The United Nation’s Summit of the Future opens in New York on Sunday, September 22, 2024, and world leaders meeting there must take ambitious action on fossil fuel phaseout, says a letter signed by leaders of states, regions and cities from across the globe.
The latest draft states: “We decide to reaffirm all elements of our call on parties to the Paris agreement in the UAE consensus to contribute to global efforts in a nationally determined manner, taking into account the Paris Agreement and their different national circumstances, pathways and approaches, as set out in in paragraph 28 of the UAE consensus…to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net zero by 2050 in keeping with the science.”
A letter from a group of 14 mayors, governors and subnational leaders from five continents, representing more than 40 million people, makes clear that heads of state must urgently take fossil fuels head on and without delay, stating: “… we must banish fossil fuels to the past and curb their undue influence in the present. We cannot and will not be fooled by the smoke and mirror tricks played by those who want us to sleepwalk into our own extinction.
“At a time when we need faster, fairer action, G20 nations continue to pour billions into fossil fuel subsidies. It’s time to stop propping up these polluting industries and use these funds to scale up local and equitable climate action instead. This is the most effective way to cut emissions and will create a third more jobs than if we continue with business as usual.”
Organised by NGOs Climate Group and C40 Cities, the letter is being signed by the mayors Jaume Collboni (Barcelona, Spain); Michelle Wu (Boston, US); Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr (Freetown, Sierra Leone), Dr Eckart Würzner (Heidelberg, Germany); Giuseppe Sala (Milan, Italy); Valérie Plante (Montreal, Canada); LaToya Cantrell (New Orleans, US); and Anne Hidalgo (Paris, France) – and regional leaders Minister for the Environment, Climate and Energy Thekla Walker (Baden-Württemberg, Germany); Governor Kim Tae-heum (Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea); Prince Bassey Edet Otu (Cross River State, Nigeria); Member of the Executive Council for Environment Sheila Mary Peters (Gauteng, South Africa); Minister of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks Benoit Charette (Québec, Canada); and Governor Mauricio Kuri González (Querétaro, Mexico).
The UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, has emphasised the critical role world leaders could play in driving innovation and change as world leaders gather at the UN for the Summit of the Future and General Assembly High-Level Week.
Deputy Secretary-General of the UN, Amina J. Muhammed
Mohammed said that solutions were needed as leaders gather during time of mounting crises and debt burdens in the Global South.
“You are called to provide solutions to people affected by climate chaos and the spectre of conflict and insecurity that ranges from full-blown war in your communities, to violent extremism, crime or violence against women,” Ms. Mohammed said.
With the deadline for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) approaching in 2030, Mohammed warned that leaders are essential to getting progress “back on track.”
“We need your energy, initiatives and ideas more than ever to make the sustainable development goals real in people’s lives,” the deputy chief said.
She further stressed the need for leaders at a local level, including mayors, since 70 per cent of the world’s population is expected to live in cities by 2050.
Mohammed also noted that local leadership currently assists in driving transformative change by tackling the climate crisis, improving access to affordable energy and fostering more equitable communities, among other ways.
“We are seeing the dividends of your determination in breakthroughs to challenges once considered intractable,” Mohammed said.
Yet, “There is still much to be done.”
The UN Deputy chief urged urban leaders to continue the work that has contributed to global success while insisting on the need for more equitable and accessible service systems, and increased climate solutions for cities.
She further said: “We need an empowered local democracy with peace at its core; and we need more resilient communities with early warning systems for disaster prevention.”
Mohammed also called for leaders’ amplified ambition in achieving the SDGs to “deliver a world that is more prosperous, equal and sustainable for everyone, everywhere.”
More partners are lining up for the eighth annual conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Delta State Government and Lagos State Government, as well as the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and T-Pumpy Concept Limited, coming strongly behind the forthcoming event holding in Kogi State capital, Lokoja.
Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Mr Mele Kyari
The 2024 Conference Planning Committee chairman, Danlami Nmodu, confirmed this in a press statement by GOCOP Publicity Secretary, Sir Remmy Nweke, recalling that the likes of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Emadeb Group and Dangote Group had earlier joined the train of partners for the event slated for Thursday, October 3, 2024, at the Reverton Hotel, GRA Lokoja, Kogi State.
