A Dutch appeals court has ruled that Royal Dutch Shell can be held liable for oil spills at its Nigerian subsidiary. The decision overturns a ruling by a lower court in 2013, which found the parent company could not be held liable.
Two of the four Nigerian farmers (Chief Fidelis A. Oguru-Oruma (left) and Eric Dooh) sit in the law courts in The Hague on October 11, 2012. The four farmers take on Shell in a Dutch court, accusing the oil giant of destroying their livelihoods in a case that could set a precedent for global environmental responsibility. Photo credit: AFP / ANP / ROBIN UTRECHT
Observers believe that the ruling, passed on Friday (December 18, 2015), could open the way for more cases against the multi-national company.
Judges in The Hague ordered Shell to make available to the court documents that might shed light on the cause of the oil spills and whether leading managers were aware of them.
The legal dispute dates back to 2008 when four Nigerian farmers and campaign group, Friends of the Earth, filed suit against the oil company in Netherlands, where its global headquarters is based.
“Shell can be taken to court in the Netherlands for the effects of the oil spills,” the court ruling stated on Friday.
“Shell is also ordered to provide access to documents that could shed more light on the cause of the leaks.”
Judge Hans van der Klooster said the court had also found that it “has jurisdiction in the case against Shell and its subsidiary in Nigeria”. The case has been adjourned till March for hearing.
The ruling was hailed by rights groups as a victory for victims of environmental pollution worldwide, while Shell said it was disappointed.
For instance, the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) welcomed the court ruling, urging other Niger Delta communities to institute similar action against the company for years of pollution.
Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC), said in a statement: “We are disappointed the Dutch court has determined it should assume international jurisdiction over SPDC.”
“We believe allegations concerning Nigerian plaintiffs in dispute with a Nigerian company, over issues which took place within Nigeria, should be heard in Nigeria,” it said.
Shell has always blamed the leakages on sabotage which under Nigerian law would mean it is not liable to pay compensation. But the Dutch court said on Friday: “It is too early to assume that the leaks were caused by sabotage.”
“The ruling is unique and can pave the way for victims of environmental pollution and human rights abuses worldwide to turn to the Netherlands for legal redress when a Dutch company is involved,” Friends of the Earth Netherlands said in a statement.
Four farmers and fishermen, backed by Friends of the Earth, first filed the case against Shell in the Netherlands in 2008, demanding a clean-up oil spills in their communities, prevention of further spills and payment of compensation for the ruins caused by Shell.
In January 2013 a lower Dutch court threw out most of the lawsuit, saying the communities could not hold Shell’s parent company in Netherlands responsible for the pollution which has for years ruined their environment.
At the time, the judges said Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary was partly responsible and ordered it to compensate farmers and fishermen in one claim, in Ikot Ada Udo in Akwa Ibom State, but not in the three other claims from Oruma community and Goi in Bayelsa and Rivers respectively.
In the ruling on Friday, the court said that the farmers may take their case against Shell to a judge in the Netherlands, meaning Dutch courts have jurisdiction in the case against Shell and its subsidiary in Nigeria.
Describing the landmark ruling, Geert Ritsema of Friends of the Earth International said: “There is now jurisprudence that means victims of human rights violations or pollution can sue Dutch multinationals in the Netherlands”
ERA/FoEN Executive Director, Godwin Uyi Ojo, said: “Today, we have recorded yet another victory for communities that have been under the yoke of Shell. This ruling sets a landmark precedent that opens the doors for impacted communities to sue Shell in Netherlands for the negligence of its subsidiaries in their part of the world.
“Shell would have preferred that this controversy dragged for eternity until the farmers become weary and give up, but the decision of the appeal court has turned the table on them. The resilience of the farmers will earn them victory”
Ojo recommended that other impacted communities now take their destinies in their hands, even as he added that “we firmly believe that justice will finally be served for communities tossed here and there by Shell’s attempts to evade justice in communities where it pollutes with impunity.”
According to Ojo, the case of the four Nigerian farmers is only the tip of the iceberg. “For decades, Nigeria has been the stage of the largest oil spill on earth. Over the years, an amount of oil double to that of the sinking of the Deep Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 has leaked into the environment. A 2011 report published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) shows Shell doing far too little to clean up the leaked oil.”
Akwa Ibom State will hold its first ever Climate Change Summit next year, the governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has said.
Emmanuel, who made the disclosure on Tuesday (December 15, 2015) in Lagos, pointed out that, against the backdrop of the recently decided Paris Agreement, the state has concluded plans to develop a State Policy on Climate Change and establish 10 Forest Reserves in the next four years.
L-R: Prince Lekan Fadina (Executive Director, CISME), Shuaib Aremu M. Temitope (Managing Director, Sharmade Nigeria Limited), Olawale Akinwumi (Chief Operating Officer, Africa Clean Energy Summit), Dr Beatrice Ubeku (Focal Person, West African Women Association / Founder, Women care Association of Nigeria), Dr. Iniobong Essien (Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Environment & Mineral Resources), Prof. Samuel Wara (Director, Centre for Research, Innovation & Discovery at Covenant University, Ota), Gbolahan Okanlawon Adedotun (Managing Director, The Environment Communications Limited), Aisha Gaido (Researcher, Impact of climate change on health) and Dr Victor Fodeke (Director-General, Africa Energy Summit), at the Post COP21 Dialogue in Lagos …December 15, 2015
The governor, in a keynote address at the Post COP21 Dialogue that had “Climate Agreement at COP21: Success, Implementation & Implications for Africa & Nigeria” as its theme, noted that the state would likewise embark on the comprehensive survey and mapping of forest estates as well as development of the state’s REDD+ Readiness Plan. He added that government would raise 20,000 seedlings for the first phase of the climate change mitigation and REDD+ strategies for the state.
Represented by the Commissioner for Environment & Mineral Resources, Dr. Iniobong Essien, the governor stressed that, in line with government’s strategic plans, it will establish Climate Change Desks in Line Ministries, while building the capacity of Ministerial / Line Ministries Staff, NGOs/CBOs and Media on climate change-related issues.
His words: “The planned Independent Power Plant (IPP) project will utilise the abundant natural gas in the state, which will also be made available for Industrial and domestic use.
