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Almost 500 carbon capture advocates given access to COP29

Michael Simire
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Almost 500 carbon capture advocates given access to COP29

At least 480 lobbyists for companies and groups that advocate for a misguided technology that prolongs fossil fuel use have gained access to the COP29 climate talks, according to a new analysis conducted by the Centre for International Environmental Law (CIEL).

COP29
COP29 entrance

The number of Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage lobbyists is higher than the core delegations from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European Union combined. Nearly half (209) are attending as members of national delegations, enabling them to lobby more directly and effectively with governments during the negotiations. The COP29 Presidency invited 55 as guests.

The number of carbon capture lobbyists has increased compared to last year’s at COP28 in Dubai (475), despite the overall number of participants being significantly lower in Baku (52,504 compared to 81,027 in Dubai. Figures exclude media and support staff).  

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), also known as CCUS when it includes “utilisation”, is a key topic at COP29, with lobbyists advocating for its implementation as a climate solution. 

CCS is a lifeline for the coal, oil, and gas industries as they pursue ways to avoid effective climate action. Worryingly, their attempts to preserve their business are showing results – increasingly national climate plans bet on these unreliable technologies.

CCS purports to enable polluters to “manage” their carbon dioxide emissions by trapping them and injecting them underground or underneath the seabed or using them in industrial processes.

But this technology has a decades-long history of overpromising and underdelivering, with 78% of large-scale projects cancelled or put on hold. 

“We are witnessing fossil fuel greenwashing by those attempting to delay the inevitable fossil fuels phaseout. This large presence of lobbyists is a confirmation that the carbon capture industry is working hard to promote the misguided CCS technology. But governments and companies simply cannot ‘clean’ their coal, oil, and gas by capturing and ‘managing’ emissions: CCS has repeatedly failed to deliver,” said CIEL International Carbon Capture Campaigner, Rachel Kennerley.

“The significant number of CCS lobbyists at COP29 highlights the fossil fuel industry’s substantial investment in attempting to secure its future, despite the urgent need to phase out fossil fuels. While CCS promotion continues within the corridors and meeting rooms of the climate talks, the real impacts will be out in the real world. Investing in this expensive and unreliable technology will lock in fossil fuels and waste precious time and money that we cannot afford. Large-scale CCS transport and storage also comes with significant health and safety risks,” she added.

Many more representatives of fossil fuel companies and their supporters present in Baku may also be using COP29 to promote other carbon capture technologies such as Direct Air Capture, hoping to cover up their continued emissions. 

“If left unchecked, corporate capture – as demonstrated by the volume of fossil fuel lobbyists roaming the corridors and rooms of COP29 – will continue to impede progress towards climate action. It is long past time for the UNFCCC and States to address the obvious conflict of interest of allowing those who are harming the planet to influence the process of saving it,” said CIEL Senior Attorney, Erika Lennon.

“We need to reform the climate negotiations process and make sure the voices of people on the frontlines, not the voices of polluters, are taking center stage,” she added.

The CIEL analysis was released one day after the Kick Big Polluters Out Coalition reported that 1,773 fossil fuel lobbyists gained access to this year’s climate talks.

African negotiators receive ‘voices of thousands’ petition demanding urgent climate action

Michael Simire
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African negotiators receive ‘voices of thousands’ petition demanding urgent climate action

Greenpeace Africa on Saturday, November 16, 2024, delivered a petition signed by 10,000 people to the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) at COP29.

Greenpeace Africa
Greenpeace Africa officials handing over the petition to AGN Chairman, Ali Mohamed

The petition, presented to AGN Chairman, Ali Mohamed, outlines key demands for an ambitious climate finance package, a renewable energy future and climate justice for Africa.

Murtala Touray, Programme Director at Greenpeace Africa, said: “This petition represents the voices of thousands of Africans who are already experiencing the devastating impacts of climate change. We are calling on our negotiators to stand firm in demanding that fossil fuel companies pay their fair share for the damage they’ve caused to our communities and environment.”

