently and collectively with the aim of enhancing energy efficiency and promoting climate-friendly cooling solutions.
Abdullahi said this would contribute significantly to Nigeria’s climate goals and sustainable energy access.
According to him, a crucial component of the project is scaling up energy-efficient and climate-friendly cooling in Nigeria’s nationally determined contribution revision.
“These organisations have been diligently working on this project.
“Our collective effort is aimed at enhancing energy efficiency and promoting climate-friendly cooling solutions, thereby contributing significantly to Nigeria’s climate goals and sustainable energy access.
“A crucial component of the project is scaling up energy-efficient and climate-friendly cooling in Nigeria’s nationally determined contribution revision,” he said.
He urged the committee to approach its deliberations with utmost diligence, expertise, and collaborative spirit, adding that it will not only influence national standards but also contribute to Nigeria’s global commitment to combat climate change.
Earlier, the Director-General of SON, Dr Ifeanyi Okeke, said that the review was not just about meeting today’s need but anticipating and preparing for the future to enable Nigeria participates in continental and global trade.
Okeke, represented by Olalekan Omoniyi, Deputy Director, Standards Development, said that setting appropriate standards for energy would contribute to global effort in combating climate change.
According to him, it will also enhance Nigeria’s reputation as a leader in sustainable energy solution potentially attracting more international investment and partnership.
“By setting appropriate standard for energy efficiency, we are not only contributing to global effort to combat climate change.
“It will also enhance Nigeria’s reputation as one of the leading countries in sustainable energy solution, potentially attracting more international investment and partnership,” he said.
The Committee Chairman, Nelson Chukwu, said that one of the objectives of the meeting was to review and scrutinise drafts.
Chukwu said that the committee must pay attention to details and ensure that the standard was robust, scientifically sound and tailored to the scientific needs and conditions of the environment.
He added that the committee was to establish a benchmark to drive the industry to a higher efficiency, while maintaining the balance between performance and cost effectiveness.
“As we deliberate, let us have it at the back of our minds that energy efficiency is not just a technical requirement,” he said.
The Lagos Bus Services Ltd. (LBSL) has unveiled a policy to reduce carbon footprint of its mass transit system and ensure a greener and more sustainable future.
2nd from left: Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, General Manager of LASTMA; Mrs Abimbola Akinajo, General Manager, LAMATA; Mr Sola Giwa, Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Transportation; Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation; Mr Idowu Oguntona, Managing Director of Lagos Bus Services Ltd.; and others
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LBSL, Mr Idowu Oguntona, made this known at the fifth anniversary of the organisation’s existence, on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Lagos.
Oguntona said that the LBSL Sustainability Policy was a strategic framework developed on the Lagos State Climate Action Plan and Lagos State Transport Policy.
According to Oguntona, the policy represents a significant milestone in the organisation’s journey toward a greener and more sustainable future.
“By integrating environmental, social and governance principles into every aspect of our operations, we are not only enhancing the quality of our services but also contributing to the overall well-being of our dear Lagos State and Nigeria at large.
“Currently, the transport sector is responsible for generating about 20 per cent of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions.
“In response to this challenge, we are determined to lead by example in reducing the carbon footprint of our bus mass transit system,” he said.
He said that the policy was driven by the organisation’s mission statement – to provide smart and sustainable bus transportation solutions to meet the needs of a modern city.
He added that the organisation introduced a state-of-the-art sick bay which reflected its dedication to the health and well-being of employees.
He said that some achievements that had shaped LBSL’s path included more than 52 million passengers and over 27 million kilometres coverage across over 30 routes.
“Our driver training academy has produced over 1,862 graduates,” he said.
The managing director said that LBSL had a total of 850 employees, of which 216 had spent more than five years with the company.
Mrs Abimbola Akinajo, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), which is LBSL’s regulator, applauded the organisation for the policy.
Akinajo said that Lagos believed in sustainability of the transport sector.
She said that the achievement of LBSL within five years demonstrated the commitment of its staff.
“As your regulator, we see what you do, and we can say that the LBSL is the one that carries the largest number of passengers daily in Lagos.
“You are doing something right that we are proud of, Lagos residents appreciate your job. Please do keep it up,” she said.
Mr Olawale Musa, Permanent Secretary, Lagos Ministry of Transportation, said: “We are aware of your pains and sufferings. Your CEO writes concerning the complaints, and we shall surely overcome.”
The state Commissioner of Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, said that the achievements of the organisation in the last five years depicted consistency and good leadership.
