As flooding continues to threaten communities across Nigeria, HEDA Resource Centre, a Lagos-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), has intensified its efforts to mitigate the impact on farming communities, particularly in Bauchi and Benue states.
HEDA Community Outreach in Benue State
In collaboration with local partners and funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands under the African Activists for Climate Justice Project, HEDA launched a flood sensitisation and awareness campaign across the country to educate and empower small-holder farmers on climate change impacts and flood preparedness.
In Bauchi State, communities such as Walia, Melandige, and Sakuwa in Itas Gadau LGA were visited.
During a sensitisation session, Hajia Aminat Bala Jubril, Director, Association of Small-Scale Agro Producers in Nigeria (ASSAPIN), and a partner with HEDA, addressed farmers on strategies to mitigate flood risks. She highlighted the importance of investing in flood-resistant rice seeds and advised farmers to incorporate these improved seeds into their future budgets to protect their crops.
Hajia Aminat also urged farmers to stay informed through weather updates from NiMet, which has predicted potential flooding in the area between April and October 2024.
Hajia Fatima, a community leader and farmer, spoke on behalf of the local farmers sharing their experiences with flood, and called on governments and corporate organisations to come to their aid by building long-term infrastructure that can withstand the flood, as well as dredging of the river, which had previously reduced the impact flood risks in the region.
Similarly, in Benue State, HEDA engaged with the communities of Agasha, Adaka, Ajaha and Abatse of the Guma and Makurdi local government areas. The campaign focused on early warning systems and flood-resistant farming techniques.
Farmers like Racheal Uzor shared their struggles with flooding, explaining how they had to navigate farming in flood-prone areas, often losing their crops despite flood warnings. She also appealed to the government for clean water access through boreholes, as their water sources have been severely affected by flooding.
Victor Osimo, another farmer in Benue, highlighted the poor drainage systems and the impact of floods on their farmlands. He called for government intervention to address issues like agro-chemical contamination and poor infrastructure, which exacerbate their vulnerability to flood impact.
HEDA’s Executive Secretary, Sulaimon Arigbabu, emphasised the importance of adopting modern, climate-resilient farming techniques to mitigate agricultural losses.
He encouraged farmers to remain vigilant and use climate data to inform their planting decisions. He further explained that the objective behind this campaign is to equip climate frontline communities, especially farmers with the right information and knowledge that will empower them to help themselves and reduce their climate related risks.
Meanwhile, HEDA has visited five other states (Adamawa, Kwara, Niger, Kogi, and Nasarawa) in the ongoing campaigns and in both states aim to equip communities with the knowledge and tools necessary to reduce the impacts of climate-related disasters.
As the October-November flood period approaches, interventions, such as HEDA’s, are crucial for improving the resilience of vulnerable communities across the country, in order to ensure that lives, livelihoods, and food security are better protected.
Eighty-six climate lawsuits have been filed against the world’s largest oil, gas, and coal producing corporations – including BP, Chevron, Eni, ExxonMobil, Shell, and TotalEnergies – with two in five cases involving claims for compensation for climate change damages linked to fossil fuels.
Eighty-six lawsuits have been filed against the world’s largest oil, gas, and coal producing corporations like TotalEnergies, BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil, and Shell
The analysis reveals the intensifying legal pressure on fossil fuel corporations responsible for 69% of human-caused carbon dioxide emissions, the main driver of the climate crisis. The report is the first in-depth analysis of the escalating wave of climate litigation aimed at fossil fuel giants.
Three categories of lawsuits have grown significantly in recent years, and they are listed to include:
Compensation for climate damages that hold companies accountable for the environmental and community damages they have caused (38% of cases);
Challenges to misleading advertising claims by companies about the climate and environment (16%); and,
Requirements for companies to reduce their emissions (12%).
David Tong, Industry Campaign Manager at Oil Change International, said: “The growing number of lawsuits against fossil fuel corporations underlines how their historic and continued role in driving and profiting from climate change is catching up to them. No major oil and gas company is pledging to do the bare minimum to prevent climate chaos, so communities are taking them to court.
“The wave of lawsuits against Big Oil could lead to serious impacts on their bottom line, a disincentive for investment in fossil fuel infrastructure, a reduction in corporate value, and a challenge to their social licence to continue harming communities around the world.”
