Remarks delivered by UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell, at the third High-Level Ministerial Dialogue on climate finance under the CMA at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, on Saturday, November 15, 2025
Climate finance is the lifeblood of climate action.
It is what turns plans into progress, and ambition into implementation.
And nowhere is its importance clearer than at this meeting, which is not a procedural formality. It is designed to build trust – by providing clarity and predictability about the resources that developing countries can count on to deliver their national climate and adaptation plans.
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell. Photo credit: Kiara Worth | UN Climate Change
That trust remains essential.
Without it, implementation slows, ambition falters, and progress for all becomes much, much harder.
Since Paris, we have come a long way.
Climate cooperation is working.
Public and private flows of climate finance are growing.
New partnerships are being forged.
And we are seeing billions of dollars flowing into clean energy, resilience, and just transitions across the world.
But the truth is, we are not far enough down that road – climate finance is not yet sufficient or reliable enough, and it is not shared widely or fairly enough.
We know the scale of the challenge: climate impacts are growing – but the adaptation finance gap remains far too wide.
At the same time, debt burdens are rising; and far too many of the most vulnerable countries still struggle to access even the resources that have already been pledged.
So, this is an important moment. Developed country Parties were urged to have at least doubled their collective adaptation finance from 2019 levels by this year.
A good way to meet this target and those we agreed in Baku last year is to triple outflows from UNFCCC climate funds by 2030.
The Adaptation Fund, Least Developed Countries Fund and Special Climate Fund are key as they play an important role in scaling up finance for least developed countries and small island developing states.
Ultimately, these are not abstract numbers. They are lifelines.
They determine whether small island states can protect their coastlines.
Whether least developed countries can adapt their agriculture to survive drought.
Whether emerging economies can transition away from fossil fuels without creating new inequalities.
This dialogue can send the clearest signal: that Parties are committed not only to scaling up finance, but to making it more accessible, more predictable, and more aligned with national priorities.
That means stepping up public finance – through grants, concessional resources, and non-debt-creating instruments.
It means simplifying access and reducing transaction costs so that finance reaches those who need it the most.
It means coordinated action to address systemic challenges – high debt, high costs of capital, limited fiscal space – and to make innovative use of equity, guarantees, and debt-for-climate swaps.
And it means expanding blended finance and risk-sharing mechanisms that can multiply private investment for climate-resilient, low-emission growth.
I know that resources are constrained in every part of the world, and delivery isn’t easy.
But climate finance is not charity – it’s smart economics.
Because climate action, underpinned by climate finance, is the growth story of the 21st century.
And as you prepare for your next phase of Article 9.5 work, I urge you to make the outcomes as clear and actionable as possible – so that they offer real forward visibility to developing countries, and demonstrate tangible progress on the delivery of finance.
Because good reporting builds credibility; credibility builds trust; every signal of trust builds more confidence in the process – enabling far greater implementation within the real economy.
So Honourable Ministers,
At COP30, the world is looking for proof that climate cooperation delivers.
Real finance, flowing fast and fair, is central to that proof.
Because when finance flows, ambition grows.
And when ambition grows, implementation flows – creating jobs, easing the cost of living, improving health, protecting communities, and securing a prosperous, more resilient planet for all.
So let us use this dialogue to recommit to the shared purpose that brought us to Paris a decade ago.
Let us show – through the predictability and transparency of climate finance – that we are serious about delivering for people and for the planet, unlocking the vast benefits of climate action for everyone, everywhere.
Sahara Group Foundation, the corporate social impact arm of Sahara Group, has commissioned its 16th Sahara Go-Recycling Hub in Lekki, Lagos State, reaffirming its commitment to sustainable waste management, environmental protection, and community empowerment.
The new hub, strategically located in Lekki, expands the Foundation’s recycling footprint and builds on the success of 15 existing hubs across Lagos. It is the first Sahara Go-Recycling Hub to feature a solar-powered Reverse Vending Machine (RVM), a significant step toward integrating clean energy and technology into community recycling solutions.
The Sahara Go-Recycling initiative promotes circular economy by reducing waste, enhancing resource recovery, and empowering residents with opportunities to earn income from recyclables.
L-R: Foluso Sobanjo, Director Downstream Africa, Sahara Group; Chidilim Menakaya, Director, Sahara Group Foundation; Moroti Adedoyin-Adeyinka, Executive Director Sahara Group; Eniola Folami, Head Commercial, Asharami Synergy; Dr Tony Youdeowei, Board Trustee, Sahara Group Foundation and MD Sahara Power Group
Speaking at the commissioning, Chidilim Menakaya, Director, Sahara Group Foundation, said: “The launch of the Lekki Go-Recycling Hub goes beyond environmental responsibility, it represents a new path for innovation, economic opportunity, and community resilience. By integrating clean energy solutions like the solar-powered Reverse Vending Machine, we are demonstrating how innovation can strengthen environmental responsibility while improving quality of life. This hub is a testament to what is possible when we combine commitment with action, and it sets the stage for even greater impact across the communities we serve.”
The event was attended by Executive Director of Sahara Group, Director, Downstream Africa, Sahara Group, Sahara Group Foundation Board Trustees, Asharami Synergy Management team, executives and representatives of Sahara Group, Asharami Synergy, Egbin Power Plc, as well as other dignitaries, traditional leaders and community members.
Moroti Adedoyin-Adeyinka, Executive Director Sahara Group, remarked, “The success of the Lekki Sahara Go-Recycling Hub is a powerful reminder that sustainable change happens when communities, technology, and purpose come together. This hub is not just collecting recyclables, it is inspiring new habits, creating economic value, and proving that cleaner, greener cities are possible when we all play our part. We are proud of what this hub represents and even more excited about the impact it will continue to make across Lagos and beyond.”
Dr Anthony Youdeowei, Board Trustee, Sahara Group Foundation and MD Sahara Power Group, commended the collaboration between Sahara Group Foundation, Asharami Synergy, the Sahara Group 2025 Graduate Management Trainees, and Eco Barter, describing the hub as reflective of the organisation’s belief that sustainability must be practical, accessible, and community driven.
Representing the 2025 Sahara Group Graduate Management Trainees, Elushade Oluwatumininu stated: “As Graduate Management Trainees, being part of the Lekki Go-Recycling Hub project through our PSCR project has been a meaningful way to live out Sahara’s sustainability values. Seeing the hub’s impact from promoting recycling habits to empowering the community, reinforces how small actions can drive real change. We’re proud to be part of this initiative.”
Since its inception, the Sahara Go Recycling Initiative has collected over 650 tonnes of recyclable waste and facilitated payouts exceeding ₦55 million to beneficiaries.
The programme has positively impacted more than 1,200 households, creating alternative income streams, supporting livelihoods, and reinforcing environmental sustainability.
Rita Idehai, CEO Eco Barter, added: “Our partnership with the Sahara Group Foundation on the Lekki Go-Recycling Hub demonstrates the power of collaboration in accelerating sustainable change. Together, we are creating a system that rewards responsible disposal, supports local livelihoods, and brings technology-driven recycling closer to the community. We are proud to work with a partner that shares our vision for a cleaner, smarter, and more circular future for Lagos.”
Reiterating Sahara Group Foundation’s vision, Chidilim Menakaya added, “The Sahara Go Recycling project is creating a ripple effect across Lagos, enabling households and communities to see value in responsible waste management. Through strategic partnerships, we are amplifying impact and building sustainable ecosystems for future generations.
”At Sahara Group Foundation, we believe in EXTRApreneurship, building sustainable ecosystems through collaborations that inspire change. With Ijede now part of our network, we are one step closer to a truly circular economy in Nigeria,” she concluded.
Sahara Group Foundation plans to expand the Go Recycling Initiative to more communities in Lagos and across Africa, reinforcing its mission of “Building Sustainable Communities through EXTRApreneurship.”
While world leaders negotiate behind closed doors in the Blue Zone of COP30, Indigenous Women from across the planet are demonstrating that solutions to climate change already exist, and they are in the territories.
From the Amazon to the Arctic, from Africa to the Pacific Islands, Indigenous Women are leading initiatives for restoration, adaptation, and climate justice that are transforming the global conversation. Their message is clear: they are not victims of the crisis, but architects of structural solutions.
“For decades, Indigenous Women have sustained the systems that keep life in balance. Today, we are not asking to be included: we demand recognition that without us, no transition will be possible,” stated Lucy Mulenkei (Kenya), Vice Chair of the International Indigenous Women’s Forum (FIMI).
Indigenous women are redefining global climate action: from resistance to planetary governance, with concrete solutions from their territories
Beyond Discourse: The Solution is in the Territories
Outside the negotiation halls – where the participation of Indigenous delegations remains limited – a parallel agenda of concrete action is taking shape.
At the First Global Summit of Indigenous Women and Youth Protectors of the Territory, held in Belém, hundreds of women leaders presented five routes for climate transformation that combine governance, science, spirituality, and community-based financing.
“We did not come to ask for a seat. We came to remind you that the Earth already speaks, and many of its voices are women’s,” declared Tarcila Rivera Zea (Peru), President of FIMI and founder of CHIRAPAQ.
Five Routes Where Indigenous Women are Transforming the Climate Agenda
Territorial Governance and Ecological Restoration
From the Andes to the Sahel, Indigenous Women are restoring forests, mangroves, and páramos, guided by the principle of care as a form of governance. In Mexico, Otomí women maintain a network of sacred hills where pilgrimages combine spirituality, reforestation, and the protection of water sources. In Ecuador and Brazil, networks of Amazonian women are mapping the spiritual and ecological links of their territory to guide conservation based on traditional knowledge.
“To restore a forest is to restore the dignity of the territory,” expressed Rivera Zea.
2. Indigenous Science and Climate Monitoring
In the Russian Arctic, young Indigenous women scientists are combining satellite technology with ancestral observation to monitor warming and ice loss. Researcher Aivanae Emmynka explained that the stories of elder women about the cycles of walruses and birds align with scientific data showing an 89% reduction in the walrus population and an average temperature increase of 0.6°C (33.08°F) over two decades.
“Our grandmothers watch the sky; we measure the data. It is the same knowledge translated into another language,” noted Emmynka.
3. Water Resilience and Food Sovereignty
In Papua New Guinea, young women are combining traditional techniques with modern rainwater harvesting systems to face water scarcity and rising sea levels. In Tanzania, Maasai leader Nidini Kimesera Sikar (Tanzania) is promoting the recovery of native seeds and the creation of community banks of medicinal and food knowledge.
“When the forest disappears, so does our pharmacy and our history. Every tree holds a cure,” stated Sikar.
4. Financial Justice and Sovereignty of Solutions
Direct access to climate finance remains one of the biggest gaps. According to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (2024), only 1.4% of global gender funds reach Indigenous Women’s organisations.
“The money continues to flow into colonial structures. The women who restore forests, protect rivers, and feed communities should be the flrst to receive it,” noted Joan Carling, a leader of the Indigenous Peoples Pact of Asia (AIPP).
FIMI and its allies propose that at least 10% of the new $1.8 billion global fund for terrestrial ecosystems be channeled directly to Indigenous initiatives led by women.
“We don’t want to be beneflciaries; we want to be the designers of climate flnance,” stressed Teresa Zapeta (Guatemala), Executive Director of FIMI.
5. Intersectional Justice and Real Inclusion
During the event, Olga Montúfar (Mexico) and Pratima Gurung (Nepal) reminded attendees that climate justice will only be possible if it recognizes multiple forms of discrimination.
They demanded the effective implementation of CEDAW General Recommendation No. 39, which recognizes the rights of Indigenous Women, in accessible and culturally relevant formats.
Its translation into more than 20 Indigenous languages, Braille, and visual materials represent a historic step toward truly inclusive climate action.
From Resistance to Global Leadership
During the Summit’s opening, the Brazilian Minister of Indigenous Peoples, Sônia Guajajara, highlighted the leadership of Indigenous Women in climate action and reaffrmed her support for solutions driven from the territories.
“This moment was built with the leadership of Indigenous Women. The solutions we need cannot exist without our presence,” Guajajara pointed out.
From Belém, these women leaders are calling for a new pact of global co-responsibility, where climate action is based on the political, territorial, and financial recognition of their leadership
“We don’t just resist. We govern, we restore, we teach. We are not a topic at COP30: we are its answer,” declared Teresa Zapeta.
Two NGOs, the Community Environment and Development Network (CEDEN) and Media Awareness and Justice Initiative, are joining forces to combat the effects of oil exploration on Oloibiri Communities in Bayelsa State.
This was disclosed at a capacity building workshop on effective eco-management enhancement and biodiversity promotion communication in Otuabagi, Bayelsa, on Friday, November 14, 2025.
The workshop assembled experts and stakeholders to seek strategies towards restoring lost species and promoting sustainable ecological livelihoods in Oloibiri and the Niger Delta region at large.
Participants at the capacity building workshop on effective eco-management enhancement and biodiversity promotion communication in Otuabagi, Bayelsa
In his presentation, Menidin Egbo, the Executive Director, CEDEN, expressed concern over the gradual extinction forest ecologies and wetlands in the Niger Delta region.
Egbo expressed the need to restore the raffia forest ecology in Ekpadio in Otuabagi Community, Ogbia Local Government Area.
He said that communication was critical towards ensuring biodiversity conservation and effective ecological management.
According to him, communication is important in stimulating community responses and governance for climate adaptation and mitigation.
“There is a crucial need for local actions to support nature conservation. We also need to link these efforts to global environmental sustainability goals.
“We are calling for more community-based ecological management strategies that will support forest restoration.
“Part of it is to encourage the planting of native species and management of natural regeneration,” Egbo said.
It will be recalled that Otuabagi hosts Oloibiri Oil Well 1, where Nigeria first found oil in commercial quantities to join the league of oil producing countries.
Climate change is already driving a global health emergency, with over 540,000 people dying from extreme heat each year and one in 12 hospitals worldwide at risk of climate-related shutdowns, warns a new special report, released on Friday, November 14, 2025, jointly by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Government of Brazil (COP30 Presidency) and the Brazilian Ministry of Health.
The “COP30 Special report on health and climate change: delivering the Belém Health Action Plan”, notes that rising temperatures and collapsing health systems are claiming more lives, and calls for immediate and coordinated action to protect health in a rapidly warming world. It follows the launch of the Belém Health Action Plan, a flagship initiative of Brazil’s COP 30 Presidency, unveiled on the dedicated Health Day of COP30 – November 13, 2025.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organisation (WHO)
“The climate crisis is a health crisis – not in the distant future, but here and now,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This special report provides evidence on the impact of climate change on individuals and health systems, and real-world examples of what countries can do – and are doing – to protect health and strengthen health systems.”
With global temperatures now exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, the world is already experiencing mounting health impacts. The report finds that 3.3 to 3.6 billion people already live in areas highly vulnerable to climate change, and hospitals are facing 41% higher risk of damage from extreme weather-related impact compared to 1990. This underscores the urgent need to strengthen and adapt health systems to protect communities from climate-related shocks.
Without rapid decarbonisation, the number of health facilities at risk could double by mid-century, which stresses the critical importance of implementing adaptation measures to safeguard health infrastructure. The health sector itself contributes around 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions and needs a rapid transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient systems.
The report identifies persistent gaps that require urgent attention. Only 54% of national health adaptation plans assess risks to health facilities, and fewer than 30% of health adaptation studies consider income, 20% consider gender, and less than 1% include people with disabilities.
“The evidence is clear: protecting health systems is one of the smartest investments any country can make,” said Professor Nick Watts, Chair of the Expert Advisory Group and Director, NUS Centre for Sustainable Medicine. “Allocating just 7% of adaptation finance to health would safeguard billions of people and keep essential services operating during climate shocks – when our patients most need them.”
There is progress being made; between 2015 and 2023, the number of countries with national Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS) doubled to 101, now covering about two-thirds of the global population. However, only 46% of Least Developed Countries and 39% of Small Island Developing States have effective systems in place.
The report’s central message is clear: there is now more than enough evidence to scale up action, today. Cost-effective, high-impact, and no-regret interventions exist for each component of the Belém Health Action Plan. But adaptation strategies could ultimately fail unless they address the root causes of health inequity – both within health systems and across society.
The report calls on governments to:
Integrate health objectives into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs);
Harness the financial savings from decarbonisation to fund health adaptation and workforce capacity;
Invest in resilient infrastructure, prioritising health facilities and essential services; and
Empower communities and local knowledge systems to shape responses that reflect lived realities.
The Government of Brazil also released a companion report, “Social participation, climate and health: a special report to support implementation of the Belém Health Action Plan”, which focuses on social participation, governance, and community engagement as a critical dimension of the Belém Health Action Plan. The report highlights that climate change poses profound risks to human health, particularly for vulnerable and historically marginalised populations, and that effective adaptation requires the active involvement of communities in designing, implementing, and monitoring health policies.
“By releasing this report, Brazil and WHO reaffirm the importance of COP30 as the COP of Truth. The report provides clear data and evidence that climate change is already directly affecting health systems around the world,” says Dr Alexandre Padilha, Minister of Health, Brazil. “Recent tragedies show that now is the time to implement policies and actions that address the impacts of climate change on health. The Belém Health Action Plan and this report offer countries the tools they need to turn scientific evidence into concrete action.”
Together, the two reports provide complementary pathways for translating the Plan’s objectives into practice – one focused on evidence and implementation, the other on inclusive participation and leadership across societies.
About the Belém Health Action Plan
The Belém Health Action Plan, a flagship outcome of Brazil’s COP 30 Presidency, is structured around two cross-cutting principles and concepts: health equity and “climate justice” and leadership and governance on climate and health with social participation.
The Plan also outlines three lines of action for climate-resilient health systems:
Surveillance and monitoring, focused on strengthening integrated and climate-informed health surveillance;
Evidence-based policies, strategies and capacity-building, aimed at enhancing the ability of national and local systems to implement effective, equity-driven solutions; and
Innovation, production, and digital health, which promotes research, development, and access to technologies that meet the health needs of diverse populations.
The COP30 special report was prepared under the guidance of an Expert Advisory Group of global public health leaders, chaired by the NUS Centre for Sustainable Medicine and with the leadership of the WHO and the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Drawing on more than 70 case studies from around the world, the report identifies practical interventions already delivering results – from early warning systems and green hospital design to climate-informed health planning and sustainable financing.
During COP30 negotiations, C40 Cities, an organisation of almost 100 global mayors, urged national governments to kick-start progress on a credible global plan to end our dependence on fossil fuels, as called for by Brazil’s President Lula, and to confront the impacts caused by the fossil-fuel-driven climate crisis – which are already being strongly felt in cities across the world.
Building on the landmark COP28 agreement to transition away from fossil fuels while tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency by 2030, mayors stressed that COP30 must convert ambition into action, with a plan for a just, orderly, and equitable phase-out of fossil fuels, including through increased collaboration with local and regional governments.
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London and co-chair of C40 Cities
C40 member cities have committed to collectively halving fossil fuel use by the end of the decade, with cities from countries most responsible for climate change going first and faster. C40 cities are moving five times faster than national governments’ current per-capita emissions reduction targets – proof that a fossil-free future is not just possible, but already taking shape on the ground.
In Belém, city leaders joined a growing coalition of countries and subnational leaders, including the Under2 Coalition Co-Chairs, to offer their support for a fossil fuel transition Roadmap with concrete actions to accelerate the implementation of the COP28 energy agreement.
Cities are ready and willing to contribute not only as partners in planning, but as essential drivers of delivery where it matters most. Mayors have repeatedly made clear that the era of fossil fuels must end – and that the world can only end it by working together with cities, where over 80% of energy emissions are found.
Cities Are Already Leading the Fossil-Free Transition
C40 cities are already taking bold, concrete action to drive down fossil fuel use and accelerate the clean energy transition. Aligned with C40’s mission to halve fossil fuel use by 2030, these actions show that cities are not just planning the transition – they are leading it in real time.
City leaders are cutting fossil fuel demand, scaling renewable energy production, and protecting residents from volatile and inequitable energy prices. Across the network, cities are standing up to powerful fossil fuel interests, actively countering harmful disinformation, and using legal tools to hold major polluters accountable for the climate damage they have caused.
At the same time, mayors are ensuring that the transition away from fossil fuels is fair and inclusive. Workers are being reskilled for the good green jobs of the present and future, and the economic benefits of the clean energy shift are being shared across communities.
From electrifying municipal transport fleets and amending building codes to end the use of gas in new buildings to creating clean energy utilities, C40 cities are delivering measurable emissions reductions – showing the world that ambitious climate action is not only possible, but credible, scalable, and already underway.
Across the globe, cities are already delivering this transition on the ground. In Rio de Janeiro, the RevoluSolar initiative created the first photovoltaic community in a favela, lowering energy costs and reinvesting profits into job training. Johannesburg installed solar minigrids and clean cooking solutions in informal settlements, providing safe electricity to over 12,000 homes.
Amsterdam is moving 550,000 homes off fossil gas by 2040 with neighbourhood-level planning and widespread support for clean heating. In Lagos State, measures such as food support, subsidised transport, and free maternal healthcare are protecting 500,000 vulnerable households as fuel subsidies are phased out.
And in Bogotá, women from marginalised communities are being trained and supported to become e-bus drivers, advancing both gender equity and fleet electrification. These examples demonstrate how cities are already delivering the fossil-free, fair, and resilient future the world needs.
Caterina Sarfatti, Managing Director of Inclusion and Global Leadership at C40 Cities, said: “Brazil is sending a powerful signal that the world must turn commitments into action and end the fossil fuel era. Cities welcome this momentum. Across our global network, mayors are already delivering the just transition to a clean energy future people deserve. As we look beyond COP30, cities stand ready to team up with national governments to co-create an ambitious and equitable roadmap to phase out fossil fuels and, crucially, to implement it where it truly matters: in our streets, in our communities, and in people’s lives. This is a key moment for our planet and cities are ready to lead.”
Beyond Belém: a Fossil Fuel Phase-Out Roadmap
National governments must chart a long-term path for the phase out of fossil fuels, looking far beyond this year’s COP in Belém to translate ambition to action well into the future.
This requires clear implementation pathways to accelerate the phase-out of fossil fuels across power, transport, buildings, and industry, coupled with mechanisms to mobilise finance at scale so that cities and subnational governments can deliver on the ground. The roadmap must be collaboratively designed in a fair process, addressing the needs of countries in the Global South and ensuring cities, workers, and civil society have a seat at the table.
A truly effective transition must also be just and inclusive, empowering workers, unions, and civil society to shape fair outcomes and share in the benefits of the clean energy shift. Central to this effort is the full integration of cities and subnational actors, whose leadership, innovation, and delivery capacity are essential to scaling solutions and ensuring the transition reaches the communities and sectors that need it most.
Mayors are determined to be at the forefront of delivering a fossil fuel-free future. Speaking at the opening plenary of the C40 World Mayors Summit in Rio de Janeiro, the week before COP30, the Mayor of London and co-chair of C40 Cities, Sadiq Khan, said: “The climate wreckers want to chain us to the fossil fuels of the past, vandalising our planet and vandalising our homes with boiling temperatures, more pollution, and more climate-induced disasters. But the likes of the C40, the climate defenders, offer us an alternative. They offer our people freedom, dignity, and hope – freedom of lower bills and better health; the dignity of a secure and well-paid green job; the hope of a fairer, safer, cleaner, brighter, and more prosperous tomorrow.”
Shell Companies in Nigeria (SCiN) were rewarded for their robust participation at the 43rd International Conference and Exhibition of the Nigeria Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) with corporate and individual awards at a dinner on Thursday, November 13, 2025, which rounded off the four-day event in Lagos.
SCiN was recognised for its Titanium sponsorship of the conference (the highest category) and won 3rd Best Exhibitor out of 64 companies. SNEPCo’s Principal Exploration Geoscientist, Adesola Adesida, won 3rd place technical paper with his presentation titled: “Integrated geological framework of Nigeria’s deep-water and onshore settings: Implications for hydrocarbon prospectivity.”
A group picture of Shell participants when receiving the award from NAPE officials at the 43rd NAPE Award and Recognition Night in Lagos
In addition to being a major sponsor of the conference, SCiN mounted an exhibition on the operations and contributions of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd, Shell Nigeria Gas, All On and Daystar Power Limited to the development of Nigeria.
Outgoing NAPE President, Johnbosco Uche, thanked Shell for the support.
Managing Director Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd (SNEPCo), Ronald Adam, commended the SCiN team in an address delivered by Deepwater Asset Development & Subsurface Manager, Chike Aginah.
He said: “As pioneer of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria, Shell has led the way in manpower development in exploration and production, and we acknowledge the roles of employees who are active members of NAPE. Our partnership with NAPE will continue.”
NAPE is 50 this year and one of the largest groupings of oil industry professionals in Africa.
SISTME, a climate change and biodiversity conservation consulting firm based in Argentina, has offered to connect, countries, institutions with international climate finance opportunities.
The Director of the firm, Mr. Martin Dellavedova made this known in an interview on Thursday, November 13, 2025, on the sidelines of the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Belém, Brazil.
According to Dellavedova, SISTME provides high quality consulting services to local and international organisations to make their projects more efficient and collaborate in promoting social, environmental, sustainable and economic change around the world.
R-L: SISTME Director, Mr. Martin Dellavedova and Partner, Mr. Eric Muller at COP30
He stated that the firm had demonstrated a solid track record in implementing projects related to climate change, biodiversity conservation, and cluster development, adapting to the specific needs of each mission and client with a comprehensive and professional approach.
“SISTME is a consulting firm with a highly skilled team specialising in the design, evaluation, and management of international cooperation projects.
“Our expertise spans the development of innovative strategies in key areas such as sustainability, natural resource management, and financial inclusion.
“Our firm provides consulting services to a variety of clients, including local and international development agencies, NGOs, multilateral institutions, and governments,“ he said.
The director said the firm had worked on managing and evaluating projects focused on climate change mitigation and adaptation and conservation of critical ecosystems, aligning firm`s strategies with regional and international sustainability goals.
He said the firm had advised multiple organisations on developing initiatives related to sustainable tourism, including creation of tourism products and development of sustainable tourism clusters, facilitating integration of ecological practices and innovative business models.
The director added that pieces of such advice had promoted economic growth and environmental preservation.
“Our consulting team has extensive experience in creating and adapting innovative financial solutions to address complex challenges in development contexts, including products tailored for emerging markets such as Amazon.
“SISTME is distinguished by its participatory and inclusive approach, involving all stakeholders in the consulting process to ensure that the results are relevant and sustainable.
“We adhere strictly to codes of conduct and confidentiality, and our practices are guided by the values of respect, listening, learning, professionalism, and confidentiality,“ he said.
He said the firm had participated in and directed more than 100 consultancies for international cooperation projects in Latin America, the Caribbean, and several countries in Africa and Asia since its establishment in 2011.
He said many of SISTME consultancy projects are financed by international organisations – GEF, GCF, Inter-American Development Bank, World Bank, UNDP, UNEP, and European Union, among others, primarily in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The director added that SISTME had worked in 36 countries, and has a proven track record of delivering over 120 projects successfully.
According to the director, the SISTME has three offices- Cordoba, Montevideo and Argentina the headquarters.
The 9th Annual Leventis Lecture organised by A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute (APLORI), Centre of Excellence, University of Jos, which held on Thursday, November 13, 2025, at the Aliyu Akwe Doma Indoor Theatre, University of Jos Permanent Site, served as a profound convergence of conservation science, policy, and traditional leadership. The event honoured the Institute’s founder and provided a strategic, economic roadmap for protecting Nigeria’s natural heritage.
Tunde Morakinyo, Executive Director of the Africa Nature Investors (ANI) Foundation, delivered the core address, “Bringing Nature and People Back to Life: Gashaka Gumti and Okomu National Parks, in focus.”
Guest Lecturer: Tunde Morakinyo, Executive Director of the Africa Nature Investors (ANI) Foundation
The lecture was held to honour Dr. Anastasios Paul “Tasso” Leventis CBE, OFR, a distinguished philanthropist and conservation leader who is the Chairman of the A. G. Leventis Foundation who leads without seeking the spotlight. Dr. Leventis’s enduring legacy is defined by his significant contributions to conservation and capacity building in Nigeria:
He established the A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute (APLORI) in Jos, which now serves as a Centre of Excellence for ornithological research and training and Africa’s first Centre for Species Survival under the IUCN Species Survival Commission.
APLORI has graduated more than 200 conservation professionals who are now active in government, academia, and NGOs.
Through the Leventis Foundation Nigeria agricultural youth scheme, he has trained and equipped over 30,000 youths and farmers in sustainable-farming methods over three decades.
The event opened with an official procession and drew wide representation from academia, government institutions, traditional authorities, and the private sector. The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Prof. Rahila P. Gowon, delivered the welcome address.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Prof. Rahila P. Gowon (left), with the Guest Lecture
She reaffirmed the importance of the Annual Leventis Lecture as a permanent fixture to honour the founder’s enduring legacy. The Special Guest of Honour, Cornelius Dongnaan Doeyok, Plateau State Commissioner for Tourism, Culture and Hospitality, highlighted the crucial role of ornithology in advancing practical conservation outcomes and drew attention to the pressing conservation challenges facing birds and other wildlife, including the threat of habitat loss, climate change, and escalating human–wildlife conflict. Citing the ongoing crisis at the newly designated Pandam National Park, he urged participants to translate scientific knowledge into action.
A central message of the Lecture was the need to reposition Nigeria’s National Parks as engines of rural development rather than viewing them solely as biodiversity protection areas. Morakinyo presented a compelling argument for a “win-win” strategy that secures ecological integrity while delivering tangible social and economic benefits to surrounding communities. He framed the conversation around a fundamental question:
“How do we make conservation meaningful and bring economic benefits to people in rural areas, or even to our government, so that they have a reason to protect it rather than destroy it?”
Using Gashaka Gumti National Park (GGNP) and Okomu National Park as case studies, he outlined a dual strategy centred on security and community-driven economic development. He noted that many parks had become vulnerable to illegal activities such as poaching, logging, mining, and uncontrolled pastoralism – often enabled by wider insecurity. In GGNP, for example, recurrent fires associated with illegal grazing continue to degrade savanna and montane habitats at an alarming pace.
Morakinyo described ANI’s three-phase conservation – development model, which transitions parks from donor dependency to financial sustainability through a structured Public–Private Partnership with the National Park Service.
The first phase establishes governance frameworks and delegated management systems that ensure accountability. The second phase focuses on securing the landscape through philanthropy-supported ranger training, law enforcement, community programmes, and infrastructure rehabilitation. The final phase engages the private sector through investments in ecotourism and premium carbon credit projects, including a recently registered REDD+ initiative in Gashaka Gumti.
L–R: Alhaji Ahmed Mantey (Board Chair, Leventis Foundation Nigeria); Dr. Anastasios P. Leventis (Chairman, A.G. Leventis Foundation); Louisa Agathi Leventis; Philip Hall, OBE (Chair, APLORI Board); Tunde Morakinyo (Executive Director, ANI Foundation); Prof. Adams A. Chaskda (Director, APLORI); Dr. Talatu Tende (Deputy Director, APLORI); and Dr. Ulf Uttosson (Member, APLORI Board)
Both Gashaka Gumti and Okomu National Parks remain under immense pressure despite their ecological importance. Gashaka Gumti, which spans 6,731 km², supports Critically Endangered Hooded Vultures as well as Nigeria–Cameroon Chimpanzee (EN), Giant Pangolin (EN), and Martial Eagle (EN), and African Golden Cat (VU). Okomu, covering 202 km², protects one of the last remaining lowland rainforest blocks in southern Nigeria, home to Critically Endangered African Forest Elephants and African Grey Parrot (EN).
ANI’s community programme has expanded rapidly, with over 2,000 women in 42 Savings and Loans Groups across 39 villages in Gashaka Gumti. These groups have launched small agri-processing enterprises, supported the distribution of 3,000 fuel-efficient cookstoves, and are expanding into fish farming, poultry, and agri-waste briquette production, alongside scholarship and school rehabilitation programmes that support young people.
Morakinyo emphasised that communities become defenders of the park when their livelihoods – and their children’s futures – are tied to its long-term health.
Looking ahead to 2028, ANI’s roadmap includes full implementation of Gashaka’s grazing and fire management plan, proposed species reintroductions to restore ecological balance, and the creation of a transboundary conservation complex linking Gashaka Gumti with Cameroon’s Tchabal Mbabo.
Morakinyo also challenged young conservationists to prioritize economic models that make conservation viable, integrate artificial intelligence into monitoring and protection, use mass media to build public engagement, and expand conservation efforts into urban spaces through green infrastructure design.
His message underscored the balance between rigorous protection and community empowerment, concluding that the “true win-win” emerges when communities see the park as essential to their security, livelihood, and future.
Goodwill Messages: Calls for Action and Partnership
Conservator-General, National Parks Service (represented by DCP Jonah Moses): The CG stated that the 9th Leventis Lecture is apt at this moment of global concerns regarding Protected Areas (PA) and the need for participatory management practices. He emphasised the key roles of various conservation bodies in helping PA management, and praised ANI’s effort in their 30-year agreement in protecting the park.
He called on all stakeholders in Plateau state to extend support to the newly designated Pandam National Park (protection, infrastructure, and support zone community development), and pledged support for all developmental partners, thanking APLORI for the invitation and continued partnership.
The Dean, School of Natural Science (represented by HOD, Zoology): The representative applauded the Centre’s efforts and envisioned more results from the already excellent work by APLORI in producing the best from the department.
Father of the Day (HRH. Rev. (Dr.) Isaac A. Wakili): The Paramount Ruler called the lecture timely and very apt amid environmental problems, declaring: “To destroy nature is to destroy ourselves.” He stressed the collective role of traditional rulers, policy makers, and citizens to restore harmony. He commended APLORI for its remarkable contribution to capacity building across Africa, urged everyone to translate the knowledge into action, and reaffirmed the commitment of traditional rulers to supporting APLORI’s mandate.
Prof. Adams A. Chaskda, Director of APLORI, delivered the Vote of Thanks, appreciating the Vice-Chancellor – represented by the DVC Academics – for making time to attend despite the ongoing NUGA Games. He also thanked the founder, guest speaker, guest of honour, participants, the press, and APLORI staff, noting that everyone had “done excellently well and deserves the trophy, if one existed.” He accepted responsibility for any shortcomings and wished all attendees a safe journey.
The climax of the day’s events was the official commissioning of the new PhD Conservation Biology Students’ Hostel of the A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, Centre of Excellence, University of Jos, located in the Laminga community. The facility was formally commissioned on November 13, 2025, by Louisa Agathi Leventis, assisted by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos, Prof. Tanko Ishaya.
In Attendance
Dr. Anastasios Paul “Tasso” Leventis as his citation is being read
The event was attended by Dr. Anastasios P. Leventis; Alhaji Ahmed Mantey, Chairman of the Board of Directors; Dr. Hope Usieta, Executive Director of the Leventis Foundation Nigeria; Philip Hall, Board Chair of APLORI; Cornelius Dongnaan Doeyok, Commissioner for Culture, Tourism and Hospitality, Plateau State; principal officers of the University of Jos; members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Jos Branch; senior staff from the University’s Research and Development Office; the Dean of the School of Natural Sciences; the Dean of the Postgraduate School; traditional rulers including the Agwom Izere of Izere, HRH Rev. (Dr.) Isaac A. Wakili, and the Village Head of Laminga, Adagwom Musa Arin.
Others include Dr. Ibrahim Musa Goni, Conservator-General of the National Park Service of Nigeria, represented by DCP Jonah Moses; the Curator of the Jos Museum; representatives from NESREA; Dr. Samuel Godongs, Director General for Research, Documentation and Planning in Plateau State; several commissioners; the Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Plateau State; the Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Governor of Plateau State; the Director of Wildlife Park Service; and media partners including PRTV, NTA, Ice FM, and other press representatives.
The National Park Service (NPS) has called for urgent action to address the critical decline of the West African lion.
Dr Ibrahim Goni, Conservator-General (C-G) of the NPS, made the call in Abuja on Friday, November 14, 2025, at the “Scientific Manuscript of Investigation into the generic Provenance of a Captive Lion Population in Nigeria: Implications for Conservation and Management”.
Goni said that the NPS is focusing on urgent conservation efforts, such as securing park areas, conducting ranger patrols, and re-establishing wildlife populations,
The lion
“This is a groundbreaking presentation which unveiled the findings of a critical study into the generic provenance of a captive Lion population in Nigeria, with significant implications for national and regional conservation strategies.
The research, titled “The generic Provence of a captive Lion population in Nigeria: Implications for Conservation and Management”, he said confirmed that the captive lions belonged to the endangered West African phylogenetic clade.
He underscored their irreplaceable genetic value.
The CG said that the presentation detailed the meticulous genetic analysis that established the definitive origins of the study population.
“The results are a vital contribution to the scientific understanding of lion populations in West Africa, a region where wildlife populations are critically endangered and geographically isolated.
“The presentation highlights the key implications of the scientific investigation for conservation to include prioritisation of West Africa lion lineage.
“The study provides a scientific basis for the management of these captive lions and potentially guiding future breeding programmes aimed at maintaining generic diversity within the clade,” he said.
Goni added that the study also highlighted conservation education and awareness offering a powerful tool for public education on the importance of local biodiversity conservation.
He expressed concern over the regulations of zoological gardens, wildlife parks and the zoo in the country.
He promised more collaboration with other zoos to ensure wildlife conservation and urged that a standard be put in place for the establishment of zoos.
Goni commended the Federal Government for its support on conservation efforts by the national park service.
Earlier, Mrs. Kehinde Abidemi, the Deputy Conservator of Park of the NPS, said that biodiversity, nationally is facing a decline according to genetic variation, adding that robust genetic management is indispensable.
“Aso wildlife collection captive facility in Abuja provided the impetus for investigation to ascertain whether the lions found there were pure Nigerians and where they emerged, from in Nigeria.”