“What you do is provide service, you have direct interface with passengers, you are doing something good to have the ridership.
`’Please, do not drop your service level, it is extremely important.
“High-capacity buses are used for many reasons: one is to reduce the number of cars on the road; secondly, it is for environmental issues.
“The more the number of bigger buses, the less the number of cars and the less carbon emissions. LBSL plays a role in this space,” he said.
The anniversary featured presentation of awards to 216 pioneer staff of the organisation.
The Department of Climate Change (DCC) of the Federal Ministry of Environment has tasked journalists on raising awareness on climate change issues in the country.
Participants at the NCCRP organised Capacity Building workshop for Media Professionals on climate change
The Director of DCC, Dr Iniobong Abiola-Awe, gave the charge at the end of a three-day workshop for media professionals on climate change on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Lagos.
Abiola-Awe was represented by Mrs Dolapo John-Akhighbe, the Desk Officer at Department of Climate Change.
The workshop, held under the auspices of the DCC and the Nigeria Climate Change Response Programme (NCCRP), was organised to equip journalists for adequate reporting of climate change issues.
The European Union funded NCCRP intends to enhance Nigeria’s capacity to meet its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) pledge of 47 per cent reduction in greenhouse gases emissions by 2030 in line with the Sustainable Development Goal 13.
Abiola-Awe, who commended the participants for their active participation at the workshop, called for increased awareness on climate change effects.
“As we end this capacity building workshop for media professionals on climate change, I would like to extend my gratitude for your active participation and dedication over the past few days.
“The knowledge and skills you have gained here will undoubtedly significantly impact your reporting of one of the most critical issues of recent times i.e. climate change.
“Climate change is a global challenge that requires unified actions and as media professionals you hold the unique power to inform an inspire change.
“Your role in raising awareness, holding stakeholders accountable and shaping the public opinion is crucial in driving the necessary action toward a more sustainable and resilient future,” Abiola-Awe said.
She also stressed the importance of fact checking in climate change reportage
“I encourage you to continue learning and evolving in your coverage of climate change.
“To seek out diverse perspectives, to fact check vigorously and to communicate climate solution-oriented stories that empowers individuals, communities, state and the national to take positive climate actions.
“Remember the power of storytelling is immense and your words and pictures have the potential to inspire change, foster understanding and driven progress of climate action,” she said.
The NCCRP Team lead, Dr Todd Ngara, encouraged networking among the journalists in creating awareness on climate change issues.
“A lot of themes were discussed in the course of the workshop as regards climate change.
“However, our focus as the NCCRP is to actualise a network of journalists on climate change report, hence the introduction of participants to Nigerian Journalists for Climate Change Action Network (NIJOCAN).
“This workshop is the third gathering of journalists on climate change, and in the first workshop in Abuja, NIJOCAN was created, and the second in Keffi.
“To include the southern journalists hence the workshop in Lagos to include journalists from the region.
“For sustainability and inclusivity, we urge journalists from the South to be part of this network to push the frontiers of climate change reportage in the country,” Ngara said.
On his part, Mr Michael Simire, a facilitator at the workshop, commended the journalists for their active participation.
“The training has been successful so, indeed climate change communication is very important.
“We have observed that the journalists have been very active and participatory in all the workshop sessions. They are enthusiastic and are learning, which is very commendable.
“This will mean that the workshop will impact positively on their reportage of climate change issues.
“This will foster better communication of climate change issues and the public will become aware of intricacies and the dynamics of climate change impacts.
“Then they will be able to make necessary changes in their relationship with the environment,” Simire said.
A key expert in communication and capacity building with the NCCRP, Ms Elizabeth Mwaniki, called for increased coverage of climate change issues by the journalists.
“This workshop targets adequate reportage of climate change issues in media newsrooms in Nigeria.
“Through the workshop, we learnt the importance of putting climate change reports on the front pages of our media reports.
“Going forward, we expect that after this training, that journalists will go give climate change stories more visibility and expand their coverage of climate change issues.
“We also hope to build more networks among climate change reporters to ensure sustainability of the reportage,” Mwaniki said.
The Federal Government has announced partnership with development partners to chart a climate-resilient path for the country’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector.
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev
Experts at a three-day national workshop gathered to develop the Climate Risk Analysis and Action Plan for the sector on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Abuja.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, emphasised the sector’s role in promoting dignified lives and sustainable development amid climate change challenges.
Utsev, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Aliyu Shinkafi, said climate change presents a significant threat to humanity, impacting WASH services globally.