Other partners, Nmodu noted, include the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Setraco Nigeria Limited, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Access Bank plc, Zenith Bank plc, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Fidelity Bank plc, Sovereign Trust Insurance plc (STI), Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) and National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), to name but a few.
According to him, the eighth conference theme would focus on “Nigeria: Tackling Insecurity, Power Deficit, and Transitioning to Digital Economy”, with the former governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyle Imoke, delivering the lead paper as keynoter.
High spot of this 2024 conference, Nmodu said, would be the business luncheon with GOCOP partners on Wednesday, October 2, at the same venue, whereas the main conference, which is open for interested public, would hold on Thursday, October 3.
As said by Nmodu, the 8th edition has been confirmed to be chaired by the former Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain, Alhaji Yusuf Mamman, accompanied by the former Nigerian Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (retd), and the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, as Guest Speakers, just as the Professor of Political Science at the Federal University Lokoja, Prof. Rotimi Ajayi, and an edutainment communicator and veteran broadcaster, Ms Debrah M. Ogazuma, would make up the panelists.
Nmodu recalled with excitement that GOCOP conference 2023 was chaired by the JAMB Registrar and Chief Executive, Prof Ishaq Olarenwaju Oloyede, while the first Nigerian Professor of Capital Market, Prof. Uchenna Joseph Uwaleke, was the keynote speaker.
Preceding speakers at the GOCOP annual conferences consist of Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, who in 2019 delivered a lecture on “Economy, Security and National Development: The Way Forward.”
In 2021, Mr. Boss Mustapha, as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19, keynoted the conference and spoke on: “Post Covid-19 Pandemic: Recovery and Reconstruction in Nigeria.”
Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, delivered the keynote at the 2022 edition themed “2023 Elections: Managing the Process for Credible Outcome.”
GOCOP was established to ensure that online publishers uphold the tenets of journalism.
Google has introduced Open Buildings 2.5D Temporal Dataset, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered tool to plan for urban growth management and flood preparedness across Africa.
The Google AI tool can plan for urban growth management
Mr Abdoulaye Diack, the Programme Manager, Google Research Africa team, who said this in a statement in Lagos on Friday, September 20, 2024, said the Al-powered tool helped to plan for population growth, respond to crises, and understand urbanisation’s impact.
The Open Buildings 2.5D Temporal Dataset can track building changes. This includes estimates of building presence, counts, and heights, and works between 2016 and 2023.
Diack noted that the Open Buildings Project was an initiative to solve major issues of villages and towns in Africa that were not being on the map.
According to him, by 2050, the world’s urban population is expected to grow by 2.5 billion, with nearly 90 per cent of that growth happening in cities across Africa and Asia.
He added that, to keep up with this rapid urbanisation, governments, humanitarian organisations and researchers needed accurate information on buildings and infrastructure.
“This data helps to plan for future growth, respond to crises and ensure resources are distributed fairly but in many parts of Africa and the Global South, this vital information is outdated or simply unavailable.
“That is why Google launched the Open Buildings project in 2021. It started at the AI Research Lab in Accra, Ghana, and has helped map 1.8 billion buildings across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean about 40 per cent of the globe.
“This data has been used by governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and researchers to improve services and respond to disasters.
“Now, we are expanding this effort with the Open Buildings 2.5D Temporal Dataset, which does not just map buildings, it shows how they change over time and estimates their heights,’’ the Google official said.
According to him, governments and organisations can use this data in various ways such as flood preparedness.
“In flood prone areas, accurate data can help authorities predict which buildings and neighbourhoods are most at risk.
“The data can also be used for urban growth, in cities like Kumasi, Ghana, which has seen rapid expansion; this data allows city planners to better manage resources and infrastructure.
The programme manager said that it could also be used for disaster recovery.
According to him, in places like Palu, Indonesia, where a tsunami struck in 2018, this data showed how the built environment changed before and after the crisis, helping rebuild communities more effectively.
“It helps governments, humanitarian agencies, and researchers to ensure that everyone is counted and represented.