The petition outlines key demands, including investments in renewable energy solutions, an immediate end to new fossil fuel projects, and ensuring climate finance reaches vulnerable communities. It also calls for concrete mechanisms to make polluters pay and the rejection of false solutions like carbon offsetting.

Fred Njehu, Pan-African Political Strategist for Greenpeace Africa, said: “Africa’s future must be renewable, not fossil-fueled. Our climate negotiators have a historic opportunity at COP29 to champion real sustainable solutions that will protect our communities and ecosystems. We need bold leadership that prioritises people over profits and ensures a just transition to renewable energy systems across the continent.”

While accepting the document, Ambassador Ali Mohamed, Chair of the African Group of Negotiators, said: “We are all on the same page. We are going to support the position of the African CSOs and communities in our negotiations. I’m looking forward to working with you and responding to the challenges our different communities face. We look forward to a successful COP outcome.”

The petition handover, according to Greenpeace, comes at a crucial time as African nations seek to secure meaningful commitments for climate action and financial support under a new collective and quantified climate goal at COP29. Scientific Projections show that 118 million Africans could be at risk from climate-related disasters by 2030.

Greenpeace Africa climate campaigners and members of the Climate Justice Movement witnessed the handover ceremony. 

Solutions to deliver on global clean energy targets showcased at COP29

Michael Simire
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Solutions to deliver on global clean energy targets showcased at COP29

A year after the pivotal COP28 pledge to double energy efficiency and triple renewable capacity by 2030, two major advocates in the energy transition – the Global Renewables Alliance (GRA) and the Solar Impulse Foundation (SIF) – have joined forces to launch “Double Down, Triple Up – 20 Solutions in Action”.

Bertrand Piccard
Bertrand Piccard, Initiator and Chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation

The initiative aims to encourage ambitious NDCs and accelerate progress towards global climate targets by showcasing 20 implemented solution cases that demonstrate achievable pathways towards renewables and energy efficiency goals.

The project builds upon the “Double Down, Triple Up” campaign which was instrumental in securing the global target adopted at COP28. “Triple Up” highlights the urgency to scale global renewable capacity threefold by 2030 through strategic investments, policy alignment, and innovation in solar, wind, and other clean technologies to meet rising global demand sustainably. “Double Down” underscores energy efficiency as a rapid, cost-effective approach for reducing CO2 emissions, enabling countries to decrease energy demand while boosting energy security.

“Double Down, Triple Up: 20 Solutions in Action” is a contribution to show that substantial emissions reductions are within reach when businesses, governments, and communities adopt practical, scalable technologies aligned with renewable energy and efficiency targets. For energy efficiency, this could mean better building insulation to reduce heating and cooling demands, harnessing waste heat in industry, and applying precision farming to cut down on chemical use. For renewables, it involves expanding solar manufacturing, integrating projects with ecosystem restoration, and enhancing urban sustainability through smart city infrastructure.

Bringing concrete examples of energy efficiency and renewable deployment together highlights the interconnected roles of both dimensions as essential to a just and sustainable energy future. Meeting these dual targets could deliver 80% of the emissions reductions needed to keep global warming within 1.5°C, helping phase out fossil fuels and build economic resilience worldwide. By simultaneously increasing clean energy supply and cutting energy demand, this approach optimises the use of renewables, reduces fossil fuel dependency, and ensures a more stable, affordable energy landscape, which is especially vital for emerging markets and developing economies.

“With increasing global electricity demand, the combination of increased renewables and energy efficiency is essential to avoid the need for additional fossil fuels. Smart, scalable and profitable solutions already exist and the amazing examples in this report provide just a snapshot of what is possible. Meeting our 2030 targets to triple renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency will help deliver a clean, secure and just energy transition, not simply energy addition,” said Bruce Douglas, CEO of GRA.