He noted that the hazards of climate change exacerbate vulnerabilities in WASH facilities, leading to social and economic risks.
He added that “in Nigeria, only 10 per cent of households have access to basic WASH services, while 23 per cent lack basic water supply, according to the 2021 WASHNORM report.
“These include increased household medical expenses, reduced agricultural productivity and higher incidences of civil unrest.”
These figures, he added, underscored the urgency to address climate-related risks in the sector.
He cited recent cholera outbreaks as a stark reminder of the critical need for robust WASH services in the country.
According to him, the Climate Risk Analysis and Action Plan aims to tackle the challenges head-on, providing comprehensive framework for assessing climate impacts across geopolitical zones.”
Utsev urged participants to prioritise behavioural change, capacity building, innovative technology and community engagement for climate-resilient WASH services.
“This plan is about long-term solutions to ensure climate resilience in WASH infrastructure and practices to benefit future generations.
“Education on climate-resilient practices is essential for both children and adults to foster sustainable habits,” he said.
While calling on stakeholders to play active roles in the initiative, the minister assured the ministry’s resolve to continue to allocate resources and create an enabling environment for climate-resilient WASH.
Earlier, Mr Mukaila Babarinde, the Director of Hydrology in the ministry, highlighted the critical impact of flooding in Nigeria, affecting 34 out of 36 states.
He explained that “as of November 2022, the situation had a devastating impact on 3.2 million people, resulting in 600 deaths and displacing 1.1 million individuals.
“Erratic rainfall patterns and rising sea levels are increasingly challenging the maintenance of Nigeria’s fragile WASH infrastructure, particularly during floods and droughts.
“Flooding causes severe damage to homes, farms and infrastructure, and it can also harm water and sanitation facilities.
“This pollution of water sources and damage to sanitation systems increase the risk of waterborne and vector-borne illnesses.
“Drought, on the other hand, reduces the availability of safe drinking water for households.
“This scarcity makes it difficult to maintain proper sanitation and hygiene practices during climate crises.”
Babarinde emphasised that the situation not only poses immediate health risks to families but has far-reaching impacts on education and the economy.
He noted that the Climate Risk Analysis and Action Plan assesses Nigeria’s current climate conditions across geopolitical zones and proposes innovative solutions to enhance WASH services.
On his part, UNICEF WASH Manager, Chiranjibi Tirawi, said climate change poses the most significant threat to humanity today, impacting every sector, including water services.
He explained that majority of households in the country already face challenges with limited access to quality water services, underscoring the timeliness of collaborative efforts to change the narrative.
Goodwill messages were delivered by representatives of WaterAid, state water agencies and the Ministerial Advisory Council, urging collective action to protect those most affected, particularly at the grassroots.
At long last, the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site now has a new Management Plan in place. It aims to improve the management of the site and develop its natural resources for the benefit of nature and the people, by putting in place an effective administrative management system that involves the active participation of the local population.
The Acrostichum aureum, a fern that is threatening mangroves on the Anghor Lagoon in the Ketra Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site
Titled: “Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site Management Plan 2023-2032,” it replaces the old one, last updated in 1999 under World Bank funded Coastal Wetlands Management Project, and which had been in existence for 25 years.
It was during that project that the Keta Lagoon Complex site alongside Songor, Sakumo, Densu Delta and Muni Pomadze ecosystems were designated as Ramsar Sites or coastal wetlands of international importance. These Ramsar sites are protected under the Wetland management (Ramsar Sites) Regulations, 1999 (L.I. 1659).
Again, the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site’s new Management Plan is a product of the European Union (EU) funded project: “Management of Mangrove Forest from Senegal to Benin,” implemented in nine West African countries, including Ghana, Togo, Benin, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The others are Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Guinea and the Gambia. The aim of the project was to achieve an integrated protection of the diverse and fragile mangrove ecosystems in West Africa and enhance their resilience to climate change.
The IUCN Ghana Office, which spearheaded the project’s implementation in the country, introduced the new Management Plan to stakeholders at the Mangrove Project Closure Workshop in Accra, on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, to formally close the project.
Developing a new management plan for the Keta Lagoon Complex was a priority activity under the project because the site has been undergoing substantial pressure. For instance, the surface area of the natural habitats is decreasing, while urban infrastructure is rapidly expanding with the protected area almost surrounded by an urban belt.
Also, fish stocks are declining, groundwater is getting more and more salinised, while debris is choking fish breeding areas. According to GMES & Africa (2020), mangrove surface area in the Site had sharply declined in recent years from 70 km square in 2015 to 58 km square in 2020.