“Government has acquired additional 803 square kilometer of land for her afforestation programmes. There are also stretches of old growth African Rainforest in difficult-to-access areas along the coast and boundary of Cross River State and the Cameroons. Protected forests under communities’ control exist in such places as Obong Itam (GEF supported), Ukpom Ikono and Ukanafun.
“The pristine forest at Obong Itam and Stubbs Creek forest reserve are home to the endangered Sclatter Guenon, which is endemic in these area. These ungazetted protected forests are estimated to cover about 1368.5 km2 bringing the State’s total forests cover to 1682.4km2 or 20% of forested area.”
Director-General, Africa Clean Energy Summit, Dr Victor Fodeke, attempting an overview of COP21, said: “COP21 has become one of the most successful COPs in the history of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework on Climate Change). It ushers in a new era of defining moment of global decarbonisation of our production and consumption lifestyle. Through 100% decentralised renewable energy systems that is built on the strategic platform of energy efficiency – as advocated by Africa Clean Energy Summit/Group’s ‘Energy Efficiency First for Africa’.
“Thanks to the earlier indefatigable climate change diplomacy of President Barak Obama that rallied support of China, India and Brazil. However, the world must rally round to back their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) with pragmatic mitigation, financial and technical support for developing countries to drastically reduce the gigatonnes of GHGs to avert global catastrophic consequences.”
Organised by the Africa Clean Energy Summit and Federal Ministry of Environment in conjunction with the Akwa Ibom State Government, the daylong Post COP21 Dialogue featured panel presentations on: Impact of COP21 on Africa, Climate Solutions/Carbon Credits/Carbon Price/REDD+, Climate Change & Public Health, Impacts of COP21 on Africa, Role of Youth in Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation and Akwa Ibom at COP21 – The Experience.
Federal Minister of Environment, Mrs. Amina Mohammed, apparently making good her commitment to do more in implementing the recently decided Paris Agreement on Climate Change, has embarked on the inspection of some climate impacted sites and areas of environmental concern across the country.
Environment Minister, Amina Mohammed, beside the remains of a structure destroyed by coastal erosion at Alpha Beach, Lagos
Her first port of call was Lagos where, on Tuesday (December 15, 2015), she led a team of officers of the Ministry of Environment and National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and representative of the civil society in the state to inspect three sites in the former federal capital city. The impacted sites include: Alpha Beach in Lekki, Kuramo Beach on Victoria Island and Makoko Community at Yaba.
Alpha Beach
According to an engineer from the Ministry of Environment who conducted the minister and her team round the beach, Alpha Beach used to be one of the top beaches in Lagos State before coastal erosion, as a result of sea level rise, started to cause massive destruction on properties around the shoreline and the close by Okun Alpha community. The beach shoreline used to be about 150 meters away from the houses that are facing the shoreline but the ocean has swallowed the 150 meters’ setback in the last couple of years, destroying all the houses along the shoreline including the community health centre, business outlets and dwelling units, said the engineer.
The ruins of the properties and the losses and damages as a result of the sea level rise are conspicuously visible around the shoreline. Some of the residents of the community have been forced to relocate further inland while several others have resorted to squatting on available vacant land around the beach due to inability to afford the rents to secure alternative accommodation.
A resident of the community said: “Every year, the water keeps coming at us, and the devastation has been unprecedented in recent years. About two weeks ago, the community was flooded including the Baale’s (Community Chief’s) house which was about two streets away from the shoreline.”
Some members of the community believe that the flooding was caused by the dredging of the bar beach and the sand filling (land reclamation) of some parts of the ocean to create the Eko Atlantic City, a mixed-use real estate development project that has been dogged by controversy.
But the engineer could not ascertain whether the incessant sea level rise in recent years at the beach was caused by the dredging of the Bar beach and the Eko Atlantic City project. According to him, the dredging of the Bar Beach began in 1990 which predates the unprecedented sea level rise and the resultant flooding. He was, however, of the opinion that the ocean rise is caused by the effects of abandoned shipwrecks within the stretch of the Lagos coastline which, according to him, was acting as a groin to disturb the free flow of the water and the creation of the east and west moles.
The government recently constructed two groins on the water to protect the shoreline from erosion. The groins were constructed with hard rocks and sand and are designed to trap sand from the waters. The minister and her team walked on the groins to see the effect of the flow of waters around the groins before inspecting the damaged properties along the shoreline. The engineer underlined the need to construct more groins but the challenge, he added, is that the cost of constructing more groins could be very high.
The minister spoke with the members of the community who lamented the neglect of government despite their plight. They however requested the minister to visit the community again so that she can be given detailed account of the impacts of the sea level rise.
The minister with her entourage at the Eko Atlantic City project site
Kuramo Beach
One of the engineers working at the site of the Eko Atlantic City project took the minister and her team around the estate and explained the progress made so far. The minister stood on the five-metre wall built as a shield around the estate.
According to the engineer, the wall is five meters high because the highest wave that has ever been recorded on the beach is about five metres. He disclosed that there is a plan to add additional three metres to the wall as a safeguard. The Eko Atlantic City is expected to stretch up to Goshen Beach Estate in Lekki, another shoreline development being threatened by sea level rise and coastal erosion. The rate of erosion along the Kuramo Beach cannot be measured yet but the Eko Atlantic City project is expected to reduce erosion around the beach, stated the engineer, adding that the sand being used for reclamation is pumped from the ocean at three separate sites which is about 20 nautical miles into the ocean.
“The walls were built with rock groins which is expected to last for about 50 years. The Eko Atlantic City project has a two-year delivery plan,” he said.
Makoko Community
The minister and her entourage was led by Abel Enikanologbon, the former secretary for Women Affairs at Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) into the Makoko-on-water Community through a wooden boat paddled by local boat men in the community.
Makoko Community in Lagos
The surroundings of the community appeared unkempt, the water looked dirty and many of the houses were built on stilts with solid waste being the foundation of the houses. The community displayed shabby looking schools, and a hotel where women of easy virtue hibernate. Most social and commercial activities take place on water as women, children and men were seen parading their wares on the boat. Boys and girls who seem less than five years old were seen paddling boats by themselves on the water and going about their different chores.
The minister was at the floating school but she was not allowed to go inside the school by some community touts who felt she ought to have informed them before coming. The minister observed different logging activities around, and fumes from the nearby Oko-Baba Sawmill and saw dust were very visible from the boat.
