Nigeria urgently needs to reassess its environmental governance plan, according to environmentalists, civil society actors, the media, and other interest groups in the sustainable development sector, if it is to meet its aim of becoming a low-carbon economy.
Expressing this position on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, in Abuja, during the official launch of the Carbon Literacy Project (CLP) in Nigeria, the group recalled that Nigeria is committed to becoming a net-zero economy by 2060 and that, to achieve this ambitious goal, a robust system that measures, monitors, reports, and verifies (MMRV) the delivery of these pledges is required.
During the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Glasgow in 2021, Nigeria promised to reduce emissions by 20% unconditionally and 47% conditionally by 2030.
And, to achieve these goals, Michael Mbaike, co-founder and leader of Green Waka, believes that CLP is both an intervention and an innovation because of its philosophy of involving people in their workplaces.
People are more persuaded and devoted to their employment, he claimed. With its unique concept of bringing superiors and subjects together, there is no question that CLP will encourage the action needed to advance Nigeria’s just transition.
He urged stakeholders, particularly the government, to collaborate with Green Waka to create an introduction course that addresses the carbon concerns facing individuals and various sectors.
Comrade Echezona Asuzu, Coordinator of the Nigeria Labour Congress’ Climate Change, Green Jobs, and Just Transition Programme, emphasised the importance of trade unions and civil society organisations investing in MMRV systems and demanding proper legislative and executive oversight on climate change.
Asuzu voiced his dissatisfaction with the mishandling of the country’s ecological funds, referencing a House of Representatives probe that exposed N180 billion in misappropriations.
“It’s alarming that while our political officeholders mishandle ecological funds, communities like Ayetoro face devastating flooding, soil erosion, and coastal erosion,” he told reporters.
The labour rights activist questioned the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Change’s vast powers and asked the government to review this position.
“We need strong institutions, not strong individuals, to drive climate action,” Asuzu made clear.
Phil Korbel, co-founder and director of advocacy at The Carbon Literacy Project, believes that the renewable power that will propel Nigeria to a net-zero future is that of its people.
He stated that urgent action on climate change is driven by facts agreed upon by the world’s scientists, but that this language sometimes needs ‘translating’ so that everyone, whoever and wherever they are, understands its relevance to them.
“This is what carbon literacy training does. It also enables anyone to devise their best action in such a way as to make it doable. Imagining this happening across the largest nation in Africa is full of great potential, and it’s great to be a part of it,” Korbel said.
By Etta Michael Bisong, Abuja