Eventually, the new Plan, which is a major achievement of the Mangrove Project, is expected to result in regeneration and conservation where possible, of the original species and habitat that give the site its international importance. Additionally, the capacity of stakeholders would be strengthened to sustainably manage and derive livelihood from their natural resources.
Aside providing general information such as the land and its regulatory context, physical and biological characteristics, the socio-economic and cultural frameworks, values and challenges about the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site; the new Plan also identifies areas of priority intervention. They include the Gamenu, Anyabui-Salo and Anolga mangrove zones. Others are the special biodiversity zone comprising the Avu and Anyako-Seva lagoons which are breeding grounds for aquatic life, and the small islands within the Keta Lagoon Complex.
The new Plan farther recommends that special attention be given to the beaches and the edges of the Volta River estuary in any restoration and protection activities.
Other achievements of the Mangrove Project in Ghana
Another major achievement of the Mangrove Project in Ghana includes restoration of a total of 55.5 out of the targeted 1500 hectares of degraded mangrove areas. The restored mangrove areas are basically around the Sota, Galotse and Atoprakpo community restoration sites.
While the area restored is modest, compared to the initial target, its significance is the long-term contribution towards enhancing biodiversity, climate resilience and livelihoods of the catchment communities.
Also, community woodlots have been established in several communities including Galotse and Bomingo. The woodlots cover a total area of 11 hectares and will serve as alternative wood energy source for the benefit of the communities as well as promote sustainable lifestyles. Additionally, a total of 60 community members were trained and supported with income-enhancing alternative livelihoods that impacted about 300 household members.
Presenting an overview of the project, Anthony Adeea Mba of the IUCN Ghana Project Office, said the gains made became possible through its key partners namely: A Rocha Ghana, Kasa Initiative, Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission and the Development Institute (DI). Others were the Anloga and South Tongu District Assemblies, the Anloga Traditional Council and the various project communities.
He said another key partner was the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, Department of Fisheries and Watershed Management of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). This partnership led to seven students conducting their undergraduate research thesis on mangrove related topics.
Anthony stated that three of the students were supported with small grants under the project to undertake their research. Their topics were: Mangrove Forest cover along the coastline of Ghana, Water quality index for mangrove restoration in the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site Ghana, and Effectiveness of implementation of policies in the management of Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site.
In a message, the Executive Director of the Wildlife Division, Joseph Boakye, described as significant, the development of the revised Plan for the management of the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site and commended the project for facilitating the process. He also highlighted the establishment of the Dusornu Community Resource Management Area (CREMA) and attributed the 90% progress made to “… a result of our collective commitment to sustainable resource management.”
The Chairperson of the National Mangrove Management Platform, Togbe Kumassah, was thankful to all the partners and stakeholders for playing a tremendous role in the overall success of the project. “Collectively, we celebrate our achievements and lessons learned, paving way for future conservation efforts,” he added.
The Platform was one of several formed to provide strategic directives towards implementing the mangrove project in Ghana.
Importance of mangroves
Earlier in her welcome address, Dorcas Owusuaa Agyei of the IUCN Ghana Project Office, traced the significance of the Mangrove Restoration Project to the importance of mangroves in the national economy and the threats facing that ecosystem.
“Mangroves are indeed vital ecosystems providing numerous benefits, including coastal protection, nurseries for marine life, and carbon sequestration. However, mangroves constantly face alarming degradation globally, with devastating impacts on biodiversity, livelihoods, and climate change.”
She said over the past 50 years, global mangrove forests cover has declined at an estimated 30-50%, while in Ghana, the loss of mangrove forests cover has been estimated at 25% over the past 20 years.
Dorcas emphasised that the range of impacts from mangrove degradation is huge – “including decreased carbon sequestration and contribution to climate change, loss of biodiversity and habitat for marine life, reduced coastal protection and increased vulnerability to erosion and flooding, and increased risk of saltwater intrusion into freshwater sources.”
To ensure that gains made under the now ended Mangrove Restoration Project are not eroded, the participants made a unanimous call on the IUCN Ghana Office to identify alternative funding sources to build on the gains made.
Status of mangroves in Ghana
Mangroves form part of Ghana’s wealth of biodiversity resources. Both red and white mangroves are found along the coasts and estuaries throughout the country’s coastal stretch from the eastern coast to the western coast cutting across Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions including the southernmost tip of the country.