“This project with the Solar Impulse Foundation exemplifies how achievable these targets are, with case studies from around the world showing real solutions in action. By investing in both renewables and efficiency, we can strengthen energy security, create green jobs, and provide emerging economies with stable, affordable energy. COP29 is our call to turn these inspiring examples into global action and policy change, moving us closer to a clean, secure, and just energy future for all,” he added. 

“Climate action needs everyone on board, from the green activists to the economic sector. It is precisely what renewable energies and energy efficiency allow us to do now: cheaper sources of clean energy and huge financial savings by putting an end to the current  waste of 2/3 of the energy production. With this initiative, the Solar Impulse Foundation together with the Global Renewables Alliance present 20 real-world solutions that support this narrative and push for change.

“It is an inspiring challenge showcasing what many still see as impossible: to build a ‘qualitative economy’ that reduces consumption and waste, not by shrinking the economy or leaving people behind, but by promoting efficiency and replacing polluting practices with environmentally protective ones,” said Bertrand Piccard, Initiator and Chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation.

With the project launch at COP29, GRA and SIF invite global leaders and innovators to leverage these success stories and act. Both organisations are said to be central advocates for an actionable energy transition, aiming to secure stronger policy commitments and drive investor support.

TotalEnergies deploys methane emissions detection equipment on upstream assets

Michael Simire
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TotalEnergies deploys methane emissions detection equipment on upstream assets

As part of its ambition to aim for near-zero methane emissions by 2030, TotalEnergies may be going a step further in the monitoring and reduction of its methane emissions with the deployment of continuous, real-time detection equipment at all of its operated Upstream sites.

TotalEnergies
TotalEnergies

TotalEnergies disclosed that it has, since 2022, been pursuing an ambition to aim for near-zero methane operated emissions in 2030: the Company will meet as soon as 2024 its target to reduce emissions by 50% compared to 2020, a year ahead of plan.

“TotalEnergies is thus well on track to achieve the targeted 80% reduction by 2030. This achievement is the result of numerous initiatives, including the successful deployment of its AUSEA drone campaigns,” the organisation disclosed.

Complementing its portfolio of detection technologies already in place, TotalEnergies is installing continuous detection equipment on all its operated Upstream assets, enabling real-time identification of methane emissions, both fugitive and stationary, and immediate corrective actions to stop them.

This continuous detection plan will be fully implemented by end-2025 and will use existing and proven technologies such as loT sensors, InfraRed cameras, flowmeters and Predictive Emissions Monitoring Systems on combustion sources.

Continuous, real-time detection on this scale – both for existing facilities and projects under development, such as the GranMorgu FPSO in Suriname – is a pioneering move in the industry and sets a new standard for the Company.

“Slashing down methane emissions is a short-term priority to contribute to the fight against climate change. Continuous, real-time detection will enable our operators to act in an even more decisive manner in order to reduce our methane emissions and to repair leaks to achieve our near-zero methane emissions ambition.

“As a champion of the Oil & Gas Decarbonisation Charter (OGDC), I am proud that TotalEnergies is leading the way in deploying such equipment at large scale and we will continue to work with the industry to share best practices in measuring and fighting methane emissions,” said Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies.

Study: Four global policies could eliminate over 90% of plastic waste by 2050

Michael Simire
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Study: Four global policies could eliminate over 90% of plastic waste by 2050

A new study released in Science on Thursday, November 14, 2024, determines that just four policies can reduce mismanaged plastic waste – plastic that isn’t recycled or properly disposed of and ends up as pollution – by 91% and plastic-related greenhouse gasses by one-third.

Plastic waste pollution
Plastic waste pollution

The policies are: mandate new products be made with 40% post-consumer recycled plastic; cap new plastic production at 2020 levels; invest significantly in plastic waste management – such as landfills and waste collection services; and implement a small fee on plastic packaging. This policy package also delivers climate benefits, reducing emissions equivalent to taking 300 million gasoline-powered vehicles off the road for one year.