Climate Damages Cases The report shows that compensation claims for climate damages make up the largest share of climate lawsuits against fossil fuel companies, accounting for 38% of cases. These cases heighten the financial and liability risks these corporations and their investors face, as scientists are increasingly able to connect specific extreme weather events with the fossil fuel emissions that drove them.
ExxonMobil, Shell, and BP are estimated to be responsible for climate-related costs of at least $1 trillion each, a similar value to their profits over the last three decades.
One example is a case filed against RWE, a German electricity producer, by a Peruvian farmer, Saúl Luciano Lliuya. Lliuya claims that the company’s greenhouse gas emissions contribute to the melting of a glacier near his home, which threatens 50,000 residents with flooding. He argues that RWE should partially reimburse him and the local authorities for the costs of flood defenses. The case, which was filed in 2015, is ongoing.
Lliuya said: “Taking on carbon majors in court can be daunting. But the fear of losing your home and everything you’ve worked for due to the reckless actions of fossil fuel companies is even greater. For those of us directly impacted by the climate crisis, the courts offer a glimmer of hope. People like me are in court because our livelihoods are at serious risk, and we are asking judges to hold the fossil fuel companies responsible.”
Misleading Advertising Cases
Oil and gas companies are also under growing pressure for making false claims about climate and the environment. Cases challenging companies’ misleading advertising make up 16% of lawsuits and are a winning legal tactic, with nearly all concluded complaints resulting in decisions against corporations or adverts being withdrawn.
Recently, ClientEarth successfully challenged BP’s ads in the UK for exaggerating its investments in renewable energy, leading BP to withdraw the ads.
Emission Reduction Cases Emissions reductions cases make up 12% of climate lawsuits. These cases are brought against fossil fuel companies over their failure to set and implement Paris-aligned emissions reductions.
In 2021, a landmark ruling by a Dutch Court ordered Shell to cut its emissions by 45% by 2030, setting a precedent as the first legal mandate for a major fossil fuel company to reduce emissions. Shell has appealed, with a decision expected in autumn 2024.
About 13 trillion CFA francs ($22 billion) are needed for combating climate change and mitigating its effects in Cote d’Ivoire, a senior official said.
President of the Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara
Jacques Konan, Minister for the Environment, Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition, said this during a workshop.
“The action plan developed by Cote d’Ivoire to address climate change is estimated at 13 trillion CFA francs,” said
The minister said that he has been tasked with mobilising partners to assist the country in securing funding to meet its commitments.
A portfolio of projects has been developed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to enhance the resilience of affected populations.
According to the World Bank, rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, flooding, and coastal erosion pose significant challenges for Cote d’Ivoire and threaten its economic growth.
Heavy flooding has wreaked havoc in Azuoto, Okpuitumo Community in Abakaliki Local Governmemt Area of Ebonyi State, destroying many farmlands and people’s property, worth millions of naira.
A flooded school compound at Ebenebe, Anam in Anambra State
A victim, Mrs Chinyere Nworie, said in Abakiliki on Friday, September 13, 2024, that her rice, yam and cassava farms were submerged by flood.
Nworie said the incident had become a perennial experience in the area due to the nearness of Azuoto and Ebony River, linking the River Niger.
She further said that no fewer than 96 households in the area were affected by the disaster.
She said, “This flood happened on Saturday, following Friday’s heavy downpour.
“Our farms have been taken over by the rain flood.
“Our community has always suffered flooding every year, especially whenever it rained heavily and water overflows the Ebonyi River bank,” Nworie said.
Also, another resident, Mr Amauche Agbo, described the incident as “unfortunate”.
The victims appealed to government at all levels to come to their aid with relief materials to cushion the effect of the disaster on them.
Reacting to the development, the Executive Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr Uche Oba, said the agency had commenced assessment in the affected communities.
Oba said the incident had been a worrisome phenomenon to the state government.
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has warned environmental facilities to address compliance gaps in their operations to avoid sanctions.
Dr Innocent Barikor, Director-General, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESERA)
Amaka Ejiofor, Assistant Director (Press), NESREA, in a statement on Friday, September 13, 2024, in Abuja, said the Director-General, NESREA, Dr Innocent Barikor, gave the warning when he received a brief on routine compliance monitoring.