They serve as the foundation of a highly productive and biologically rich ecosystem providing habitat for a wide range of aquatic species including different types of fishes and shell fishes as well as feeding grounds for migratory birds. Mangroves support the livelihoods of coastal communities and contribute significantly to the nation’s fisheries sector.
However, mangroves are threatened through unsustainable exploitation, pollution, reclamation for residential construction, poverty within mangrove communities, inadequate alternative livelihood options, illegal mining or galamsey, invasive species as well as climate change impacts.
Campaigners gathered outside Chinese embassies and financial institutions in 10 countries on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, calling on China to reject financial support for the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) and related oil field projects. The demonstrations took place across Africa and Europe in a coordinated day of action organised by Ugandan, Tanzanian and other StopEACOP campaign members.
Civil society in Abuja, Nigeria, joined in the campaign
Another action is expected to take place on Friday, June 28, in Washington DC, USA.
In Uganda, 30 activists were arrested, underscoring the escalating repression faced by those opposing the EACOP project. In Tanzania, police took the banners protesters were holding and took photographed pictures of the project-affected people shown on the banners with their testimonies, raising concerns that those individuals could face future harassment by security forces.
This follows the arrest of seven activists on May 27 during another protest outside the Chinese embassy in Uganda. Additionally, the recent abduction of Stephen Kwikiriza and the ongoing harassment and intimidation of numerous other defenders highlight the severe and persistent threats faced by those who stand against EACOP.
“These actions represent a blatant violation of human rights and an attempt to silence the voices of those advocating for environmental justice and the protection of affected communities who have even fewer safe channels to speak up,” said officials of StopEACOP, a global campaign against constructing the EACOP.
This was the third time local civil society groups in Uganda and Tanzania working with project-affected people tried to bring their messages to the Chinese embassies through peaceful demonstrations. Civil society and community-based organisations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria and South Africa joined their effort and took to the streets calling on China not to perpetuate and reproduce the exploitation and damage caused by the fossil fuel industry and instead realign its developmental approach to the continent with the aspirations and needs of the African people.
Global groups in Europe also showed solidarity by demonstrating outside the Chinese embassies and consulates in their respective countries, carrying letters from affected people and civil society in Uganda and Tanzania. Cities involved included Paris, France, where demonstrators constructed a model pipeline spilling a black oil-like substance in front of the embassy entrance; London and Manchester, UK; The Hague, Netherlands; Düsseldorf, Germany; and Copenhagen, Denmark. In addition, activists from the Ugandan Diaspora in the US plan to take action in Washington, DC, on June 28.
People participating in the global actions are specifically urging the Chinese state-owned financial institutions, including the China Export & Credit Insurance Corporation (SINOSURE), the Export-Import Bank of China (China Exim Bank), and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), to make sound decisions. The Ugandan government has claimed that these institutions are considering supporting the EACOP projects with a decision expected by June, but they are reportedly taking a prolonged time to assess the outstanding risks.
Participants in the action requested the Chinese embassies to share a range of materials with relevant Chinese decision-makers. The materials they brought with them to deliver to embassy officials include two petitions signed by 2,591 and 2,461 oil project-affected individuals in Uganda, as well as studies by Ugandan and international organisations detailing the projects’ impacts. The actions were also intended to show solidarity with local activists and human rights defenders in Uganda and Tanzania who have faced repression for opposing the EACOP.
All of the Chinese embassies, except for the one in Tanzania, refused to meet with the protestors or receive the materials. The embassy in Tanzania briefly met with the action representatives and accepted the materials, although without promise of a response.
As major financiers from North America, Europe, Japan, as well as some from Africa, have distanced themselves from the projects, the developers have turned to China for financial support. Ugandan, Tanzanian and other StopEACOP campaign members urge China, who has made commitments to be a climate leader and responsible development partner of the Global South, to refrain from enabling the projects through insurance and financing.
This is the third time in less than one year that anti-EACOP demonstrations targeting Chinese actors have spread across the globe, and the Ugandan, Tanzanian as well as other StopEACOP coalition members are committed to sustaining such actions and continuing its calls on China until its goals are met.
Samuel Okulony from Environmental Governance Institute (EGI) Uganda said: “Today, on behalf of hundreds of communities in Uganda, we welcome efforts by all actors globally in urging Chinese financial institutions, including China Exim Bank, SINOSURE, and ICBC, to halt support for the East African Crude Oil Pipeline. This project has displaced thousands, destroyed sacred sites, and eroded our cultures, exposing us to food insecurity. Local activists have faced threats and abductions for speaking out against this deadly project.