“With this new dataset, Goggle is giving these organisations better tools to plan for the future, respond to crises, and support communities in need,” he added.
The Federal Government of Nigeria, in partnership with the World Bank and African Development Bank (AfDB), is working to provide electricity to selected universities and teaching hospitals.
Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu
Mr Abba Aliyu, Managing Director, Rural Electrification Agency (REA), said this on Friday, September 20, 2024, in Abuja at the Energising Education Programme 2024 Stakeholders’ Engagement Forum (SEF).
Aliyu stated that over $250 million had been spent on phases 1, 11 and 111 to deploy infrastructure, build distribution networks, upgrade substations, and meter connecting areas.
He highlighted the construction of world-class training centres for renewable energy.
Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, emphasised energy access as crucial for education, progress, and development.
Adelabu, represented by Mr Bem Ayangeaor, Assistant Director of Renewable and Rural Power Access, highlighted that electricity enabled schools to extend learning hours, utilise educational technology, and create safe and comfortable environments.
“This, in turn, boosts enrollment, improves academic performance, and enhances teacher-student productivity.
“The Energising Education Programme (EEP) was conceived to address electricity access issues in educational institutions.
“While many Nigerian universities are connected to the national grid, the consistency and quality of electricity supply vary greatly, especially in rural areas.
“Educational institutions face challenges in securing reliable and affordable electricity due to infrastructure limitations, financial constraints, and technical difficulties, hindering quality education and undermining the academic experience.”
However, Adelabu noted opportunities for innovation and collaboration through investing in renewable energy technologies, improving grid infrastructure, and promoting energy efficiency.
He stressed the importance of sustainability in unlocking the potential of energy access and education.
“To ensure continued impact, beneficiary institutions must take ownership of EEP projects and actively participate in their sustainability,” the minister said.
Olufemi Akinyelure, Head of the Nigerian Electrification Project (NEP) at the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), emphasised the importance of collaboration and communication between REA and universities at a recent forum.
He said the event brought together vice chancellors, chief medical directors, directors of physical planning/works, legal officers from Energising Education Programme (EEP) universities, and other key stakeholders to discuss ways forward on the projects.
He said the forum aimed to address concerns surrounding EEP Phase I, focusing on urgent interventions to enhance the sustainability of power plants deployed during this phase.
He said EEP inaugurated in 2018 sought to provide reliable power supply to 37 federal universities and seven affiliated teaching hospitals nationwide.
“These institutions are being equipped with solar hybrid power plants, capable of generating over 100 Megawatts (MW) of clean energy.”
Some of the benefitting universities said that the project would assist in ensuring steady power supply.
Prof. Nyaudoh Ndaeyo, Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, expressed relief over the arrival of a new energy project, stating that energy issues had long plagued Nigerian universities.
He emphasised that, for the project to be sustainable, schools must take ownership.
“The coming of this project is a relief,” Ndaeyo said.
Also, Mrs Ruksiyatu Ahmed, Director of the Physical Planning Unit at Modibo Adamawa University in Yola, said the project’s timing couldn’t be better and its importance can’t be overstated.
“Coming up with a sustainable way of getting energy is crucial.
“We’re grateful to those who conceived this idea and made it a reality,” Ahmed noted.
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and beneficiary universities have signed a collaborative agreement to ensure the sustainability of the projects.
Activists took part in numerous climate actions around the world on Friday, September 20, 2024, to call on the governments in the Global North to pay up $5 trillion annually as a down payment towards their climate debt to the countries, people and communities of the Global South who are the least responsible for climate disaster but are the most affected.
Protesting climate activists
Climate activists say wealthy countries, responsible for over 75% of global accumulated emissions since the start of industrialisation, have an obligation to support developing country climate action and pay for climate adaptation, the loss and damage caused by the impacts of climate disaster, and for a just transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy and climate-resilient societies.
A 2023 study shows that, by 2050, the Global North will owe $192 trillion in fair reparations to the Global South – even if we can limit warming to an average 1.5°C. That breaks down to an annual climate debt of $5 trillion owed by wealthy countries to poorer ones.