Barikor said the routine monitoring was carried out by the agency across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT.
He expressed displeasure over the flagrant disregard for laid down environmental laws by facilities.
“We keep noticing a worrisome trend where some facilities discharge effluents without treatment, operate without the necessary environmental documents such as Environmental Impact Statement, Environmental Audit and Environmental Permit.
“This cannot be allowed.
“Facilities where these infractions occurred have been issued notices of compliance concerns to abate the nuisance.
“The agency will not hesitate to sanction any facility polluting the environment.’’
Barikor said that from January to date, 75 non-compliant facilities had been shut down by NESREA.
“The enforcement is a continuous exercise,” he said.
NESREA is the foremost environmental enforcement Agency in the country, charged with the responsibility of enforcing all standards, protocols, treaties and conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory.
In line with its mandate, the agency has developed 36 National Environmental Regulations cutting across different sectors of the economy.
These regulations are the tools deployed by the agency in ensuring that activities by facilities and industries do not, in any way, impact negatively on the environment.
The Federal Government has assured the public that the Alau Dam in Borno State did not collapse during recent flooding, attributing the overflow to climate change and unusually heavy rainfall.
Prof. Joseph Utsev, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation
Prof. Joseph Utsev, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, extended the government’s condolences to the people of Borno State during a press conference in Abuja on Friday, September 13, 2024, following the devastating floods.
The minister noted that, earlier this year, a flood risk warning identified 31 states, including Borno, as high-risk areas.
He said a team of technical experts from the ministry, various agencies, and the Chad Basin Development Authority were currently assessing the damage and working on solutions.
Utsev warned residents about the risks of contaminated water and the potential for waterborne diseases.
He also warned the increasing threat of river flooding along the Niger and Benue rivers, urging all regions to stay vigilant and take proactive measures.
He mentioned the President’s approval of N108 billion for flood prevention across the 36 states, based on recommendations from the Presidential Committee on Flood Disaster Prevention.
Utsev urged state governments and stakeholders to follow early warning systems and implement preventive actions to reduce future flooding.
The minister pledged the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting affected communities, saying technical teams were assessing dams nationwide and planning upgrades.
“Government officials confirmed that climate change has intensified rainfall, leading to excess water that many dams are struggling to manage.
“When this administration began, we immediately initiated studies and designs for the rehabilitation of existing dams, including Alau.
“The dam didn’t collapse, but it struggled to handle the excess water from nearby tributaries, causing overflow into surrounding areas.”
He added that long-term solutions were underway, with budgetary allocations for 2024 and 2025 specifically targeting dam rehabilitation.
“As temperatures rise, we expect increased rainfall, leading to higher water volumes in our rivers and channels.
“Proactive measures are crucial topreventing future escalations,” Utsev said.
Alhaji Bello Goronyo, the Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation, urged the media to exercise caution when reporting on sensitive issues.
He stressed that misinformation and disinformation posed a threat to the nation, and urged greater collaboration to enhance the well-being of citizens
Many residents of Maiduguri, Borno State, have been displaced by flooding caused by the overflow of the Alau Dam.
The flood had submerged residential areas, roads, and bridges, making parts of the city inaccessible.
Maiduguri is experiencing its worst flooding in 30 years, with homes underwater, schools closed, and businesses paralysed, as residents evacuate with their belongings.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced the addition of the MVA-BN vaccine to its prequalification list, marking the first vaccine against mpox to receive this designation.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organisation (WHO)
In a statement released on Friday, September 13, 2024, the organisation explained that prequalification approval would facilitate timely and increased access to the vital product in communities with urgent need, reducing transmission and helping to contain the outbreak.
“WHO’s assessment for prequalification was based on information submitted by the manufacturer, Bavarian Nordic A/S, and reviewed by the European Medicines Agency, the regulatory agency of record for this vaccine.”
Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, stated that the prequalification of a vaccine against mpox was a crucial step forward in combating the disease, both in the context of the current outbreaks in Africa and in preparing for future scenarios.