“Even our Africa Development Bank recognised the significant risks and refused support. We urge China to embrace Africa’s opportunity for a clean energy future. Reject EACOP and stand on the right side of history. In the same vein, we call on the Ugandan government to unconditionally release all those arrested, as it is our constitutional right to peacefully demonstrate.”
Richard Senkondo, from Organisation for Community Engagement (OCE), Tanzania, said: “Although we initially faced challenges, such as the police confiscating our materials, I am glad that we visited the Chinese Embassy, and they allowed us to enter inside. We met with Mr. Suleiman Mganji, who confirmed receiving the Stop EACOP campaign materials we submitted in May. Although we are uncertain about the response timeline, Mr. Mganji assured us that the commerce section will review the documents. We remain hopeful for a productive dialogue.”
Zaki Mamdoo, StopEACOP Campaign Coordinator, said: “Today communities and activists across the African continent and across the globe came together under the banner of the StopEACOP Campaign to resist and confront the injustices of the fossil fuel industry. Our demand for China to rule out its support for the EACOP project is clear. We cannot accept South to South partnerships which enable the exploitation of our people and the destruction of our environment. China’s developmental approach to the continent should work to challenge the violence and destruction of Western imperialism, not prop-up Total’s neocolonial extraction. We insist that the Chinese authorities hear our demands and pursue a developmental path underpinned by investment into decentralised and socially owned renewable energy systems for Africa.”
Rieke Butijn, Climate campaigner and researcher, BankTrack, said: “Global allies will continue to do actions in solidarity with affected communities and local civil society organisations until Sinosure, China Eximbank the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and other Chinese banks and insurers listen to the concerns of affected communities and rule out support for the oil projects. EACOP is not only risky for the communities and the planet, but also for the financial institutions supporting it. Numerous banks have already understood the reputational and legal risks in being associated with these controversial projects, including South African banks Nedbank, Absa, FirstRand and Investec, the African Development Bank, and a former financial advisor of the project — SMBC from Japan.
“The Chinese financial institutions need to understand that these risks will only increase as the projects press ahead regardless of the increasing opposition from communities and the StopEACOP coalition. It is clear that the wise and right choice here is to rule out support for the EACOP projects and become the sustainable development partner for the Global South that China committed to becoming.”
As a follow-up to a sensitisation programme organised for residents of Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Centre for 21st Century Issues has again enlightened stakeholders in the area on the right steps that needs to be taken in ensuring that there is no carbon emission, which is believed to be the main cause of climate change in the environment.
Participants at the Stakeholders Interaction for Action Plan on Net-Zero
During a programme titled “A Day Stakeholders Interaction for Action Plan on Net-Zero” held on Monday, June 24, 2024, in conjunction with Ojokoro LCDA, Ms. Titilope Akosa, Executive Director, C21st Issues, noted that everybody needs to be involved in the net-zero project because of the enormous importance attached to it.
She said, “There is what we call carbondioxide and carbon emission and there are different kinds of carbon emissions leading to climate change, there emissions are caused by different human activities.
“If you recall, last year we had a programme like this in this community and we got a feel of what’s happening, but our partners want us to have an action plan to enable us determine the necessary steps needed to be taken in achieving our target. And we are going to use this action plans to seek for funding for the local government to make sure that we implement the action plan.
“When we are talking about climate change or net-zero, it is about the grassroots and how they feel it’s impacts, it is also about our activities leading to climate change,” she noted.
Akosa, who revealed that C21st Issues has a similar programme in six local government areas in all the six geo-political area across Nigeria, also highlighted some of the actions leading to carbon emissions to include felling of trees, cooking with firewood, methane from animal dumps, household waste, medical waste among others.
She disclosed that “there must be action plans put in place before we can think of achieving net-zero, these are alternatives to the conventional ways of doing things for instance women should think of making use of cooking gas as an alternative to using firewood for cooking. What can we do about the animal dumps from the ram and cow sellers close to Ijaiye Bus Stop? It might interest you to know that, in the advance world, they collect these dumps and convert to clean energy”.
In his submission, Chief Kingsley Ihekoronye, resident of the community, called on the authorities of the LCDA to empower the street sweepers in the area to do their jobs more effectively instead of littering the areas with dirt.
Chief Ihekoronye also urged the authorities to mandate the shop owners in the area to stop abandoning wastes collected in the drainage channels in their area by the sides of the gutters, saying: “By the time they leave it there, they find their ways back into the drainage channels. LAWMA should also come and pick the wastes promptly to ensure cleaner environment”.