A representative of the community explained that the Lagos Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) has three offices in the community and they come to collect refuse from the community on a weekly basis. He added that this is not enough as the community generates a considerable amount of waste and even some of the wastes are dumped into the water. This explains why the water channel is full of dirt and partially blocked, he added.
The population of Makoko community living on water is more than those on the land. The community comprises Egun, Ijaws and Ilaje people. The overall community leader of Makoko is Raymond Olaiya Akinsemoyin, a lawyer. The community lacks portable water, sanitation services and toilets.
Way out
It was obvious that the Makoko community needs a thorough clean up and behavioral change to sustain the clean up. Waste-to-wealth initiatives and introduction of clean cooking solution through the use of brickets could be introduced into the community. These projects will need to be more focused and mobilise the inclusive participation of the community to foster a supportive environment for the initiatives to succeed.
Some of the important recommendations coming from the inspection include:
Construction of more groins at Alpha Beach
Close monitoring of Eko Atlantic City project to ensure it is not causing environmental problems
Employment of experts to investigate the cause of the Alpha Beach sea level rise and proffer solutions
Regeneration and possible relocation of the Makoko community
Introduction of a waste-to-wealth programme, including clean cooking solutions in Makoko community
The inspection was obviously an eye opener. It gave the minister the opportunity to see firsthand the impacts of climate change and the loss and damages arising therefrom. She was able to understand some of the underlining issues behind some environmental challenges in Lagos State and how to set priorities to address them.
By Titilope Akosa (Executive Director, Centre for 21st Century Issues)
A recent survey by the George Mason University’s Centre for Climate Change Communication has found that majority of voters in the United States of America prefer candidates who support actions to address the menace of climate change.
Too often, the debate about climate change in the US is portrayed as one between Democrats and Republicans. In fact, study has shown that it’s not. It is, indeed, a debate between most Americans and conservative Republicans.
GMU’s national survey finds that majority of registered Democrats, Independents and liberal and moderate Republicans want climate action, will vote for candidates who will support it and represent the mainstream of American voters. The survey also finds that conservative Republicans’ views are often different than the rest of American voters.
For example:
Registered voters are more likely to vote for a presidential candidate who strongly supports action to reduce global warming (36% are more likely to vote for such a candidate, 16% are less likely). Only conservative Republicans are less likely to vote for such a candidate.
Likewise, registered voters are lesslikely to vote for a presidential candidate who strongly opposes action to reduce global warming (43% are less likely, 13% are more likely). Only conservative Republicans are more likely (slightly) to vote for a candidate who strongly opposes action to reduce global warming.
The 21stUnited Nations Climate Change Conference (often referred to as COP21) recently concluded in Paris, leading to an international agreement to reduce global warming pollution. Prior to the start of the conference, six in 10 Americans (62%) said that it was moderately or more important that the world reach an agreement in Paris to limit global warming. This opinion was most widely held by liberal Democrats – nearly nine in 10 (87%) said it was important to reach a climate agreement in Paris. At least six in 10 moderate/conservative Democrats (68%), Independents (62%), and liberal/moderate Republicans (65%) also thought it was important to reach an agreement. By contrast, only about one in three conservative Republicans (36%) thought reaching an agreement was important.
The survey also finds that the number of Americans who know that most climate scientists think human-caused global warming is happening has increased in the past year and a half.
In a recent study investigating the degree of scientific consensus on climate change, researchers determined that 97% of climate scientists are convinced human-caused global warming is happening. By comparison, American registered voters, on average, estimate that six in 10 climate scientists are convinced (59%), an estimate that has increased since Spring 2014, when Americans estimated that just 50% of scientists are convinced. Democrats’ estimates improved the most (from median estimates of 69% of scientists in Spring 2014 to 75% in Fall 2015), followed by conservative Republicans (from 46% to 50%, respectively).
These findings suggest that efforts to communicate the scientific consensus about human-caused global warming are beginning to pay off.
The report includes many more insights about how Republicans, Democrats and Independents are responding to climate change, including recent positive trends among conservative Republicans.
President of the Lagos-based Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE), Anthony Akpan, at the instance of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recently attended a three-day meeting of the Advisory Group for the UNEA-2 Marine Litter Study, of which he is a member representing the Gender and Water Alliance (GWA) in the Netherlands.
Mr Anthony Akpan (second right) with other participants at the meeting of the Advisory Group for the UNEA-2 Marine Litter Study in Nairobi, Kenya.. December 8, 2015
The meeting was held from 8 to 10 December 2015, and was hosted by UNEP at its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. The meeting was co-chaired by Nigeria (Dr Felicia Chinwe Mogo from the Nigeria Maritime Management and Safety Agency) and France (Ms. Marion Gust from the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy).
The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) of UNEP is the highest level of governance of global environmental affairs in the UN system. UNEA-2 will be one of the first High-Level Intergovernmental Fora following the UN Sustainable Development Summit in New York (September 2015) and the UN Climate Change Conference ( COP 21 and CMP 11) that held recently in Paris, France.
UNEA-2 will be held under the overarching theme, “Delivering on the Environmental Dimension of the Post-2015 Development Agenda” and will take place from Monday, 23 to Friday, 27 May 2016 at the headquarters of UNEP, with the High-Level Segment taking place from 26 to 27 May 2016. UNEA 2 will be preceded by the Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum (GMGSF) to be held on 21 and 22 May 2016 in Nairobi, Kenya.
The UNEA 2 High-Level Segment will bring together ministers from all UN member states and will include a multi-stakeholder dialogue involving also heads of inter-governmental and non-governmental organisations including the private sector under the call of “Healthy Environment – Healthy People”.
According to Mr. Akpan, this thematic focus will allow all relevant actors to identify concrete tools available to take an integrated and universal approach to the implementation of the SDGs, including those related to critical areas such as air quality, healthy ecosystems, chemicals, waste and others that may emerge in the preparatory process as well as do develop strategic, multi-stakeholder partnerships to address ongoing and emerging environmental issues.
He said: “For UNEP, it is of utmost importance to ensure the participation of leaders of Civil Society organisations, alongside heads of United Nations sister organisations, programmes and treaty bodies. Only with their active involvement and participation can UNEA become the major platform for international environmental governance, as envisaged at the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD).”
He disclosed that Major Groups and Stakeholders (MGS) are invited to contribute to the development of Global Thematic Report on Healthy Planet and Healthy People through a planned E-discussion as well as during the multi-stakeholder and regional consultative meetings on the way to UNEA2. Of particular interest to MGS will be the planned adoption of the draft Stakeholder Engagement Policy during UNEA-2, Mr Akpan added.