He emphasised the need for urgent scale-up in procurement, donations, and rollout to ensure equitable access to vaccines where they are needed most, alongside other public health tools, to prevent infections, stop transmission, and save lives.
According to Ghebreyesus, the MVA-BN vaccine can be administered to individuals over 18 years as a two-dose injection given four weeks apart.
“After prior cold storage, the vaccine can be kept at 2–8°C for up to eight weeks.”
Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines and Health Products, said that the prequalification of the MVA-BN vaccine would help accelerate ongoing procurement of mpox vaccines by governments and international agencies such as Gavi and Unicef.
“This decision would also help national regulatory authorities fast-track approvals, ultimately increasing access to quality-assured mpox vaccine products.
“The WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunisation reviewed all available evidence and recommended the use of MVA-BN vaccine in the context of an mpox outbreak for persons at high risk of exposure.
“While MVA-BN is currently not licensed for persons under 18 years of age, this vaccine may be used “off-label” in infants, children, and adolescents, and in pregnant and immunocompromised individuals.”
Nakatani emphasised the need to collect further data on vaccine safety and effectiveness in different contexts.
“Available data shows that a single-dose MVA-BN vaccine given before exposure has an estimated 76 per cent effectiveness in protecting people against mpox, with the two-dose schedule achieving an estimated 82 per cent effectiveness.”
Nakatani said since the triggering of the emergency use listing for mpox vaccines by WHO Director-General on August 7, WHO had conducted product and programmatic suitability assessments of MVA-BN vaccine.
Dr Rogerio Gaspar, WHO Director for Regulation and Prequalification, stated that the findings of these assessments were particularly relevant in the context of the declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) related to the upsurge of mpox in Africa.
Gaspar added that WHO was progressing with prequalification and emergency use listing procedures with manufacturers of two other mpox vaccines: LC-16 and ACAM2000.
“Six expressions of interest for mpox diagnostic products for emergency use listing have been received so far.
“The escalating mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries was declared a PHEIC by the WHO Director-General on August 14.
“More than 120 countries have confirmed over 103,000 cases of mpox since the onset of the global outbreak in 2022.
“In 2024 alone, there were 25,237 suspected and confirmed cases and 723 deaths from different outbreaks in 14 countries of the African Region (based on data from September 8.”
The Lagos Recyclers Association (LAGRA) on Friday, September 13, 2024, reiterated the importance of bridging the gap in circular economy financing.
R-L: The Managing Director, LAWMA, Mr Muyiwa Gbadegesin; Dr Femi Idowu-Adegoke, LAGRA President
The association restated the importance of the circular economy at its 3rd annual conference and exhibition with the theme, “Financing Circular Economy: Bridging the Funding Gap”, in Lagos.
The Circular Economy is an economic system based on the reuse and regeneration of materials or products, especially as a means of continuing production in a sustainable or environmentally friendly way.
LAGRA is a driving force behind the sustainable transformation of Lagos through responsible recycling and waste management.
In his welcome address, LAGRA’s President, Dr Femi Idowu-Adegoke, restated the importance of financing the circular economy for the sector’s growth.
“In financing the circular economy, Lagos State as the economic powerhouse of Nigeria is at a pivotal point where sustainable development must take centre stage.
“The circular economy offers us a pathway to do just that by minimising waste, promoting resource efficiency and creating economic opportunities.
“However, one of the most significant challenges we face in achieving this vision is bridging the funding gaps that hinder the growth and scalability of circular economy initiatives.
“With a population exceeding 20 million, Lagos generates vast amounts of waste, much of which ends up in landfills, contributing to environmental degradation and public health issues.
“The circular economy, which is based on reusing, recycling, and regenerating materials, presents an opportunity to transform this waste into wealth, reduce environmental impact and create jobs,” the LAGRA president said.
Idowu-Adegoke noted that “the transition to a circular economy is not just about environmental stewardship; it is an economic imperative which has led to the development and launch of Nigeria’s National Circular Economic Roadmap.
“This roadmap focuses on three major sectors captured in our 2021 National Determined Contributions i.e. Waste Management, Renewable Energy, Agriculture and Food Security to achieve circularity by 2050.
“It has the potential to unlock new markets, spur innovation, and drive sustainable economic growth.
“However, realising these benefits requires significant investment—investment that is currently lacking.”
Highlighting the supporting roles of state government in promoting circular economy, the Managing Director, Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Mr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said the authority would go all out to aid local recyclers in the sector.
“From Lagos’ point of view, it is imperative that we do everything possible to ensure that we have a circular economy in the state.
“This is for good environmental management in order for us to have a healthy, safe and vibrant environment for the well-being of the people and also for our economic growth.
“We generate close to 14,000 tons of waste every day in Lagos, up to 85 per cent of that is not waste, because it has value.
“We are familiar with the mantra – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle – that means, we should reduce how much waste we are generating in the first place. Then we try to reuse as much as possible.
“Then we must also recycle, hence LAGRA, and they have been very active. These are young people who have invested a lot in that sector.
“And what we do as LAWMA to support them, is that we ensure they have what they need to operate, and they need to be licensed so that they can be recognised as official businesses within the sector.
“We ensure that the recyclers are not harassed by other authorities, because once they have that license, they have our stickers, they are able to do their business without too much hindrance,” Gbadegesin said.
He also urged residents of the state to tap into the circular economy drive for their benefits.
“So, our message is that what you think is waste is not waste. It has value. Every waste material that you generate, and you are throwing away has value.
“We want the average Lagos resident to start sorting their waste, separate what is useful from what is not and engage the recyclers within your community to take those useful materials away from you in return for incentives,” he said.
Mrs Titilayo Oshodi, Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Climate Change and Circular Economy, said financing circular economy should be a lifestyle.
“There is a need for us to finance circular economy. First and foremost, there are various areas within the sector of circular economy that we need to bring to bear.
“We need to start layering that, not only as an innovation or solution, but also as a lifestyle. People need more education and enlightenment about circular economy to adopt it as a lifestyle.
“There are different aspects and philosophies of perception around waste in itself. Back in the days, we used to look condescendingly towards those that pack waste.
“Our waste is becoming a resource in transition; people are beginning to make money from responsible disposal.
“So, there is a commerce aspect of it, and establishing the rudimentary models that make commerce thrive is the financing that we are talking about,” Oshodi said.
Climate activists are on Friday, September 13, 2024, mobilising across the globe in more than 150 events, spanning over 50 countries in all continents, calling on their governments to urgently implement a fast, fair and funded phase-out of fossil fuels to prevent further climate catastrophe.
Climate activists on the South Bank, London. Photo credit: Yui Mok/PA
In Africa, more than 70 events are planned across more than 20 countries, ranging from rallies to theatrical performances, with Kenya and Nigeria each hosting more than 10 actions. Meanwhile, in Asia as well, more than 70 coordinated demonstrations are taking place in 62 cities in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India, with many targeting coal-fired power plants in protest against the alarming expansion of new coal projects in the region.
To be compliant with the goal of the 2015 Paris Agreement, the transition out of oil, gas and coal must be done at a pace and scale required to keep the global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius.
However, several Global North countries are reportedly going in the opposite direction. They are said to continue their fossil fuel expansion and provide billions in fossil fuel subsidies, and even prop up fossil fuel expansion in the Global South with public and private investments.
Lidy Nacpil, of Asian Peoples Movement on Debt and Development and Global Campaign Demand Climate Justice, said: “The climate crisis is escalating rapidly, yet global coal use and capacity is at an all-time high. Global North nations are bankrolling coal expansion in Asia, despite their leaders’ COP28 commitment to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. We are calling on Asian governments to stop the expansion of coal in our countries and implement a rapid, equitable and just phase-out of existing coal. We demand a stop to direct and indirect public and private financing of coal. New electricity demand can be met with renewable energy, which is less costly, quicker to build, easier to make accessible to all communities and reduces reliance on imported fuels.”
The rallies kick off a global week of action ahead of Climate Week NYC (September 22-29) when world leaders assemble for the UN General Assembly and the first UN Summit of the Future where they will agree a Pact for the Future. Drafts of the pact have already seen a commitment to transition away from fossil fuels come and go – although it has been reinstated in the latest version.
Tasneem Essop, Executive Director of Climate Action Network International, said: “We demand action, not empty words. Rich nations call for a transition away from fossil fuels but do little to reduce their own emissions, and instead we are seeing their continued oil, gas and coal expansion. This double standard perpetuates the colonial legacy, and disproportionately devastates communities in the Global South. Africa, Asia, and Latin America & the Caribbean are paying the price with lost lives, destroyed infrastructure, and ruined livelihoods. Rich nations must lead and end the expansion of fossil fuels.”
Asad Rehman, Executive Director of War on Want and the Climate Justice Coalition, said: “For centuries, people, animals, and the environment – whole ecosystems, predominantly across the Global South – have been treated as resources to be extracted, exploited, and consumed for huge profit. But enough is enough. It’s time for rich Global North countries, including here in the UK, and multinational corporations to be held accountable for their roles in causing the climate crisis. We’re calling for Global North governments to commit to a fair and equitable transition away from fossil fuels and to pay up for the damage they have caused.”
Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, WWF Global Climate and Energy Lead, former Minister of Environment for Peru, and COP20 President, said: “As we see climate records being shattered, the political importance of the energy transition is even more compelling and urgent. But the truth is that fossil fuel use is still rising, subsidies for fossil fuels remain in place, and new exploration projects are being announced. We are at a pivotal moment in time to secure a liveable and sustainable future for our planet. A rapid and fundamental transformation of the energy system is essential if we are to have any hope of limiting warming to 1.5°C. Countries must do everything possible to accelerate the phase out of fossil fuels in a fair, fast and equitable way, and enable the rapid scale up of renewable energy in this decisive decade. To fail at this, will be to fail future generations.”
Peter Kafwimbi, Founder and President of the Kankomwila Foundation, said: “My country Zambia, like many nations, is bearing the brunt of climate change, with a recent drought and maize shortages causing widespread hunger. The Global Week of Action for Climate Finance and a Fossil-Free Future is a wake-up call for world leaders and corporations to take immediate action. We demand they #PayUp for the damage caused by fossil fuel-driven climate crises and invest in sustainable solutions that can prevent further devastation. Our communities cannot afford more delays; it’s time to ensure a just, resilient future for all.”
Marta Schaaf, Director of Amnesty International’s Climate, Economic and Social Justice and Corporate Accountability Programme, said: “Climate change is a justice issue: it is producing a human rights crisis of climate injustice, racial injustice, gender injustice, intergenerational injustice and debt injustice. Lives, health, livelihoods and the right to a healthy environment of billions are at risk, especially of the most marginalised, yet historical emitting countries and high-income fossil fuel producers are failing to take the urgent steps we need for a full, fast, fair and funded phase out of all fossil fuels. We demand that states deliver on their human rights obligations to rapidly and equitably end fossil fuel production and use.”
Christine Allen, Director of CAFOD, the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, said: “The time for rich countries to pay up their fair share of climate finance is long overdue. It’s vulnerable communities that are on the frontlines of this emergency, despite doing the least to cause it – we need fairer taxes and debt cancellation now to make sure it’s polluters who pay, not the poorest.”
Laurie van der Burg, Public Finance co-lead at Oil Change International, said: “Fair fossil fuel phaseout needs fair funding. Countries agreed to phase out fossil fuels at COP28, and now it’s time to pay up. There is no shortage of public money available for rich countries to pay their fair share on fair terms. They can free up trillions in grants and grant-equivalent finance by ending fossil fuel handouts, making polluters pay and changing unfair financial rules. This will help countries deliver strong national climate plans next year that end new fossil fuel expansion, and secure our last chance to avoid breaching deadly temperature limits.”
Graham Gordon, Head of Global Advocacy and Policy at Christian Aid, said: “With temperatures soaring above 46 degrees across Asia, record-breaking wildfires raging across North America and Canada and catastrophic flooding in many parts of Africa and the Caribbean, it’s time for drastic action. Too many people’s lives depend on it. We need actions not words at the UN Summits later this month. And that means an end to all investment in fossil fuels and a new, fair and ambitious climate financing goal, with rich polluting oil companies paying their fair share.”