Ustaz Fadilulah Muhammed, representing the Hausa Community, who called for more advocacy in enlightening residents of the area on ways to go about keeping a cleaner and safer environment, also heaped the blame on officials of LAWMA, saying: “They are fond of coming to pick wastes anytime they deem it fit which is more reason why some areas are littered.”
Mr. Emmanuel Ogbonre, on his part, called for more sensitisation and education on the part of the resident on what are the implications of indiscriminate waste disposals in relation to their wealth. He also asked for employment of more health officials to enable them cope with the task ahead.
Hammed Idowu Daniel Tijani, Executive Chairman, Ojokoro LCDA, said: “Majority of our people don’t understand the fact that they need to bag their refuse or put it in a waste bin and make sure that it is properly disposed when the PSP Operators come around to take it up. When they bag their waste properly picking up will not be difficult for the operators for proper waste disposal.”
On the essence of collaborating with C21st Issues, Tijani disclosed: “It is to acquaint our people with what is necessary to be done and what they need to know in the area where they can reduce emission of carbon dioxide within our community. With the number of stakeholders in attendance, by the time they go back home and take the message to the grassroots, this will surely complement efforts being put in place by the local government in ensuring that we have a cleaner and safer environment to live in.”
Dignitaries at the forum include Oladipupo Coker, Vice Chairman Ojokoro LCDA, Dr. Adebolu Adeyemi, Jamiu Odebiyi, Supervisor for the Environment, health officials, religious leaders, market men and women, and other stakeholders in the area.
As a result of a thorough process based on the Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) Standard, Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, which has been under the World Conservation Society (WCS) management for over 30 years, has become the first site in the world to be recognised for its ecological integrity – a measure of the region’s robust natural processes and resilience against disturbances.
Western lowland gorilla, Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park. Photo credit: Thomas Nicolon
The KBA Standard, published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), sets rigorous criteria for identifying sites that are globally significant for the persistence of biodiversity. The Ecological Integrity criteria specifically focus on areas that remain undisturbed by significant impacts, thereby preserving their structure, composition, and function.
Covering 4,000 square kilometres of lowland rainforest and harboring crucial populations of endangered mammals, Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park has never been logged, contains no roads within its borders, still boasts wildlife that has had little or no contact with humans, and plays a demonstrated role in climate regulation and carbon storage.
Using satellite imagery and field surveys of key species such as forest elephants, gorillas and chimpanzees, WCS field biologists and the KBA secretariat in Cambridge (UK) assessed forest condition and wildlife abundance throughout northern Congo and Gabon and were able to demonstrate that the Park possesses exceptional ecological integrity.
Identifying and protecting areas of high ecological integrity is essential for conserving biodiversity, mitigating the effects of climate change, safeguarding against zoonotic pandemics, and maintaining the vital ecosystem services these areas provide.
Supported by the Bezos Earth Fund to the KBA partnership through Birdlife International and implemented through a partnership between WCS and the Government of Congo, the KBA identification process “is a significant milestone for global conservation efforts,” said Richard Malonga, Country Director of WCS.
“By recognising areas of high ecological integrity, we are ensuring the protection of ecosystems that are vital for the survival of countless species and the overall health of our planet,” he added.
“This project contributes to the ongoing efforts in our country by addressing biodiversity challenges, influencing action priorities to achieve the post-2020 global agenda goal on one hand, and developing a 30×30 action plan on the other.” commented Arlette Soudan Nonault, Minister for the Environment, Sustainable Development and the Congo Basin, during one of the meetings that led to the recognition of the Park’s ecological integrity.
This result is a testament to the Republic of the Congo’s commitment to preserving its natural heritage. It underscores the exceptional global importance of the Congo Basin’s intact landscapes and the values they hold for people and the planet.
This designation comes at a critical time, as the international community ramps up efforts to meet global biodiversity targets under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP) and some NGOs are partnering with OXFAM to train women on agriculture and climate change.
Stakeholders and female farmers at a workshop on Climate Change and Access to Climate Finance Climate
Dr Michael David, Executive Director, GIFSEP, communicated this at a workshop on Female Food Heroes (Ogbonge), Women on Climate Change and Access to Climate Finance on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, in Abuja.
David said that the training was crucial because female farmers produced largely the food eaten in the country.
“Climate change is impacting on how they grow their food; looking at the food inflation the country is facing, we can attribute climate change to one of the causes of food inflation in the country.’’
He said that it was paramount to train the farmers to become change agents in their various communities and states so they could train others on how to build climate change resilience and simple climate adaptation techniques.
