A group of young environmental rights activists has embarked on an epic cycling tour from Abuja to Lagos to raise awareness of the critical need to empower vulnerable Nigerians to adapt to the effects of climate change.
The campaigners, who gathered under the banner of Climate Riders Nigeria, demanded the government increase the capacity of communities affected by climate change in terms of green skills and look for alternatives to fossil fuels so that the country can meet its net-zero emission reduction targets by 2060.
Nigeria, like other poor countries throughout the world, is still suffering from the severe effects of climate change, which have caused millions of people to go hungry, jeopardised livelihood sources, and disrupted peaceful coexistence. This group of activists believes that in order to overcome this problem and create national unity, there is a need for collaboration, particularly when it comes to funding and technology tools that may assist people in preparing for and avoiding climate threats.
“This is not about me; it’s about humanity, our future, and the posterity of the human race,” Ismaila Babatunde, the campaign team leader, stated.
Babatunde, who made the statement at a press conference held on Monday, October 23, 2023, in Abuja to commemorate the official start of the exercise, asked the political class to step up their commitment to advancing climate action and assisting Nigeria in reaching its Paris Climate Agreement.
He said that he and his group would be riding from Abuja to the states of Kogi, Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos, using a variety of social media platforms as a means to engage a larger audience and educate them about the importance of ecological conservation.
“As I journey through, I will be creating public awareness, educating some rural and urban communities, and engaging with local government authorities, state governors, and traditional institutions,” he went on to say.
Ahead of the upcoming Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Climate Agreement, which is scheduled to take place for two weeks from November 30, 2023, in Dubai, the environmentalist urged developed countries to double or even triple climate finance for developing countries, particularly Nigeria and Africa, to help them cope with the climate disaster.
The campaign frontrunner lamented the fact that Nigeria is one of the ten West African countries that are most vulnerable to climatic hazards, according to data released in 2022 by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), an exposure that is already having a disastrous effect on the populous.
As a result, he charged the gathering in Dubai with ensuring that the Paris Climate Accord is upheld, and not just by making mouth-watering commitments; “we need more action in capacity building, financing, and technology to address this global crisis and achieve net zero by 2060.”
The project’s goal, he elaborated, is to accelerate climate action, which is why “I have stepped up to inspire hope.”
He thus urged everyone in Nigeria, particularly those working in the entertainment and creative industries, to work together to raise awareness of the problems caused by the climate catastrophe.
By Etta Michael Bisong, Abuja