The protest actions represent the climax of a global week of action ahead of Climate Week NYC, with civil society groups calling on rich countries to pay compensation for their decades of reckless fossil fuel consumption that is causing rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and widespread destruction that disproportionately impacts the Global South. Africa, Asia, and Latin America, Pacific Islands & the Caribbean pay the price with lost lives, destroyed infrastructure, crop failure, landslides, and ruined livelihoods.
Lidy Nacpil, Co-ordinator of the Asian Peoples Movement on Debt and Development and the Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice, said: “It is unconscionable that Global North governments have continuously rejected their responsibility to deliver adequate climate finance for the Global South. If developed nations are serious about solving the problem of climate change, as they claim to be, they should agree to a climate finance target that covers the costs of mitigation, adaptation, just transition, and loss and damage. The Global South is owed trillions–not billions.”
Norly Mercado, 350.org Asia Regional Director, said: “Hundreds of climate strikes are happening across Asia, a testament that the movement for a rapid energy revolution based on justice and equity is growing. We call on leaders in Asia to prioritise affordable and community-centred renewable energy solutions, especially for the vulnerable.
“We need leaders from rich countries to pay up and fund this energy transition by taxing billionaires and fossil fuel companies who have contributed most to the climate crisis. We will continue to show force until our governments listen to our calls for a future which is centred on the people and the planet.”
A new global goal on climate finance will be one of the key areas of negotiation at the UN COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan in November. Given this climate debt, Global North countries need to come ready to commit to trillions and not billions.
Tasneem Essop, Executive Director of Climate Action Network International, said: “While the climate crisis is a shared challenge, its impacts aren’t equally shared. The governments, elites, and corporations of the Global North owe a climate debt to the Global South for the damage caused by their disproportionately large contribution to climate change. The finance, resources and solutions exist – but current political will fails to prioritise climate action and justice. Trillions of dollars can be found for all harmful things like militarisation and fossil fuel subsidies. We can shift these funds into doing good for people and the planet while also making polluters and the wealthy pay for the harm they have caused.”
Despite countries agreeing at last year’s COP28 in Dubai to transition away from fossil fuels, the Global North continues to focus on its own economic growth with new oil, gas and coal expansion instead of the necessary rapid reduction in emissions or the necessary scaled-up finance.
“This just adds to their growing climate debt. They should stop all expansion and new investment plans for fossil fuels,” added Essop.
Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, WWF Global Climate and Energy Lead, former Minister of Environment for Peru, and COP20 President: “The measures needed to decarbonize every sector, conserve and restore nature, and to protect people from climate impacts, simply will not be possible without a significant and sustained uplift in finance from developed countries. If delivered on, an ambitious new finance agreement could trigger the step-change in global climate and nature action needed to avoid climate catastrophe. So, when people around the world take to the streets, they are doing so because they want to secure a safer, fairer and more prosperous future. Our leaders must heed their plea’s and ensure that COP29 delivers on the finance needed to achieve this.”
Teresa Anderson, Global lead on climate justice for ActionAid International, said: “When half of the world is already being hit hard by climate impacts, it’s absurd that more of the world’s money is still causing the climate crisis than fixing it. The world’s poorest countries are already bearing the spiralling costs of a warming planet. So far, they have only received begrudging, tokenistic pennies in climate finance from the rich polluting countries.
“This year’s COP29 climate talks will be a critical test of rich countries’ commitment to securing a liveable planet. We all need them to agree to pay the trillions that keeping us safe will cost, and to provide grant-based finance rather than loans that push climate-vulnerable countries deeper into debt.”
Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), said: ‘’Ideally, payment for historical liabilities should be without debate. On the principles of fairness, equity and collective consideration, countries whose development was on the wings of carbon and at the expense of vulnerable countries in the Global South should need no force to make and increase commitment to climate finance. Since their moods are reflective of deliberate avoidance, we are committed to forcing dialogue on them.”