David said that the Federal Government needed to support the smallholder farmers with interventions that would proper bumper farming harvest in the country.
“If we must attain the Millennium Development Goals by 2030, then we must empower the small-scale farmers; we need to train more women not just the ‘Ogbonge’ women to help our country attain food sovereignty,’’ he said.
Similarly, Peggy Maimaji, Project Coordinator, Together Against Poverty, OXFAM, said that the project worked with female farmers to address issues that were salient to them especially the impacts of climate change on farming.
She assured that project would continue to address issues of access to land and finance saying that OXFAM collaborated to award no fewer than 12 women farmers every year since 2012 through the female food hero project.
Monica Maigari, one of the participants from Kaduna State, who had been awarded by OXFAM in 2014 for her performances, commended the NGOs for the training.
Maigari said she had learned how to mitigate climate change as well as to adapt to it.
Sahara Energy has unveiled its target of achieving zero carbon emissions from its oil and gas operations by 2060.
Sahara Energy presenting plaques made of waste materials to experts who have contributed to various sustainability initiatives
The company, along with its sister companies in the energy value chain, has commenced arrangements to reduce carbon emissions and earn carbon credits for a sustainable future.
The agenda was disclosed at a news conference, tagged, “Carbon Footprint and the African Narrative”, held by Sahara Group and Asharami Square in Lagos on Tuesday, June 25, 2024.
Mr Wole Ajeigbe, Group Project Manager, Asharami Energy, while speaking on “Decarbonisation of Africa’s Upstream Operations”, said Sahara Energy was building a sustainable energy future with an ambitious but pragmatic approach to its upstream carbon net zero journey.
According to him, efforts are ongoing at its seven oil-producing assets across Nigeria to ensure that operations at the sites are considerate of global warming.
Ajeigbe said that the net zero plan would be achieved gradually by reducing and minimising carbon emissions on a yearly basis.
He said that the company had some gas commercialisation projects which were expected to be completed by 2025 to 2026.
He listed the strategies to include elimination of gas flare across its upstream operations, reduction in freshwater usage during operation, and making use of Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS), among others.
Emphasising its determination, he said that the company had already joined the global group of CCUS, emerging as the first African company in the forum.
Ajeigbe said that, to ensure oil and gas continue to be used to meet Africa’s energy demands, the sector needed to decarbonise its operations quickly.
He noted that the energy demand and usage in Africa would increase significantly in coming years,
Ajeigbe stressed the need for the government to create an enabling environment that would stimulate investments and grant fiscal incentives on gas projects such as tax holidays, funding securities, risk mitigation among others.
The government and stakeholders, according to him, also need to encourage availability of capital pools; improve bankability of gas projects; give support to projects that have taken decarbonisation seriously; and attract skills and develop the capabilities needed for the energy future.
Regional Director, West Africa, Ford Foundation, Dr Chichi Aniagolu-Okoye, said although Africa was contributing about four per cent to global warming, the continent has been severely affected by the phenomenon.
She said the fact that Africa holds up to 17 per cent of the global population yet contributes just four per cent to global carbon emissions.
This, she noted, means that the continent could do more for a sustainable environment through careful and strategic planning.
Aniagolu-Okoye said that Africa must focus not only on challenges, but also on opportunities that global warming presents.
“There are numerous opportunities to place Africa firmly at the forefront of climate debate and the media should lead the campaign,” she said.
The Director, Governance and Sustainability, Sahara Group, Ms Ejiro Gray, spoke on most viable solutions for mitigating carbon emissions and meeting Africa’s development.
According to her, these solutions include natural gas development; increase in use of renewables; protection and rehabilitation of African natural carbon sinks.
She listed others to include innovation in low cost/low emissions clean energy solutions; carbon culture storage/carbon capture and re-utilisation and utilisation of domestic knowledge.
She said that Sahara had continued to make improvements to its operations, to reduce the carbon footprint and by extension, the continent footprint.
Gray listed some of the strategies to include increased use of renewables; gas commercialisation; research and development and sustainable energy and carbon sinks.
Others are Carbon Capture Usage and Storage (CCUS); tree planting initiatives; and awareness campaigns for youths, among others.
The Head, Corporate Communications, Sahara Group, Bethel Obioma, said the Asharami Square has come to stay and would be having training and mentorship for journalists.
Obioma said that it would also be having Asharami Awards to appreciate those works that had contributed to building sustainability in Africa.
He said that the body was already in partnership with University of Lagos and Pan Atlantic University in the quest to upscale skill on sustainability.