Cross River State of Nigeria is among the almost 700 major regions, cities, companies and investors from around the globe who on Wednesday pledged their support for the Paris Agreement, which emerged on Saturday at the close of the UN climate change conference (COP21) in Paris, France.
Gov Ben Ayade of Cross River State at the COP
Last week at the COP, governments of the world under the UN united in action on climate change by adopting the Paris Agreement, the first universal, legally binding climate change deal. The agreement will spur a transformation of global growth and development and open the door to a low-carbon, stable, sustainable future, the French Presidency of COP21 said.
And in the spirit of the milestone development, regions and business on Wednesday promised to quickly and effectively help implement the Paris Agreement and accelerate the transformative changes needed to meet the climate change challenge.
L’Appel de Paris, or the Paris Pledge for Action, is a call to action in support of the Paris Agreement which brings together a multitude of voices on an unprecedented scale within a single, collective statement: “We welcome the adoption of a new, universal climate agreement at COP 21 in Paris, which is a critical step on the path to solving climate change. We pledge our support to ensuring that the level of ambition set by the agreement is met or exceeded.”
According to the UNFCCC, the landmark pledge is a clear signal that the message sent by the negotiations has been received loud and clear and that cities, regions, business, investors and other non-state actors are now ready and willing to stand shoulder to shoulder, alongside governments, to implement the terms of the agreement.
“This is our best opportunity to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius – and pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees – and raise ambition even before the agreement takes effect in 2020,” the UN body declared in a statement.
Essentially, L’Appel de Paris is an inclusive initiative by the French Presidency of COP21 that invites all businesses, regions, cities, and investors to join and vow to act on the outcomes of the Paris UN Climate Change Agreement. It has already been signed by over 400 businesses, 150 cities and regions and 120 investors controlling $11 trillion in assets.
Initial signatories include businesses such as Acciona, Allianz, Mars, Kellogg’s, Tata Group, Unilever; investors like Lloyd’s and Aviva; megacities such as New York, Johannesburg, Quezon City, Hong Kong, Rio De Janeiro and Mexico City; and regions such as Cross River State (Nigeria), Scotland (UK), Chiapas (Mexico) and California (United States).
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, President of COP 21, said: “Non-state actor leadership is key to the success of COP21 and to the effective transition to a low-emissions and climate-resilient future. The world needs you to step up and rise to the challenges of climate change and sustainable development. This is why I strongly encourage you to take bold actions and make ambitious commitments, both individually and collectively, register them on NAZCA, and sign on to the Paris Pledge for Action, to make sure the commitments made in Paris by governments are achieved or even exceeded.”
Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), said: “COP21 was a landmark, and not just for the Paris Agreement by governments. The extraordinary momentum witnessed before and during the UN conference by cities, provinces, regions, companies and citizens was also a hallmark.
“The Paris Pledge for Action is about taking that momentum to the next level in support of nations as they work towards raising ambition up to 2020 and well beyond—it is about building ever more support by non-state actors who are aligning with government policy as never before.”
The pledge uniquely incorporates under one roof a diverse range of entities that are already committed to quickly mitigate emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. These non-state actors include members of the Under 2 MOU, the White House Act on Climate Pledge, the Montreal Carbon Pledge, the Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI) Initiative, the We Mean Business ‘Road to Paris’ initiatives, the Paris City Hall Declaration, ICLEI and many more. The pledge is open to more signatories and will spread around the world. All non-state actors are invited to join this call to action in support of the Paris Agreement.
Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State at the COP said that the application of renewable energy solution as a measure to minimise climate change challenges is un-African.
Speaking at the Climate Change Conference in Paris, Governor Ayade said that applying renewable energy as a solution to mitigating the effect of climate change will mean that developing countries like Nigeria may have to stop the exploration of its hydro-carbon.
Ayade noted that the exploration of hydro-carbon is key to the development of the economies of a good number of African countries.
He said that there has been so much talk about measure against the challenges of climate changes but that the commitments to these agreements has been very weak. He was of the opinion that the major resources for African nations are the forests while for the Europeans, it is their technologies.
He explained that while Europeans are struggling to sell technologies to Africans, they (Europeans) are telling African to stop deforestation so that carbon can be conserved.
“Renewable energy is not the way for Africans at this point in time, renewable energy means put an end to the sale of your hydro carbon, it means Nigeria should stop exporting crude oil, but they are busy doing research, inventing technology using solar energy and wind power. When all of that happens, when the oil price goes down, when you stop producing oil, what are you going to use as an alternative?
“The in balancing of the livelihood that is the alternative to that renewable energy must follow with development, must follow with technology, Africa cannot be in a haste to adopt renewable technology. I would rather have you use fossil fuel with mitigate measures than to cap it and focus on renewable energy.
“While that technology works for them, it is harmful for our economy and until we provide an alternative economy for now. We cannot cap it.”
He advised that Africa should shut its doors and reinvent itself.
According to Ayade, there has been a growing concern about the reality of climate change, adding that adaptation is not the way to go. He explained that adaptation is like accepting the situation and learning to live with it.
Ayade, who led the African Governors Forum to the forum, said that mitigation as against adaptation is the way to go.
He said: “My optimism has since been burnt to cold impotent ash because strong commitments are very weak and the applicability of all the discussions are not seen in the course of time, so essentially, there is this strong feeling that there is so much talk with little work.
“But far more importantly is the growing concern that climate change is real, as real as it is , African must continue to survive and feed.
Our key resource is our forest, for the developed country, their key resource is their technology. So while they struggle to send technology into Africa, we are told to stop deforestation and maintain our forest stock so we can conserve carbon.”
“As Africans, we must shut our doors and reinvent ourselves, adaptation is not the way to go because it is adjusting yourself.”
“In all of these, there is very little Africa is doing in terms of technology, in terms of even mechanical cultivation of young plants that have capacity for the assimilation of carbon dioxide.
“We have also been very inefficient. But I ask you as we come here for COP 21 what is Africa’s position, what have we brought to the negotiation table, we cannot continue to play the role of a victim,
“Africans own the largest tropical rainforest; we stand at the middle between the West and the East. It is that place that sinks all the carbon dioxide that comes even from the US, Canada, Asia, they all come into Africa.
