The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has stressed the role of women journalists in its plans toward achieving Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).
At the heart of the Paris Agreement and the achievement of its long-term goals, NDCs embody efforts by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
Mrs Halima Bawa-Bwari, acting Director, Department of Climate Change, Federal Ministry of Environment, made this known during a virtual meeting by UNDP-NDC Support Programme, on Tuesday, December 22, 2020 in Abuja.
Bawa-Bwari said that the programme would help create platforms to consistently engage and communicate the opportunities in the NDCs to women in the media.
She said that one of the four aims of the programme was to increase private sector involvement in the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
According to her, it would also meet up the country’s NDC targets through either participating in mitigation and adaptation projects or by adopting climate-friendly measures in its operations.
“It seeks to understand the needs of women journalists in their expected role in the NDC implementation process.
“The Department of Climate Change under the ministry will ensure that capacities of participants are strengthened to adequately engage and participate in the ongoing NDC revision and implementation process, including any other related climate change actions,” she said.
She noted that climate change was disrupting national economies and costing the world heavily.
”Nigeria had her fair share of the associated consequences of climate change, resulting in poverty, unemployment and inequality, resource conflict and food insecurity,” Bawa-Bwari said.
She said that with the growth rate of about 2.5 per cent and with an estimated 200 million people, population explosion had put significant pressure on the natural resource base available in Nigeria.
She, however, said that it had resultant decrease in fallow land, intensified land use, declining land productivity, rapid soil losses and disruption of water resources
She recalled that the Federal Government had signed the NDC under the Paris Agreement in 2015 and ratified same in 2016.
She said it served as part of efforts to mitigate the negative effects of climate change and contain the impending humanitarian crisis.
Bawa-Bwari added that in 2018, Nigeria received the backing of the UNDP’s NDC Support Programme to advance the implementation of its NDC.
In his pre presentation, Dr Eugene Itua, Chief Executive Officer, Natural Echo Capital, commended the government for commitment and enthusiasm in its rollout toward NDC implementation.
Itua pointed out that the government could not do it alone, adding that everyone at every level including, business leaders, investors and civil society must contribute to the implementation.
He advised that the private sector should be engaged in order to mobilise resources, knowledge and innovation to address climate change and promote green growth.
“It is widely accepted that business models are the vehicle for innovation in order to meet the latent needs of society.
“The strategic and well-formed inclusion of the private sector in climate change adaptation and mitigation planning and activities must be key part of Nigeria’s efforts in meeting her NDC targets,” he said.
Tagged “The Role of Women Journalists towards the Achievement of Nigeria’s NDCs”, the programme was organised in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment and Women In Media Initiative (WIMI).
By Jessica Dogo
