The European Union (EU) has commended President
Muhammadu Buhari for identifying international engagement on climate change as
priority for Nigeria during his administration.
The commendation is contained
in a spotlight by Ambassadors of EU, France, Denmark, Germany and Britain to
Nigeria, Messrs Michel Arion, Denys Gauer, Torben Gettermann, Michael Zenner
and Andrew Pocock.
In the spotlight entitled “Climate Change: Facing the Future
Together”, the ambassadors stated that Nigeria had clear evidence of the need
for climate change action.
The joint spotlight noted that Nigeria was already
being confronted by varying degrees of climate change threats and commended the
resolve of Buhari to “frontally tackle the challenges.”
They noted that
“encroaching desertification, flooding, coastal erosion and changing weather
patterns affect agriculture. There is barely a part of Nigeria which hasn’t
been affected by climate change.
“It is, therefore, gratifying to hear
President Buhari identify international engagement on climate change as
priority for Nigeria in his inaugural speech. “As one of Africa’s leaders,
Nigeria has an opportunity and responsibility to encourage and support African
partners in developing a progressive regional position.”
The European envoys,
however, noted that the global engagement would need to be backed up with clear
national commitment.
They said Nigeria was already developing its own national
plan and urged the Federal Government to set ambitious, concrete targets to
reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
“We stand ready to assist in any way we can in
the development of that plan, and its implementation and monitoring. “As a
developing country with an economy dependent on oil, we recognise that
addressing climate change in Nigeria will not be easy.”
The envoys noted
Nigeria’s electricity challenges, pointing out that many households and
businesses relied on power generators, saying that such was expensive and
harmful for the environment.
They said unchecked oil flaring in the Niger Delta
produced massive amounts of carbon-dioxide and waste huge quantities of gas
that could be used and tapped to feed power stations. The envoys said adopting
renewable energy by Nigeria would be “a win both for greenhouse gas reduction
and for economic growth, boosting employment and family incomes.”
They,
however, added that addressing Nigeria’s climate change challenges required
hard work and good policies, saying, however, that such might not be achieved
without the required support and assistance. The European officials pledged to
work with the Buhari administration “to realise ambitious climate change target
in Nigeria.
“EU countries have been working closely with Nigeria on climate
change in a range of areas. “These areas range from developing tools to monitor
gas flaring and forecast future energy demands to policy advice and renewable
energy, agro-forestry and land restoration pilot projects.
“Through various
European and national funding systems, we stand poised to work with the new
government to help Nigeria to deliver a response to climate change. “This
response will secure the wellbeing of its own citizens, as well as make global
impact.”
They hoped that the agreement that would be reached at the Conference
of Parties (COP) 21 on Climate Change in Paris in December would be most
important milestone in tackling climate change since the Kyoto Protocol in 1997.
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