Africa must have a stronger say and have their own pre COP conference before they come to COP. Africa’s negotiation must be single, firm, clear. Africa cannot come cap in hand always looking for alms.
“That is what I want to say that Africa must stop coming to the international community to seek funds, we must seek technology, seek equality and relevance, because indeed, it is one of the most blessed continent.
“And as a professor of Environmental Science and the leader of the African Governors Forum for Climate Change these are some of the articulations I made in some of the side events I attended.
“Today, our black colour is no longer a colour but an attitude, the black man signifies the man who comes and say we don’t have money, that has to end we don’t have the earthquakes that characterize their environment, so why is Africa always on the international scene seeking fund? Why don’t you seek partnership, why don’t you seek technology? Let’s put an end to that.”
The Nigerian Debt Management Office (DMO), touted as a model in Africa, has become a major destination for out-sourced debt management skills and services in nearly two decades of its existence.
Dr. Abraham Nwankwo, head of the DMO. Photo credit: newsexpressngr.com
The DMO under the leadership of Dr. Abraham Nwankwo has been galvanised to become a leading player in sub-Sahara Africa. And the achievements it has recorded so far has earned it many accolades from renowned global institutions, as it has become a one-stop-shop for effective public debt management.
It will be recalled that the DMO resuscitated the Domestic Bond Market in 2003 when it first issued FGN Bonds. This landmark achievement was intended to restructure the Government’s domestic borrowing which was predominantly short term and to develop the domestic bond market which had been moribund for about 20 years. To achieve these objectives, the DMO in collaboration with other stakeholders introduced several measures to deepen the market amongst which are: regular and transparent FGN Bond Auctions; the appointment of dedicated market makers known as Primary Dealer Market Makers to support the Bond Auctions and ensure an active Secondary Market; a Two-Way Quote based market; existence of Benchmark Bonds; a Sovereign Yield Curve Extending to 20 years and, a diversified domestic investor base.
In essence, a strong and well established domestic bond market had been developed through inherent local capacity without any foreign facilitation.
Based on the achievement of the DMO, the Nigerian Bond Market received international recognitions through the inclusion of FGN Bonds in Global Bond Indices. The inclusions were recognition that Nigeria was one of the few emerging market countries with a robust domestic bond market. Thus, FGN Bonds were included in J P Morgan’s GBI – EM (October, 2012) and Barclays Capital’s Emerging Markets – Local Currency Bond Index (March, 2013).
Since these awards came after the Nigerian Bond Market had been developed, it follows therefore, that they were recognitions for achievements already recorded rather than pre-requisites for the development of the market.
It is important to note that Nigeria became the only African country after South Africa to be included in the GBI – EM and also that there are several other emerging market countries such as Venezuela whose domestic Bonds are not included in any international Bond Index. Their non-inclusion has not limited their markets or economies.
Notwithstanding the benefits of the inclusion of FGN Bonds in the GBI – EM, the DMO continued to introduce measures to attract more domestic investors to the Bond market particularly, non-bank institutions and retail investors in order to enlarge and diversify the Nigerian economy.
Despite the delisting of FGN Bonds from J P Morgan, the Director General of the Debt Management Office, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo, insisted that the Nigerian economy remains on a growing path, arguing that the country is operating at near full unemployment of its resources. This, he said leaves the country with all the potentials for real growth.
He also said a country like Nigeria that is yet to tap into its huge solid mineral resources and a well fallowed agriculture sector, then the potential for growth is incalculable.
According to him Nigeria had its own Bond Market before JP Morgan ventured in, and that the Nigerian Bond market has been developing before they joined and that their exit mean little or nothing to the existence of the FGN Bond Market.
Nigeria’s economy has been described as one of the most attractive investment destinations in the emerging markets despite the headwind blowing across most oil producing nations since 2014, and according Nwankwo, the country’s economy will be attractive to investors all the time because Nigeria is still a virgin and a great place for both local and foreign investors.
Since its inception in 2000, the DMO which was primarily established to centrally coordinate the country’s debt has attracted the interest of a host of African countries including Uganda, Sudan, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya and recently South Sudan, to learn Nigeria’s experience in public debt management.
Coming at a time when their country was battling with stifling foreign and local debt, it was inevitable that the attention of the world was glued to the DMO having saved Nigeria from its debt crises and for the unprecedented success of the FGN Bond Market, particularly in reducing debt stock and cost of public debt servicing in a manner that saves resources for investment in poverty reduction programmes.
Back in 2006, Uganda came on a study tour to Nigeria on two occasions, when a delegation came to learn from the DMO model as a basis for institutional arrangement.
In its desire to further developing of its bond market alongside building strategic alliances, the Bank of Uganda also sought to engage Nigeria’s Debt Management Office (DMO), in its capacity as a frontline regulator for all secondary market activities and a platform provider for the efficient listing, quoting and trading of bonds. Whilst acknowledging the impact of the DMO in the Nigerian financial market landscape, with emphasis on technology as a key enabler of its activities, the representatives noted that effective collaboration with other domestic and international financial market infrastructures such as DMO will serve to foster active market development in the Ugandan financial market and encourage cross-border capacity building.
Sudan also came on a study tour to Nigeria on two occasions. The first delegation came in December 12-16, 2005 to learn the workings of the DMO and its interface with stakeholders.
Similarly, another delegation from the External Debt Management Unit in the Central Bank of Sudan and Domestic Debt Unit in the Ministry of Finance of Sudan, visited the DMO for a month secondment programme from Monday, June 23 -Tuesday July 15, 2014 to learn from the Nigeria’s debt relief and restructuring phases as well as Nigeria’s debt management experiences prior to the establishment of the DMO.
Another instance, was a visit by: A delegation from the Ministry of Finance and National Planning of the Republic of Zambia, who undertook a one-week study tour of the Debt Management Office, Nigeria, from 20th – 24th September, 2009. The purpose of the study tour was to enable the Zambians learn how the Debt Management Office, Nigeria is structured, the functions of the Office and how it carries out its responsibilities of managing the country’s public debt and issuance of the FGN Bonds.
If that was not enough, A seven man team from the Zimbabwe Aid & Debt Management Office (ZADMO) in the Ministry of Finance of Zimbabwe visited the DMO for a week study tour from July 17 to 27, 2011 to understudy the processes of establishing and running an effective debt management office in its efforts to set up a centre of excellence in debt management in Zimbabwe.