The study, “Pathways to reduce global plastic waste mismanagement and greenhouse gas emissions by 2050,” by researchers at the University of California Berkeley and the University of California Santa Barbara, comes in advance of negotiations in Busan, Republic of Korea (November 25-December 1, 2024), where delegates from more than 190 countries are expected to iron out the final details of the world’s first legally binding treaty on plastic pollution.

“This is it. These upcoming negotiations in Busan are our one chance to come together as a planet and fix this problem,” said Dr. Douglas McCauley, Professor at UC Santa Barbara, Adjunct Professor at UC Berkeley. “One of the most exciting discoveries in this research is that it is actually possible to nearly end plastic pollution with this Treaty. I’m cautiously optimistic, but we can’t squander this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

If no action is taken in Busan, annual plastic consumption will rise 37% between 2020 and 2050, and plastic pollution will nearly double across the same period.

“This study demonstrates how far we have come in not just quantifying the manifold problems surrounding plastics, but also in identifying and evaluating potential solutions,” said Dr. Roland Geyer, Professor of Industrial Ecology, Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at UC Santa Barbara. “I am very proud of what our team was able to achieve in time for the final round of negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty.”

By continuing with business as usual, the world would generate enough litter between 2011 and 2050 to cover Manhattan in a heap of plastic 10 times the height of the Empire State Building. In a business-as-usual future, greenhouse gas emissions related to plastic would jump 37% from 2020 levels to 3.35 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2050 – this is the same as nearly 9,000 natural gas-fired power plants operating for one year or the energy use for more than 436 million homes for one year.

“There are multiple pathways available to negotiators, but it does require ambition,” said Sam Pottinger, Senior Research Data Scientist, Eric and Wendy Schmidt Centre for Data Science and Environment at UC Berkeley. “The impact that we’re really hoping to see on the treaty is that it is data-informed. As the treaty comes to its final conclusion before ratification, we want folks to be aware of how much progress they’ve actually made, at least according to the best science that we have available right now.”

Countries in the Global South will continue to bear the greatest burden of the plastic crisis. Financing mechanisms created in the treaty could drive much-needed investment into waste management and recycling infrastructure in these regions to reduce plastic pollution – thus helping to solve a major global environmental justice issue.  

“I’m optimistic about a sustainable future,” said Dr. Nivedita Biyani, Researcher on Global Plastic Modeling, Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory at UC Santa Barbara. “This policy work shows that we can reach minimal mismanaged plastic waste if we can come together in action. This provides policymakers with a novel tool that isn’t prescriptive – they can combine various policies as they see fit. Going forward, I think a mechanism to gather data on plastic production and trade will be a key factor. We need supply chain transparency here.”

The study is built on insights from an AI-generated tool developed by a team of plastic researchers, data scientists, and AI researchers at the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory and Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at University of California Santa Barbara, and the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Center for Data Science & Environment at University of California, Berkeley.

The tool uses machine learning to combine information about population growth and economic trends to forecast the future of plastic production, pollution and trade.

COP29: Group picks holes in Switzerland’s updated climate action plan

Michael Simire
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COP29: Group picks holes in Switzerland’s updated climate action plan

The Swiss government on Friday, November 15, 2024, announced its updated 2021-2030 climate action plan, or Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), which features a topline target of 50% reduction in emissions by 2030, based on 1990 levels.

Viola Amherd
Viola Amherd, President of the Swiss Confederation

However, environment watchdog, 350.org, has picked holes in the document, saying that it is not an improvement to the country’s existing NDC.

“While in principle enhancing ambition this decade is critical, the updated 2030 target does not do that and is a disappointment,” the group stated.

According to the IPCC, emissions need to be halved by 2030 – this means rich countries and big historic emitters must go further and faster to cut carbon emissions in this timeframe.

“For a country like Switzerland, one of the richest places on the planet, a 50% cut is far from sufficient,” the group added.

Nicolò Wojewoda, Europe Director at 350.org, said: “Countries, particularly wealthy, historically significant emitters like Switzerland, must not only submit their 2035 climate targets but also take bold action within this critical decade.

“Yet, Switzerland’s updated 2030 target fails to include more ambitious emissions reductions, offering instead a bureaucratic ‘eager beaver’ response to various UN decisions in relation to NDCs.

“Without stronger ambition and clear, sector-specific targets, progress will falter. Moreover, at this ‘Finance COP’, Switzerland must put greater climate finance on the table to pay its fair share and support global efforts to combat the climate crisis.”

Report calls out damage from Global North’s refusal to pay up on climate finance, calls for system change

Michael Simire
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Report calls out damage from Global North’s refusal to pay up on climate finance, calls for system change

A global coalition of civil society organisations from social movements, environmental and development NGOs, trade unions and faith groups on Friday, November 15, 2024, released a new report. Titled: “Fair Shares, Finance, Transformation – Fair Shares Assessment, Equitable Fossil Fuel Phase Out, and Public Finance for a Just Global Climate Stabilisation”, the report is said to be endorsed by well over 300 organisations from around the globe.

Climate finance
Climate finance

The 2024 edition marks the 10th year since the first Civil Society Equity Review of countries’ climate ambition was released in the lead up to the 2015 Paris Climate Summit. 

The report detailed the profound damage caused by the global north’s unwillingness to do their fair share of climate effort, especially related to climate finance, and how that damage is further exacerbated by the organised obstructionism of the fossil fuel industry and the parasitism of the global rich.

It also detailed that there is plenty of money to fund a just, ambitious, effective and equitable global climate transition, even without implementing the deep systemic changes that are also needed. The report further details these systems change reforms, divided into more immediate reforms and the longer-term objectives, needed to actually allow the world to address growing inequities and stop the climate crisis.

The Report stated: “The Global North’s negotiators are refusing to engage with numbers of this scale, and by so doing are playing a very dangerous game. In this refusal, they imagine themselves realists, but they are in fact refusing to engage with numbers that have real empirical bases, and by so doing are endangering the UNFCCC regime and, indeed, the entire multilateral system, not to mention any remaining possibility of a stable climate and all that depends on it. True realism lies in the recognition that we actually have the money to save ourselves, and that the reallocation and redistribution of that money is now an existential necessity.”

Building on previous Civil Society Equity Reviews, the 2024 report includes: 

  • An updated look at NDCs for 2035, including key fossil fuel phaseout demands for the next round of NDCs,
  • An examination of the danger of developed countries falling so far short of their fair shares, especially their unwillingness to engage with climate finance discussions on the needed scale of trillions not billions,
  • Discussion that the money for climate finance is available and several areas for possible funding,
  • The need for system change, with reforms divided between the short term and the long term, needed in order to fully transition away from the fossil fuel addicted and increasingly inequitable society we have today.

Lidy Nacpil of Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development said: “The delivery of adequate, additional, non-debt creating climate finance is absolutely vital, but it does not stop there. For countries in the global south to be able to meet the challenges of solving the climate crisis while building resilience and the strength for dealing with the impacts and losses, we need many immediate, major reforms in the international and national financial architecture. This is essential for the whole world to transition successfully to a zero carbon, equitable and just world.” 

Tom Athanasiou of EcoEquity said: “This report takes a step back from the scrum and theater of the Baku COP, and asks us to look at the big picture. Even in the unlikely best case, Baku will only deliver a small step forward, and many others will be needed if we’re to stabilise the climate system in time. Obviously, we haven’t got a chance without geopolitical transformation, which has to begin with a finance breakthrough. As this report demonstrates, such a breakthrough is more than possible – despite everything, we have the money, science, and technology to save ourselves.”

Amiera Sawas, Head of Research and Policy, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, said: “A just and equitable transition away from fossil fuels is not only the direction set by the UNFCCC process and the Summit for the Future – but it’s also a moral responsibility. This is going to require systemic change – particularly of our global economic system which is putting up numerous barriers for countries across the global south.

“These countries not only need but also deserve trillions to make this transition. This report shows us that the gap in making this finance happen is not about the money. The money is there. It’s about the political will to make better choices and push back on the obstructive fossil fuel industry which is only interested in maintaining its own profits and existence at the expense of humanity.”

Kelly Stone, Senior Policy Analyst, ActionAid USA, said: “A fair shares approach is not only a moral imperative, but a practical requirement. The longer action is delayed, especially by rich, developed countries, the greater the challenge becomes to meet the targets in the Paris Agreement. The failure of these countries to do their fair share so far, especially the refusal to deliver sufficient levels of grant-based climate finance, has profoundly broken trust in this process and stalled badly needed progress.

“Everyone needs to do their fair share, but it’s the developed countries’ failure to do that is currently blocking action. The money is there, and there are clear actionable reforms that can be taken to help unlock climate finance, create fiscal space and begin the needed transformation for a more just, sustainable world. We cannot wait any longer. COP29 needs to deliver an ambitious, grant-based climate finance goal as a first step.”

Asad Rehman, Director, War on Want, said: “The hollow words and empty promises of rich developed countries to keep 1.5°C alive are a literal death sentence for the planet and many of its people. The super rich are guzzling their way through what little remains of the carbon budget and grabbing trillions of the world’s wealth, with the fossil fuel giants laughing all the way to the bank. Wealth taxes must fund a just transition that will guarantee everyone the right to live with dignity and in harmony with the planet.”

IITC condemns COP29’s approval of carbon market as direct threat to Indigenous rights 

Michael Simire
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IITC condemns COP29’s approval of carbon market as direct threat to Indigenous rights 

The International Indian Treaty Council (IITC) has condemned the November 11, 2024, decision by the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP29). States Parties voted unanimously, although some expressed concern, to approve long delayed and controversial carbon market rules contained in Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

IITC
The International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change held a preparatory strategy meeting November 9-10 in Baku, Azerbaijan before COP29. Photo credit: Bryan Bixcul

IITC joined with the other participants of International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC) which represents over 150 Indigenous Peoples from around the world attending COP29. The IIPFCC was unified in warning that these market-based mechanisms threaten Indigenous Peoples’ ecosystems and rights and enable continued pollution under the guise of “climate action”.

The IIPFCC’s opening statement, approved by consensus, and presented in the COP29 plenary on November 13, 2024, affirmed: “States have failed to take necessary action to phase out fossil fuels and implement a Just Transition to sustainable, non-carbon-based energy sources. At the same time, States are imposing false solutions enabled by Article 6, including geo-engineering, as well as extraction of so-called transition minerals, which do not reverse the climate crisis.”

The decision to adopt carbon removal guidelines developed by the Article 6.4 Supervisory Body in October 2024 also opens the door for increased exploitation of Indigenous territories. Under 6.4 States and corporations can offset their emissions by funding projects in other regions, including those that target Indigenous Peoples’ lands. Indigenous Peoples in various countries have already experienced the devastating consequences of these carbon market projects, resulting in land dispossession and forced displacement from their ancestral territories.

“The UN now opens the door to unproven carbon removal technologies with little to no Indigenous rights protection,” said Ghazali Ohorella, Maluku, IITC’s Human Rights and Climate Change Legal Consultant, who is coordinating work on Article 6 for Indigenous Peoples at COP29.

“These removal mechanisms will directly threaten Indigenous Peoples who have been the traditional guardians of their ecosystems since time immemorial. The rush to implement these standards shows a dangerous prioritisation of economic interests over Indigenous Peoples rights, UN governance and real climate action,” added Ghazali.

The newly approved mechanisms also promote dangerous technologies like Carbon Capture Storage (CCS) and geoengineering, rather than addressing the root causes of climate change.

Andrea Carmen, IITC Executive Director, who is attending the COP29 with an IITC delegates from North, Central and South America and the Pacific, stated: “Indigenous Peoples are asking for recognition of our own time-tested methods and practices for ecosystem protection, restoration and resiliency to address and minimise the climate crisis. Instead, we’re seeing the fast-tracking of carbon market schemes that allow states to evade accountability while putting Indigenous Peoples’ health, safety, and rights at risk.”

At the COP29 negotiations in Baku, IITC said it would continue to advocate for climate action that respects Indigenous rights and promotes real global solutions by calling on State Parties to:

1. Recognise the distinct collective rights of Indigenous Peoples and end the harmful practice of combining and conflating Indigenous Peoples with “local communities” in all UNFCCC bodies and decisions. Indigenous Peoples have unique rights, identities, and knowledge, as affirmed in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. These must be upheld in all climate actions.

2. Halt Market-based false “solutions” including Carbon Capture Storage (CCS), forest offsets, geoengineering, and extraction of so-called transition minerals” such as lithium. These pose serious risks to our rights, Peoples, lands, food systems and waters. We insist that any proposed carbon credit project affecting Indigenous Peoples must comply with our right to free, prior, and informed consent.

3. Provide Direct, Equitable Public Climate Financing rather than promoting volatile market-based approaches like carbon trading. Indigenous Peoples are asking for secure, predictable financial support to implement their own strategies for climate resilience and the protection and restoration of vital ecosystems.

The IITC called on COP29 to change its course and focus on supporting effective rights-based climate action grounded in Just Transition, and full respect for Indigenous Peoples’ rights, expertise, and knowledge systems as an urgent priority.

IITC further called upon the State Parties at COP29 to renew their commitment to limit global temperature rise to no more that 1.5°C by dramatically reducing their extraction and use of fossil fuels. The survival of Indigenous Peoples – and our planet – depends on implementing genuine solutions without delay.

GOCOP calls for balanced regulatory framework for digital content in Nigeria

Michael Simire
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GOCOP calls for balanced regulatory framework for digital content in Nigeria

The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) has called for a balanced regulatory framework for digital content produced by Nigerian creatives.

GOCOP
Deputy General Secretary of GOCOP, Olumide Iyanda

Deputy General Secretary of the Guild Olumide Iyanda made the call on Thursday, November 14, 2024, while delivering a goodwill message at the opening ceremony of the 4th Peace Anyiam-Osigwe Nigeria Digital Content Regulation Conference (NDCRC) organised by the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) in Lagos.

The theme of the two-day conference is “Film and Video Regulation in the Digital Age, Balancing Creativity and Responsibility.”

Mr Iyanda conveyed GOCOP’s commendation to the Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, for her support of the NFVCB under the leadership of Dr Shaibu Husseini.

According to him, the conference not only serves as a tribute to the visionary contributions of the late Peace Anyiam-Osigwe but also as an essential forum for collaboration, learning and strategising to shape the future of digital content responsibly.

“The NFVCB’s commitment to creating a balanced regulatory framework that respects creativity while upholding societal values is commendable and deeply aligns with our mission at GOCOP which was established to promote professionalism among online publishers and uphold the ethical standards of journalism in the digital space,” Iyanda said.

As a member of the Nigeria Press Organisation (NPO) and one of the drivers of the National Media Complaints Commission (NMCC), also known as the media Ombudsman, GOCOP plays a crucial role in ensuring that online publications maintain high standards of integrity and professionalism, thereby contributing positively to the media landscape in Nigeria.

“The legacy of Peace Anyiam-Osigwe is a reminder to us all of the transformative power of content that respects cultural heritage and inspires positive change.”

Speaking earlier in his welcome address, Executive Director of the NFVCB, Dr Husseini said: “As we gather to exchange ideas, forge new partnerships, and chart a course for Nigeria’s digital content regulation future, I want to emphasise the importance of collaboration and cooperation in our shared goal of promoting a vibrant and responsible creative sector.

“The whole idea of the digital content regulation conference was named after the late iconic writer, filmmaker and producer, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, and which I must credit my predecessor, Alhaji Adedayo Thomas.”

He noted that since the industry had the power to shape minds and influence culture, stakeholders needed to balance artistic expression with sensitivity and respect for the audience.

“By doing so, we are not only upholding the integrity of our industry but also contributing to a more informed and empathetic society,” Husseini said.

In her keynote address, Founder of EbonyLife Group, Mo Abudu, emphasised the importance of changing the narrative about Africa through content.

“As creatives, we must understand that with great power comes great responsibility. We must balance our creative freedom with the need to protect our audiences, particularly children, from harmful or inappropriate content.

“We can change the narrative about Africa with content. We must create stories that resonate with global audiences, stories that showcase our unique perspectives and experiences as Africans,” she said.

Hannatu Musawa, who was represented by General Manager of the National Theatre, Tola Akerele, commended NFVCB for organising the conference.

“I commend the NFVCB for organising this conference, which is a vital platform for discussing pressing issues in the digital space.

“It’s a great opportunity for stakeholders to come together and explore ways to promote the growth and development of the creative industry in Nigeria,” Musawa said.

Kano vows to judiciously utilise funds appropriated for ecological remediation

Michael Simire
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Kano vows to judiciously utilise funds appropriated for ecological remediation

The Kano State Government has vowed that funds appropriated for remediation of ecological impacted areas will be used judiciously.

The State Commissioner of Environment and Climate Change, Nasiru Sule Garo, stated this in an interview with journalists at the Nigerian Pavilion at the ongoing COP29 Summit In Baku, Azerbaijan.

He said the state would work with the House of Representatives to ensure the objectives of the Ecological Funds are not derailed.

“It was established to address specific challenges of erosion in Nigeria and people are supposed to access that fund just for the control of erosion but at some point the state governments put some pressure and that money was shared equally to the states, so we are now collaborating with the House of Representatives through the Ecological Funds so that a focus will be on the states not just in Kano but the states that really need ecological fund so that they can be able to control erosion.

‘Apart from the ecological fund, we are also working with AcRESAL Project for the benefit of the good people of Kano State. We are also partnering with the Great Green Wall (GGW) project in terms of desert encroachment.”

The Commissioner said the delegation is in Baku to establish partnerships with different organisations around the world to see how to make Kano environs better for the people of the state.

“In the area of financing, Kano is at the tail end of producing its own climate change policy draft and we have almost concluded that project and we will still do the plan on how we can implement the policy and that is a pedestal for us to be able to partner with different organisations to attract climate financing.

“For climate financing you need to have the policy for you to be able to attract all the funds and that is where we are now. We have gone far and we are trying to collaborate with different organisations to actualise the plan and access climate funding.

“Waste is another area of concern to us. It is one of the major distributors of greenhouse gases as it produces methane and so our concern is to be able to get a partnership to deal with the issue.

“Like they say ‘waste is wealth’, so the administration of Alhaji Abba Kabiru Yusuf is very keen in making sure that we have a proper waste management.

“Kano a few years ago went into partnership with a company called Cape-Gate for them to manage waste but unfortunately they were unable to do that project for Kano State, so when this administration took over, we have to set up an adhoc arrangement for us to clean up Kano.

“Secondly, on the issue of land degradation, recently we are in partnership with a Federal Government establishment in Abuja in making sure that we are able to get resources for us to manage land degradation that we have which is very enormous in Kano.”

Dr. Musa Ali Kachako, Chairman, Environment Committee, Kano State House of Assembly, said the legislature is solidly behind efforts to tackle climate change and other environmental issues.

“As a representative of the people, we are very keen in making sure we partner with the government to make sure that relevant policies and legal frameworks are developed in addressing critical challenges of climate change.

“Our appearance at the ongoing COP29 gave us the opportunity to partner with the Global Legislative Forum for Climate Change, we are in the Pavillion to discuss with them on issues that pertain to our state.The Director, Environment and Climate Change at Kano Watershed Erosion and Climate Change Management Agency (KN-WECCMA), Umar Saleh Anka, commended the state for support to participate in COP29.

“It shows our governor’s commitment to addressing climate challenges and other environmental issues.”

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