Susann Scherbarth, Head of Climate Justice, Friends of the Earth Germany (BUND e.V.), said: “It’s time for a serious, swift, and well-funded phase-out of fossil fuels. Germany must lead by ending subsidies to the fossil fuel industry and urgently addressing its gas dependency. The German government cannot accept false solutions such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) or hydrogen produced from fossil fuels, which fail to achieve real, drastic emission reductions. The deadly climate crisis must drive more people into the streets, demanding bold and immediate action. Germany’s leadership is essential now to ensure a just transition away from fossil fuels.”
Federico Sibaja, IMF Campaign Manager at Recourse, said: “The World Bank and the IMF, controlled by wealthy Northern countries, are shaping the Global South’s climate policy for their own gain, by ensuring juicy interest repayments on climate loans and privatising climate action. These institutions cannot be part of the solution, as they even continue to lock in fossil fuel dependence in debt-ridden countries.”
Ogunlade Olamide, the Senior Programme Manager, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), said: ‘’It is worrying that climate finance is being reduced to charity and business by entities responsible for the crises when coping capacities of impacted frontline communities are almost exhausted. We demand that this parasitic system must STOP, Its people over profit and not the opposite.’’
Elise Åsnes, President of Spire, a Norwegian youth NGO, said: “Norway has a historical responsibility for the climate crisis, but is nowhere near taking its responsibility. Their solutions are cowardly, fake and fossil. Norway has to implement real and comprehensive climate policies, and stop greenwashing their oil with potential CCS-technology.”
Patrick Brown, Campaigns and Operations Director at Equal Right, said: “The Global Week of Action for Climate Finance and a Fossil-Free Future is an opportunity to redouble and renew our efforts to end fossil fuel extraction and identify the means by which we can raise the trillions required annually for climate justice and a justice transition. We must put in place measures to equitably end extraction, make polluters pay and redistribute global wealth with the people of the world.”
Africa’s youth have been called upon to embrace engineering as a key driver of development and innovation across the continent.
Coss-section of Women in Tech the who attended the 10th Annual UNESCO Africa Engineering Week in Nairobi, Kenya
Speaking at the 10th annual UNESCO Africa Engineering Week – High-Level Workshop held in Nairobi – Kenya on Thursday, September 12, 2024, Maureen Mwaniki, Director of Public Affairs and Policy at Huawei Kenya, said the shortage of engineers in Africa, and the rest of the world was a cause for concern.
“There has been declining interest in the profession from the youth, with the enrolment of young people, especially women in the profession dwindling. The continent is facing a situation where there are a lot of older more experienced engineers, but not enough young candidate engineers entering the profession. Our ability to sustain the profession lies in the number of young people choosing engineering as a career,” Mwaniki said.
She noted that Africa’s future depends on its youth embracing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, particularly engineering, which lies at the core of solving the continent’s most pressing challenges.
“The growing need for infrastructure, clean energy, and climate resilience offers a unique opportunity for engineers to shape Africa’s path toward sustainable growth. But more efforts need to be put in attracting younger people, especially women, to the profession,” Mwaniki said.
“Women, in particular, need to step out of their comfort zones and grab the opportunities that are offered by companies such as Huawei. Programs like Seeds for the future, ICT Competition, Women Collaboration programmes with our partners, etc will help expose the Women Engineers to advanced technologies that can enable them to create solutions for their country.”
The Africa Engineering Week provides a platform for government representatives, industry leaders, and academia to discuss policy frameworks and partnerships that can accelerate engineering education and innovation on the continent.
Celebrated across the region every year, UNESCO Africa Engineering Week promotes engineering solutions and awareness among students, society and policy-makers. It aims to inspire and educate youth and the public on the vital role of engineers in societies.
This year’s edition is hosted by the Ordem dos Engenheiros de Angola in Luanda, Angola, and organised jointly by UNESCO, the World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO) and the Federation of African Engineering Organisations (FAEO).
It will include the 8th Africa Engineering Conference, the 7th Africa Women Engineers Forum, the Young Engineers Forum and a Business-to-Business (B2B) session. These events will focus on sustainability and innovative infrastructures; engineering and acceleration of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) implementation; and engineering education and capacity building.
“This year’s theme, ‘Engineering and for Sustainable Development’, highlights the urgent need for technical solutions to address challenges such as climate change, infrastructure development, and digital transformation,” Mwaniki said.