The World Bank (WB) in August requested the DMO to host a delegation of Kenyan Officials from Kenya’s Central Bank, Capital Market Authority, and National Treasury & Debt Management Office on a Study Tour of the Nigerian Domestic Bond Market.
The main purpose of the Study Tour is for the delegation to gain insight into the developmental initiatives undertaken by the DMO which have led to the remarkable growth and development of Nigeria’s Domestic Bond Market, considering the fact that up until 2003, when the DMO floated the first Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) Bonds, the FGN Bond Market which is the pivot for the domestic bond market was in comatose for about two decades.
The Kenyan delegation centered their interest on Formulation of Issuance Strategies for Securities, Policies for Benchmark Building, Primary Dealer Market Maker Programme, Communication Strategies with market stakeholders, Price formation and dissemination in the primary and secondary markets, types of secondary market, architecture, price discovery and transparency.
In accordance with the global recognition of the effectiveness of the DMO, on Tuesday, November 30th 2015, a seven-man team from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP) of the Republic of South Sudan came on a five-day Study Tour of the Debt Management Office to understudy the DMO and gain insight into the developmental initiatives undertaken by the DMO which have led to the remarkable growth and development of Nigeria’s Debt Management Office, which has earned it, its global recognition.
Speaking on the objectives of their visit to the country, the Director-General, Directorate of Macroeconomic Planning, Philip Ajack Boldit, who led the delegation, said South Sudan was keen to learning the various strategic debt management plans that DMO Nigeria has, adding that they came with high expectations.
“We expect to get a lot of experience in skill transfer from Nigeria to South Sudan, especially on how to manage the debt, it is one thing to get it done, it is another thing to manage it.
“Nigeria got the experience, we will pick up a lot of experience which we can apply to our situation to be better and be able to manage our debt like Nigeria did.”
Also speaking was the Director-General, DMO, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo, who said the DMO appreciates the need to reach out to other African countries, and so in DMO strategic objective, we’ve a programme for us to share our ideas, knowledge and experience with other African countries and also to learn from other African countries.
“So today we have received a delegation from South Sudan which came to the DMO Nigeria on a five-day study tour so that they can share from our experience how we have developed public debt management in Nigeria, how we’ve developed the bond market and how we’ve managed Nigeria’s public debt.”
One industry expert, Chief Gabriel Nwonuma, noted that the DMO has been outstanding on debt management, calling for the sustainability in service delivery.
“Governance is a continuum; the DMO should sustain what it is doing considering the economic crisis in the country. I am happy that they have a very competent team that can sustain its service delivery framework. DMO staff are frequently invited as resource persons to various training programmes workshops, seminars and conferences by international organisations including the United Nations and World bank,” he said.
The DMO’s transformation of the Nigerian financial market, has deepened secondary market liquidity and transparency, thus further aligning it with international best practices.
The remarkable growth in Nigeria’s secondary market has contributed immensely to the growth in the overall domestic bond market.
The DMO is on a mission to ensure that other African governments subscribe to its principles of prudent and sustainable borrowing, and effective utilisation of resources by injecting breath of new life over management of internal and external debt through best practices in the way of improved policies, efficient administration, and the sweeping away of old abuses to foster transparency and sustainability.
Nonetheless, the success of Nigeria’s Debt Management Office, has not only being recognised by Nigerian’s alone, both home and abroad but has become a model in Africa.
By Ifeanyi Omokwe (Business Editor of The Whistler Newspapers. He wrote in through ifeanyi@thewhistler.ng)
As the world celebrates – and laments – the Paris Agreement, nations have been urged to immediately begin its implementation. According to the Climate & Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), the agreement is encouraging but if ambition does not continue to increase in future years, then the achievement of a 1.5- or even a 2-degree target – and many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – will be in danger.
CDKN Chief Executive Sam Bickersteth and Head of Negotiations Support Kiran Sura welcome delegates to the CDKN stand in Paris. Photo credit: Geoff Barnard, CDKN
Sam Bickersteth, CDKN’s Chief Executive, stresses that the agreement’s significance for future development pathways for the least developed and most climate vulnerable countries – as an element of the SDGs – cannot be underestimated.
“Critically, it will increase the flow of additional public and private finance for vulnerable countries for both low-carbon and climate-resilient investments. Ambition, including the pathway towards a possible 1.5-degree limit and five-yearly reviews, will be played out through the national climate plans (the INDCs),” he says.
The CDKN’s global, regional and country team leaders reflect on the opportunity and challenges ahead.
Kiran Sura, CDKN’s Head of Negotiations Support: “The Paris Agreement has delivered a universal and ambitious plan to halt dangerous climate change. This is an historic moment for the world and a life line to those climate-vulnerable countries and small island states on the front line of climate change. However, it is now up to us all to grab this life line and deliver the action needed to meet the challenging target of limiting warming to 1.5oC and provide the international support climate-vulnerable countries need to protect themselves against the impacts we have already locked in. The Presidency’s skilful handling and diplomacy has not only ensured a deal was delivered but also that all voices – especially those of the poorest and most vulnerable that are often not so loud – were heard. Merci, Paris.”
Geoff Barnard, CDKN’s Senior Knowledge Management Advisor: “The Paris Agreement is a much-needed shot in the arm for everyone who has been working to champion climate issues, ever since the disappointments of Copenhagen. From exhausted negotiators to passionate civil society activists, the relief coming out of Paris is palpable. The hugging and whooping in the Conference Hall spoke volumes for the emotional response of many around the world who have put their combined shoulders to this huge and heavy wheel, which at times has felt hopelessly mired in disagreements and wrangling. The wheel is finally moving, and the elation that so many of us feel is testament to the passion and commitment that has underpinned all the hard work up to now. There is a great deal more work to be done, starting today. But let’s celebrate this moment of jubilation in Paris, and cherish the inspiration it provides us for the long road ahead.”
Mairi Dupar, CDKN’s Global Public Affairs Coordinator: “Congratulations to the governments who rose above their differences in Paris and responded to climate experts’ warnings about the dangers of a 2-degree world. They have recognised that radical action on climate change is needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and protect the lives and prospects of the world’s poorest people.