Gina Cortés Valderrama, Co-Facilitator UNFCCC Women and Gender Constituency, said: “For too long, climate finance has been framed as an act of benevolence from the rich to the poor. But what we truly face is an ecological crisis fuelled by imperialism and militarism, underpinned by centuries of continued colonial exploitation. At COP29 it’s time to reframe climate finance as a matter of justice, not charity. The Global North owes an ecological debt, and their financial obligation must be paid up by providing grant support – not more loans that trap the majority of the world in unsustainable debt that undermines human rights and force austerity measures that reduce social protections, pushing women and LGBTQIAGnC persons deeper into inequality and capitalist exploitation. Climate finance cannot continue to be a tool for control – it must be an instrument of reparative justice!”
Leena Joshi, the founder and Executive Director of the youth-led nonprofit Climate Conservancy, said: “Climate justice demands accountability. The Global North has built its prosperity on the backs of carbon emissions, and now it’s time to pay back the debt owed to the Global South, where communities are bearing the brunt of climate devastation. The cost of inaction is being paid in lives, livelihoods, and ecosystems. As we move towards COP29, this is a pivotal moment to ensure that the trillions promised in climate finance are delivered as grants, not loans, empowering the Global South to lead in mitigation, adaptation, and sustainable transformation. The time for empty promises is over; real action means empowering vulnerable countries to secure a sustainable future for all.”
Jeremy Anderson, Director of Just Transition at the International Transport Workers’ Federation and representing TUNGO, said: “It’s time for the Global North to get real and pay up. The climate debt owed to the Global South is incontrovertible. Now is the time for action. Global North countries must arrive in Baku with a genuine commitment to provide the core public finance that Global South countries require. All the talk of mobilising private finance is a distraction, with no evidence that it will ever arrive or deliver.
“We need a global green industrial policy with massive public investment, including in workforce development, redeployment, and social protection. And it’s a minimum requirement that all governments commit to a just transition that is worker-led and responsive to all of civil society by making human rights – including workers’ rights, and rights for women, Indigenous Peoples, youth, and all affected groups – a core element of the NCQG.”
The Global Water Partnership (GWP) has expressed deep concern over the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events worldwide, exacerbated by climate change and inadequate water management systems.
Flooding in Europe: General view taken by drone of a flooded area by Nysa Klodzka River in Nysa, Poland September 16, 2024. Photo credit: Kacper Pempel/Reuters
Recent floods in Europe have displaced thousands, while North America, Canada and the United States have witnessed record rainfall, leading to devastating floods. Meanwhile, Southeast Asia, including the Philippines and Indonesia, has been grappling with severe flooding, crippling infrastructure and affecting millions. In the last eight months, global economic damages from these floods alone may have, according to one estimate, already exceeded $100 billion.
Alongside flooding, other regions are simultaneously battling severe droughts and wildfires, further straining resources and compounding disaster recovery efforts. Latin America, especially Brazil and Argentina, has been hit by a dual crisis of drought and fires, with wildfires raging across the Amazon and drought affecting agricultural production.
In Brazil, the drought in the southern regions has decimated crops, contributing to enormous damages. Argentina has faced similar challenges, with ongoing fires and droughts severely impacting its agricultural sector and causing damaging losses.
Africa is also reeling from simultaneous disasters, with countries like Kenya and Ethiopia suffering from prolonged droughts, threatening food security for millions of people. These droughts, paired with floods in other areas, highlight the devastating effects of climate change. In North America, Canada’s wildfire season, exacerbated by dry conditions and heatwaves, has displaced thousands of people from their homes. Similarly, wildfires in the United States have caused billions in damages.
In a statement issued by its Steering Committee on Friday, September 20, 2024, and made available to EnviroNews, GWP emphasises that while climate change is a driving factor behind these disasters, ineffective water and land management practices are significantly compounding the problem. From poor drainage systems to inadequate forest management, human mismanagement is worsening the impact of these disasters, making it clear that Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is essential to building resilience and ensuring water security.
According to the organisation, IWRM offers a holistic approach to managing water resources, balancing social, economic, and environmental needs while ensuring equitable water allocation, disaster preparedness, and recovery strategies. Without such an integrated approach, communities will continue to face recurring floods, droughts, and fires with devastating consequences.
GWP also stresses the importance of data-driven decision-making in managing these water-related crises. Advanced data analytics, real-time monitoring, and predictive modelling must be employed to anticipate and mitigate the effects of floods, droughts, and fires.
“In addition, democratising stakeholder engagement and involving the masses in these management processes are key to ensuring the sustainability and effectiveness of water resource strategies,” it adds.
GWP urges governments, businesses, and communities to prioritise IWRM and take immediate action to address water-related disasters.
Collaboration across sectors, data-driven planning, and investments in sustainable infrastructure are essential steps to enhance resilience and ensure water security for all, it submits, adding that, with climate change accelerating the frequency and intensity of both floods and fires, the time for unified global action is now.
“Only through comprehensive water and land management, combined with the active involvement of all stakeholders, can we ensure a future where communities are safeguarded from the impacts of these dual crises. The time to act is now,” adds the GWP.
The Steering Committee of the GWP comprises Pablo Bereciartua (Chair), Nchedi Sophia Maphokga-Moripe (Vice Chair), Yamileth Astorga Espeleta, Ndey Sireng J Bakurin, Paulette Bynoe, Angel Cárdenas Sosa, Christopher A. Ilagan, Roula Majdalani, Atem S. Ramsundersingh, Adrian Sym, Carolina Tornesi MacKinnon, Jorge Werneck Lima, Jing Xu and Abdoulaye Sene.
n its continued bid to maximise the nation’s abundant gas resources for economic development and prosperity, NNPC Ltd has begun discussions with investors towards bringing back two Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) projects, Brass and Olokola LNG projects.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo (4th from right), CFO NNPC Ltd, Mr. Umar Ajiya (3rd form right) and EVP Gas, Power & New Energy, Mr. Olalekan Ogunleye (3rd from left), with investors on the sidelines of the ongoing 2024 Gas Technolonference & Exhibition (Gastech) in Houston, United States
NNPC Ltd’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Mr. Umar Ajiya, disclosed this on the sidelines of the ongoing 2024 Gas Technology Conference and Exhibition (Gastech), in Houston, United States, on Thursday, September 19, 2024.
Brass LNG and OK LNG are two LNG projects with the potential of manifold economic benefits for the country which include job creation, power generation, revenue generation and economic diversification. The multi-billion-dollar projects were however stalled due to unfavourable market dynamics and slow decision-making by the political class in the past.
“In the past, gas prices went down, the economics of the projects meant a high Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) and this was a dis-incentive for investors and partners. Also, there was slow decision-making by the political class,”’ the CFO added.
While describing NNPC Ltd as a commercially driven Company which recognises timely project development and execution, the CFO said there are abundant gas resources in many parts of the world and therefore, the earlier Nigeria makes smart decisions to bring partners to the table, the better.
Ajiya commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support in driving new projects in the Industry through the Presidential Executive Orders on Oil & Gas Reforms.
“We are also happy to have the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) has provided fiscal incentives for investors and is creating the enabling environment that has rekindled hope in the energy sector.”
Ajiya described Gastech as an avenue for NNPC Ltd to learn new technologies which will help the Company decarbonise its operations and promote its abundant LNG resources
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says about 1.6 million people have been affected by flooding in Nigeria between April and September 2024.
Flooding in Nigeria
Hajiya Zubaida Umar, the Director -General of NEMA, made this known during the 2024 downscaling of flood early warning strategies for early actions’ event in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, on Thursday, September 19, 2024.
Umar, represented by Dr Daniel Obot, the Director of Disaster Risk Reduction of the agency, also said that 634,035 were displaced, and 94,741 houses destroyed or submerged.
She said the aim of the early warning strategies was to integrate direct risk communication and engagement approach to disseminate early warning message for early actions at the state, LG, and community levels.
“The rainfall and flood advisories contained in the Season Climate Prediction (SCP), and Annual Flood Outlooks (AFO) of Nigeria, Meteorological Agency and Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), respectively, have provided us with early warning alerts.
“Consequently, all of us are expected to take actions that will drastically reduce the adverse impacts of floods on the entire lands and Nigerian population, especially for the most vulnerable persons living in communities identified to be at risk of flooding,” she said.
Umar said that the statistics from the National Emergency Coordination Centre (EOC) of NEMA as at Sept. 13, 176 LGAs in 30 states including the FCT were affected as against the 148 LGAs and 31 states predicted by NIHSA.
Also speaking, Gov. Nasir Idris appreciated NEMA’s proactive stance in assessing flood risk areas, providing relief and strengthening our capacity for disaster management.
“Your expertise and resources will bolster our efforts to protect lives, livelihoods and infrastructure,” he said.
Idris, represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Abubakar Umar-Tafida, said the state had experienced severe flooding in at least 13 LGAs recently, displacing communities and affecting agricultural productivity.
“Your visit will help identify more areas of urgent need and enhancing flood early warning systems, strengthening emergency preparedness and response, as well as providing relief and rehabilitation support,” he said.
The governor reiterated the commitment of his administration to collaborating with NEMA to ensure effective flood management and disaster risk reduction.
At the United Nations headquarters, where world leaders will gather to address critical global challenges during the General Assembly (UNGA) high-level week, they will have a unique opportunity to experience a groundbreaking artwork that leverages artificial intelligence to transform environmental conservation.
The UN artwork
Developed by the renowned Refik Anadol Studio, Large Nature Model: Coral, an unprecedented AI-generated portrayal of coral reefs, takes centre stage as governments, civil society and other stakeholders meet for the Summit of the Future during UNGA on an array of pressing issues – from the Sustainable Development Goals and climate action to new and emerging technologies.
Utilising a machine learning algorithm trained on a staggering 100 million coral reef images, this monumental immersive installation offers an unprecedented glimpse into the vastness and complexity of our oceans. It serves as a poignant reminder of what’s at stake in the fight for our planet’s future.
“Refik Anadol’s artwork is a testament to the beauty and fragility of our natural world,” said UN Under-Secretary-General Melissa Fleming. “It’s a clarion call to world leaders: we must harness the power of technology, and human ingenuity and agency to incite action to protect our planet before it’s too late.”
Large Nature Model: Coral exemplifies the potential of AI not only to illuminate the consequences of environmental degradation but also to inspire innovative solutions. Anadol’s work, a tribute to the power of merging art with science, technology and innovation, serves as a powerful message and call to action – inspiring greater understanding, deeper reflection and a much-needed sense of responsibility to safeguard our natural world.
“It’s an honor to participate in this year’s Summit of the Future and be part of the critical dialogues shaping our global future. As an interdisciplinary artist, I hope that Large Nature Model: Coral inspires people to see how technology can foster deeper connections with our planet and empower us to work together toward a more sustainable world,” stated Refik Anadol, Media Artist and co-founder of Refik Anadol Studio.
“I’m also grateful for Patrick J. McGovern Foundation’s support of the RAS AI Foundation’s Large Nature Model research. Established in 2023, RAS AI Foundation is dedicated to the ethical integration of art, science, and technology, ensuring responsible innovation that drives forward both creative and scientific exploration,” Anadol added.
Our coral reef ecosystems, often called the “rainforests of the ocean,” are dying at an alarming rate. They are among the most vulnerable ecosystems on the planet to climate change. These undersea cities, which support 25 per cent of marine life, could virtually disappear by the end of this century.
“AI is not just a tool for innovation—it’s a force that can reshape how we see our planet, reconnecting us with the beauty and fragility of nature in ways never before possible. Refik Anadol’s brilliant vision allows us to use technology to engage the senses and spark a deeper emotional connection to our natural world,” said Vilas Dhar, President at the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation.
“Large Nature Model: Coral, merges technology with artistic expression to open new pathways for engagement, helping humanity see not just the challenges but the opportunities to build a sustainable future. As we look toward the Summit of the Future, we must seize this moment to harness AI’s power to shift perspectives and drive collective change for generations to come,” Dhar added.
Large Nature Model: Coral will be on display at the UN headquarters from September 21 to 28, 2024, coinciding with the annual gathering of world leaders and the Summit of the Future. This year’s Summit, which takes place from September 21 to 22, focuses on strengthening multilateralism and addressing critical challenges and opportunities, including those presented by new and emerging technologies such as AI.
The exhibition is organised in collaboration with the Executive Office of the UN Secretary- General, in partnership with the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation.