“Reining in dangerous levels of warming calls for astonishing reserves of human ingenuity – but this effort does not happen in a void. CDKN is among the many alliances that have already been trying and testing approaches to climate compatible development for several years: approaches to curbing emissions while achieving greater climate resilience and human development. CDKN doesn’t have all the answers, but we are committed to sharing best practices as well as beautiful failures; we do this in our new book ‘Mainstreaming Climate Compatible Development’, which summarises the first five years of CDKN’s experience. We hope others will join us in this spirit of expanding and strengthening knowledge networks, to empower everyone for the opportunities and challenges ahead.”
Carl Wesselink, CDKN’s Regional Director for Africa: “The Paris Agreement is both a big step forward and a frustrating shortcoming. Its success will depend on the implementation of voluntary INDC targets. For African countries implementation will require more refined strategies and innovative finance. Realising low (avoided future) emission development strategies will be a priority across the continent, and the sooner the better. Countries with heavy fossil-fuel use will need to grapple with the implications for their economies. The increased climate finance pledges, and particularly adaptation aid, is a victory but will fall short of the need. The financial implications of the loss and damage clause are still to be determined, and Africa will participate keenly in that process.”
Revocatus Twinomuhangi, CDKN’s Senior Strategic Advisor for Uganda: “The new global climate agreement adopted in Paris represents important progress towards addressing the climate change that is currently threatening human survival on this planet. For the least developed countries are that a highly vulnerable, the Paris Agreement brings hope for accessing climate finance to invest in adaptation that will build climate resilient economies, communities and ecosystems. In particular, the establishment of a technical and knowledge platform under the Nairobi work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change is crucial for capacity building. By supporting country-owned and country-driven adaptation actions, the implementation of the Agreement will contribute to poverty reduction, which is crucial to building climate resilience and ensuring sustainable development. It is time to build on this momentum to work for the achievement of the global SDGs.”
Connie Espinosa, CDKN’s Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean: “For the Latin American and Caribbean Region, the Paris Agreement rises above the different views of sub-regional groups towards a common objective for a low carbon and resilient future. We celebrate this historic moment and acknowledge the trust our governmental leaders have put in an organised and cooperative international context that will facilitate climate finance to our region. We are proud of the three Latino figureheads who paved the road towards the Paris Agreement: the Peruvian Minister of Environment, Manuel Pulgar Vidal, responsible for the 20th COP Presidency and who worked for achieving consensus among Parties. The Argentinian Pope Francisco with the presentation of the encyclical “Laudato Si” on climate and environment and by directly talking with Presidents and mayors for their support to achieve an Agreement; and finally, Christina Figueres from Costa Rica, as Executive Director of the UNFCCC, who orchestrated all the support needed for negotiations to happen.”
Claudia Martinez, CDKN’s Senior Strategic Advisor for Colombia: “After the excitement of the signature of the Paris Agreement, Ban Ki Moon stated that “we shall all stay united and bring the same spirit to the crucial test of implementation”. The Paris Agreement sets for the first time a long term goal for every country that has committed to achieve its INDC. In the case of Latin America and the Caribbean, our overall emissions account for 11% of the world’s emissions, mostly related to deforestation and land use change followed by energy including transport. But in this emerging region, the trend is to shift to more carbon–intensive economies looking similar to the current developed economies. In a business as usual scenario, countries could increase the use of energy and transport increasing their emissions share by 50 % according to the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB). After Paris the challenge is to grow and decarbonise our economies at the same time.”
Ali Sheikh, CDKN’s Regional Director for Asia: “At the heart of Paris Agreement is the process and mechanism to increase the ambition as part of periodic reviews. The nations will meet every five years to revise their national action plans or what is generally known as the INDC. CDKN can have a genuine pride in having catalysed and fostered the INDC process in many, many ways – ranging from helping some countries develop their distinct contributions by adapting unique methodologies and internal processes, by supporting research and investments in methodologies, by developing toolkits for least developed countries and by supporting their participation in a wide range of capacity building and training exercises. CDKN has also galvanised support for INDC implementation, which we hope will serve as an important building block for the implementation of the historic Paris Agreement.”
Munjurul Khan, CDKN’s Senior Strategic Advisor for Bangladesh: “Adoption of the Paris Agreement is a historic landmark achievement of the global community. This Agreement created an opportunity to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels by taking into account of the objective of the Convention, and being guided by its principles, including the principle of equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibility (CBDR) and Respective Capabilities (RC), in the light of different national circumstances. Inclusion of human rights and climate justice in the Agreement shall provide scope for stronger argument for demanding climate action for vulnerable. However, the non-punitive nature of compliance measure may be a serious limiting factor for implementation of the Agreement.”
Ari Huhtala, CDKN’s Deputy CEO and Climate Finance Lead: “The Paris Agreement sets a target for financial commitments from developed countries, but it is important to remember that what is needed for the required transformational change is trillions, not billions. The floor of $100 billion per annum should be used as a catalyst to accelerate the shift of all resource flows towards climate compatible options. Meeting this commitment is doable, fossil fuel subsidies alone amount to significantly more and carbon pollution can and should be priced. Instead of only tracking flows from developed to developing countries, we should focus on ensuring the effectiveness of the committed funds, and support developing countries in that endeavour.”
Jebi Rahman, CDKN’s Partnerships and Networks Programme Manager: “The Paris Agreement resonates with CDKN’s strong partnership work to date, and the task ahead to continue forging knowledge networks at the subnational, country, regional, and global levels. Partnerships will be needed at all these levels to create the disruptive change required for enhanced pre-2020 action by developing country Parties. Much work needs to be done to innovate, share lessons learned, and support capacity development, before reviewing and ratcheting up ambition in the next five years. The road ahead is long, and I look forward to continuing with colleagues and partners, old and new, on this journey.”
Five policemen and soldiers were on Monday convicted for their role in a vicious attack against community members protesting against an industrial logging company in a Congolese village in 2011.
Kumi Naidoo. head of Greenpeace
The men were found guilty by a court in Kinshasa and sentenced to between two and three years in prison charges including torture. They were among 60 policemen and military personnel who entered the small village of Bosanga, located in Yalisika, in the Equateur province in May 2011 to quell protests against the company SIFORCO.
Serious human rights violations were subsequently committed, including rape, physical aggression, torture and destruction of property.
In a reaction on Wednesday, Greenpeace Africa insists that many involved, such as SIFORCO, are still to be held accountable.
“Greenpeace welcomes the condemnation of the perpetrators of the attack; however, we are very surprised by the sentences that do not reflect the gravity of the violence and crimes suffered by the community” said Victorine Sirri Che Thöner, the head of Greenpeace Africa’s Congo Forest campaign.
“We are also concerned that some individuals involved in the attack and identified during the investigations have not been brought to trial and SIFORCO was not held responsible for its implication,” said Victorine, adding: “Unfortunately the only current route for appeal is to redress the issues of reparations for victims.”
The Court did not convict SIFORCO or assign any liability despite acknowledging that torture was committed by the military in the company’s vehicle. The convictions come after many lengthy judicial delays over a period of years. To date only 14 of the 45 victims have been granted the right to seek reparations.
The villagers were protesting against the company, claiming it had not deliver on promises made in 2005 and revised in 2009, to provide infrastructure and services to the community in exchange for logging their forests. Faced with community opposition, SIFORCO called in the help of local authorities and security.
“This trial sends out a signal that industrial logging in the Democratic Republic of Congo does not contribute to local development but instead generates multiple recurring conflicts with local communities,” said Che Thöner.
Yalisika is in the Bumba region in the Congo Basin – home to the world’s second largest tropical forest after the Amazon, which is increasingly under threat from industrial logging companies – the majority foreign-owned – who plunder the DRC’s rich resources with impunity.
Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo, Executive Director of the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), while speaking on Monday (December 13, 2015) on the outcome of UNFCCC Climate Change Conference (COP21), frowned at Nigeria’s new deadline date to halt gas flaring, saying that the idea is tainted with insincerity
Akinbode Oluwafemi (left) and Godwin Ojo who were both of the ERA/FoEN, at a Media Debriefing Session in Monday in Lagos
After more than 20 years of intense Earth Summit negotiations by the Conference of Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC), Parties finally adopted a Treaty on how to conduct mitigation and adaptation measures to combat climate change. While mitigation is on how to cut back emissions preferably at source, adaptation is on how to cope with the impacts of climate change. To the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth and our allies, the question begging for answer is this: ‘Does this Treaty mark a significant shift toward curbing climate change?’ The answer is capital NO. The Treaty is disappointingly a non-binding one because it favours voluntary mechanism rather than a legally binding mechanism. It is no more than kicking the Can down the road.
First, a key area of unfair treatment meted by developed countries to developing countries is in the weak ambition in curbing climate change. Although the agreement recognizes limiting temperature rise to under I.5 degrees, a position informed by science and pushed by global civil society groups but it has been subordinated within a 2-degree development pathway. Clearly equity and fair shares on the global carbon bank that should hold developed countries accountable has not been used to generate solutions.
Second, although national governments commit to public disclosure of emission reduction in reporting, monitoring and evaluation in relation to the uploaded intended nationally determined contribution (INDC) targets, yet there is no ambition to cut back emissions at source. Clearly, INDCs aggregate so far is on a 3-degree trajectory making it hard if not impossible to realise 2 degrees within the pledged commitments. For Africa, where the mean temperature rise is higher than the global mean, many of its countries will be roasted.
Thirdly, in terms of adaptation, although the treaty acknowledges historical responsibility by developed countries responsible for the release of carbon emissions into the atmosphere yet the finance that is required for developing countries to adapt is based only on voluntary mechanism of $100 billion from 2020 rather than legally binding. Also, what happens between now and 2020 remains unclear.
Fourthly, the loss and damage by catastrophic climate change from excessive floods, persistent droughts and storms often lead to serious harm to mother earth, destruction of livelihoods, and loss of lives. A legally binding mechanism for compensation from climate impact on loss and damage has been precluded from the agreement and this has let the developed countries off the hook. It has placed the burden of addressing climate change on the door steps of the developing countries rather than the developed countries.
Fifthly, the term de-carbonisation has been eliminated and substituted with a weak and vague term, carbon neutrality. The Treaty seeks to vigorously promote false solutions such as carbon markets, agro-fuels which competes with farmlands and food crops for fuel, reducing emissions from degradation and deforestation (REDD+), and carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies that are yet to be proven and thereby poses serious risks.
Clearly, the voice of the peoples, farmers, fishermen and communities the world over have been compromised and the rights to food and water have not been guaranteed. The governments have reflected more the interests of the corporations rather than the citizens they represent.
Way Forward
Since real solutions lies in the people, civil society groups will continue to mobilise and build people power to alter the power imbalance currently in favour of corporations.
We recommend that:
there is need to kick big time polluters out of the COP process in entirety so that dirty energy companies involved in huge emissions are not part of the decision-making process.
since the Treaty has a limited and vague vision of reducing emissions we propose the urgent de-carbonisation of the economy and the energy sector by recognising and promoting an energy transition from oil, gas, coal and other fossil fuels by 2030. Governments should divest public finance, subsidies and loans for oil, gas and coal and these should be invested in renewable energy development.
the Nigerian government should immediately embark on a post petroleum economy and diversify the energy mix to renewable sources of energy. To this end, we hereby launch the Annex 0 group in contrast to Annex 1, and Non-Annex 1, and Annex II Groups. Annex 0 is an initiative to recognize the efforts of peoples, communities, nationalities, undertaken against the impacts of oil, gas, coal, and other fossil fuel extraction and to halt its expansion, protect the environment, and lives on planet earth. A Register of Annex 0 membership is hereby opened for practical uses by 2016.
To conclude, two issues emanate from the Nigerian government response to environmental issues which lends credence that it is conducting environmental protection as “business as usual” rather than within the populist change agenda. For example, as was the case in Copenhagen, the Nigerian government pledged to end gas flaring but did not put in place any mechanism to address this.
In Paris, 2015, the World Bank and Nigeria government’s hatched another crooked plan to end gas flaring by 2030. We consider this as hypocritical, deceptive and World Bank’s interference on national sovereignty in a country where gas flaring has been declared illegal since 1984. We call on the government to end gas flaring now and not to wait till 2030 when it will be too late.
Let me once more draw attention to another related issue within the government profess change agenda which has to do with the non-implementation of the August 2011 UNEP report assessment and recommendations. While political will to clean up Ogoni is important, the federal government should commence immediate action by putting their money where their mouth is. They should ensure Shell Oil Company lives up to its responsibility. So far, the Ogonis remain short-changed and their livelihoods destroyed.
For example:
