The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) Joint Venture has significantly expanded its educational initiatives by inducting 27 Nigerian academics and research interns. This year’s programme, a 35% increase from the previous year, welcomed eight professors, four senior lecturers, and 15 other participants.
A cross section of participants in the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Joint Venture’s 2024 sabbatical and research programme in a group photograph with the leadership of SPDC’s Corporate Relations team at the induction ceremony held in Port Harcourt
Held at the company’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the induction ceremony marked the beginning of a one-year programme focused on knowledge exchange and skill development. Drawn from 13 Nigerian universities, these participants will gain valuable industry experience in fields like biodiversity, petroleum engineering, and environmental impact assessment.
“The research and internship programmes are central to our commitment to supporting higher education in Nigeria,” explained Shell Nigeria’s Head of Corporate Relations, and SPDC Director, Mr. Igo Weli.
He described the programme as mutually beneficial nature by offering Shell access to specialised expertise from professors and lecturers, who in turn acquire practical industry knowledge and exposure to cutting-edge technologies.
Despite operational challenges, Mr. Weli reaffirmed Shell’s position as the industry leader in fostering a positive learning environment and empowering people.
Representing the NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services, Mrs. Bunmi Edith Lawson echoed Mr. Weli’s sentiments. She highlighted the programme’s significance in scientific exploration, environmental stewardship, and knowledge advancement.
“This is an investment in the next generation of innovators,” she stated, “and a way for us to give back to our stakeholders.”
The 2024 programme includes participants from a diverse range of universities across Nigeria, including the University of Benin, Rivers State University, University of Ibadan, Niger Delta University, and Ahmadu Bello University.
Others are Bingham University Karu, Federal University Wukari, University of Medical Sciences in Ondo State, Covenant University, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ajayi Crowther University in Oyo, University of Uyo, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture.
The Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADev Nigeria) has called on the Federal Government through the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to urgently commence monitoring and pharmacovigilance activities towards identifying the trade on chlorpyrifos and take punitive measures against anyone found wanting.
Participants at the SRADev Nigeria press briefing in Lagos
A key public health function, pharmacovigilance is the process and science of monitoring the safety of medicines and taking action to reduce the risks and increase the benefits of the medicines.
Dr. Leslie Adogame, Executive Director, SRADev, who made the call during a press briefing on the National Situation of Chlorpyrifos in Nigeria on Thursday July 11, 2024, in Lagos, described Chlorpyrifos as a dangerous Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) that is banned in many countries but still finds its way into Nigeria and registered for use in agriculture.
It is an organophosphate pesticide that has been used on crops, animals, and buildings, and in other settings to kill pests, including insects and worms. It acts on the nervous systems of insects.
According to Adogame, Chlorpyrifos is a broad-spectrum Organ Chlorine Pesticide (OCP) class of chemicals that were first developed by the Nazis for chemical warfare and later adapted for commercial pesticide use after the break-up of the Nazi chemical apparatus. He added that it is now being put to agricultural uses (food and non-food crops), veterinary uses, uses in residential settings, industrial uses and public health applications. However, the majority of uses are in commercial agricultural settings.
He said: “This pesticide exposure has both human and environmental health consequences ranging from tearing of the eyes, runny nose, increased saliva and sweat production, nausea, dizziness and headache, with signs of progression such as muscle twitching, weakness or tremors, lack of coordination, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, and pupil constriction with blurred or darkened vision.
“Signs of severe toxicity include increased heart rate, unconsciousness, loss of control of the urine or bowels, convulsions, respiratory depression, and paralysis.”
Speaking further, the Executive Director of SRADev opined: ‘There are existence of significant research findings in Nigeria, which indicate the presence of concentrations of chlorpyrifos residues in vegetables (spinach, lettuce, cabbage, tomato and onion) and aquatic biodata. This finding could be responsible for many cases of alterations in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and organ damage in humans in Nigeria.
“Acute and chronic pesticide poisoning usually results from: consumption of contaminated food, chemical accident in industries and occupational exposure in agriculture hence NAFDAC and National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) should immediately commence national awareness raising activities with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) on the banned state of chlorpyrifos effective from November 1, 2024, as approved by the National Committee of Chemicals Management (NCCM) after its meeting on May 22, 2024.
“Government should also reactivate extension officers under the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) to provide information on agro-ecology/organic farming in Nigeria.”
While congratulating NESREA for gazetting the National Environmental (Hazardous Chemical and Pesticides) Regulations, 2023 earlier in the year 2024 which addresses the concerns of Highly Hazardous Pesticides among others, and NAFDAC effort in the ban of some HHPs effective 2024, Dr. Adogame however admonished them to further collaborate for enhanced agricultural sustainability towards attaining the SDG goals in Nigeria.
In his goodwill message, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, Minister, Federal Ministry of Environment (FMoE), noted that the FMoE is one of the key driving forces for improving pesticides and crop protection policies towards safer, socially just, environmentally sustainable and economically viable pest management system.
“FMoE is the national focal point for the BRS Conventions,” he said.
Represented by Mrs. Olabimpe Adenike, the Minister stated: “These Conventions (The Basel Convention on the Control of Trans-Boundary Movement on Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, Rotterdam Convention on the Prior-Informed Consent Procedure for certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade and Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants) exercise control on pesticides and hazardous chemicals.
“In 2002, Global Harmonised System (GHS) of classification and Labelling of Chemicals was adopted, and Nigeria was a party to it. FMoE, being the designated authority and GHS, is a functional tool for action and management of chemicals.
“Chlorpyrifos exposure during pregnancy and infancy results in neuronal defects and Parkinson’s disease. It is lipid soluble hence bio-accumulates to fatty tissue like the liver. It causes variety of nervous disorders ranging from headaches, blurred vision and salivation to seizures, coma and death depending on the amount and length of exposure. Considering the severity of the threat of Chlorpyrifos to health and environment, all stakeholders, Federal Ministry of Environment, Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and their Agencies, Nigerian Customs Service Inter-Governmental Organisations (IGOs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), farmers, academia, trade unions, civil society and private sector should collaborate and timely address HHP which Chlorpyrifos is included and ensure these pesticides are progressively banned and entirely phased out,” he submitted.
In his remarks, Mr. Victor Fabunmi, SRADev Nigeria’s Senior Programme Officer, disclosed that the six-month study on “The National Situation of Chlorpyrifos in Nigeria” implemented under the auspices of the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) is one of the activities in espousing the Nation Situation of Chlorpyrifos, its imports, use and impact in Nigeria.
“The study carried out between June and November 2022 as part of our national campaign and awareness towards sustainable management and the promotion of safer alternatives in Nigeria. The project goal was essentially to establish the current status of Chlorpyrifos use and the promotion of safer alternatives to inform policy implementation in Nigeria,” he noted.
Adoption of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative of the Federal Government will help to address the continuous high cost of food prices, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) says.
Some CNG-powered mass transit buses
Dr Adamu Abdullahi, the Acting Executive Vice Chairman of FCCPC, said this at the sideline of a one-day webinar with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and Consumer Protection Groups (CPGs), in Abuja on Thursday, July 11,2024.
Abdullahi, explaining some factors responsible for the high cost of food, said that CNG vehicles, when in use, would help reduce the money spent on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) for transportation of food items.
He said the commission was also collaborating with markets’ associations to discourage cartels and price gouging in the markets.
“This CNG initiative and vehicles that the government has brought will help to reduce the cost of food in the markets,” he said.
Abdullahi said that although the commission was not a price control or fixing agency, it would collaborate with relevant stakeholders to ensure competition and fairness in the marketplace.
The CNG initiative is expected to reduce pressure on the use of Premium Motor Spirit and diesel in the country.
After the removal of fuel subsidy, the Federal Government provided N100 billion for the purchase of 5,500 CNG vehicles (buses and tricycles).
The money would also purchase 100 electric buses and over 20,000 CNG conversion kits, alongside spurring the development of CNG refilling stations and electric charging stations.
The decision of the Cross River State Government to halt mining activities has been hailed by various civil society groups, following the unwholesome practices of artisanal and industrial miners in the state.
Governor Prince Bassey Edet Otu of Cross River State
The Executive Director of Health Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Dr Nnimmo Bassey, commended Cross River State for taking such a step to protect the people and environment, noting that it is ecologically harmful to allow mining in the very sensitive environment of the state.
He noted that the rate of unregulated mining activities in the otherwise protected forests of Cross River State has been very worrisome and posed threats that have repercussions beyond the boundaries of the state and the nation.
Dr. Bassey further urged the governor to prioritise and sustain the policy, bearing in mind that mining in community forests and other biodiversity hotspots is highly harmful and only enriches and profits the individuals and corporations involved in the nefarious activities.
He also urged governors of other states to emulate Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, the governor of Cross River State, in saving the fragile and already threatened ecosystems across Nigeria.
Shehu Akowe, HOMEF’s project lead on mining, decried the rampant uncontrolled mining in the nation and urged the government to build on this momentum by implementing an all-inclusive reform in the mining sector with the interest of communities as its centrepiece.”
He stressed that the reform should prioritise environmental and socioeconomic impact assessments for environmental sustainability.
Azerbaijan has unveiled plans to launch a “Climate Investment Fund for Future” with an initial $500 million contribution from its state oil company Socar, aiming to raise further capital from other fossil fuel producers ahead of the COP29 summit it will host in November 2024.
President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan
This initiative follows Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev’s defense of the nation’s “God-given” oil and gas reserves, despite global calls for transitioning away from fossil fuels. The fund will seek contributions from countries and companies that produce and use fossil fuels.
The fund aims to provide a mechanism for fossil fuel companies to contribute to climate finance, potentially supporting projects that mitigate climate impacts, especially in developing countries most affected by extreme weather events.
However, in a reaction to the development on Thursday, July 11, 2024, climate campaigning organisation, 350.org, raised concerns over the effectiveness and legitimacy of the fund.
The campaigners are demanding urgent accountability measures to ensure fossil fuel companies pay their fair share for the energy transition and transition away from fossil fuels, “instead of establishing ineffective initiatives that distract from the oil and gas industry’s continued irresponsible expansion plans”.
Andreas Sieber, Associate Director of Policy and Campaigns, 350.org, said: “Azerbaijan’s ‘climate investment fund for the future’ is a smoke screen, allowing fossil fuel giants to profit from climate finance instead of paying for the damage they have caused. The role of a COP presidency is to drive forward highly concessional climate finance, not profit from it. We demand accountability through tax levies, not token charity, in this climate emergency. Those responsible for the climate crisis must pay for what they have created.”
“The announcement of this fund comes at a critical time, as the world grapples with the escalating impacts of climate breakdown. However, the involvement of fossil fuel companies in climate finance with voluntary and very limited contributions raises serious concerns about the genuine commitment of these corporations to addressing the crisis.”
According to the organisation, the Climate Investment Fund is inadequate as it is:
An insignificant contribution: The $500 million fund constitutes only 0.025% of last year’s $1.8 trillion clean energy investment in 2023. Furthermore, such funds only spend a fraction of their capital annually.
Commercial by nature: This is a commercial fund. To genuinely impact the energy transition, the fund needs to provide highly concessional finance and grants to countries with limited fiscal space and high costs of capital. We must distinguish profit-driven investments from genuine efforts.
A diversion tactic: Countries and national companies, like Azerbaijan’s SOCAR, that plan to expand fossil fuels, are using this fund to distract from their deadly reluctance to transition away from oil and gas.
Already, officials are discussing whether to allocate 50% of the fund’s capital to developing countries. The plan’s success depends on attracting further investments and navigating international climate finance negotiations.
“We will be enquiring of all countries that produce and use fossil fuels to be part of the initiative,” a senior COP29 official stated.
It will be recalled that the UAE announced a $30 billion fund at COP28, aiming to mobilise $250 billion in private sector investment by 2030.
Azerbaijan, host of the 2024 UN COP29 climate summit, has scrapped plans to propose a levy on fossil-fuel producers to raise climate-change funding, and instead aims to launch a new fund at the summit for green investments in poorer countries, a senior COP29 source said, via Reuters.
Baku in Azerbaijan hosts COP29 in November 2024
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source said Azerbaijan had initially conceived the idea of a levy on fossil-fuel production to raise funds for tackling climate change, but that this had faced resistance from some countries.
“We had several rounds of engagements with the parties concerned – with the other potential contributors – and we needed to adjust the fund idea to make it also attractive for potential contributors,” the source said.
“Azerbaijan will be one of the main contributors of this fund,” they said, adding that the fund would also seek voluntary contributions from other fossil fuel-producing countries.
Other sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters oil and gas-producing Gulf countries had opposed the initial idea of a levy.
The revised proposal would aim to establish the fund during the COP29 summit in November, and use public-private partnerships to de-risk investments to help developing countries cut emissions and cope with worsening climate change, the COP29 source said.
Poorer nations are struggling to attract investments in clean energy because of issues including high interest rates and domestic debt burdens. Africa has received just 2% of global investments in renewable energy over the last two decades, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency.
The issue of finance is set to dominate the COP29 climate talks in Baku in November 2024, where countries will try to agree a new global target for climate finance that rich nations will transfer to poorer countries each year from 2025.
A group, Agro-Allied Commodities Cooperatives, is collaborating with the Federal Government to build 1,000 houses each for farmers in the 36 states of the federation.
National Housing Programme estate in Kaduna
The President, Global Mechanised Farmers Initiative Worldwide, Yeye Oodua Agbaye of Ife Kingdom, Hajarat Adeyeye, made this known while addressing newsmen in Abuja.
Adeyeye said that the initiative would help raise the living conditions of Farmers in the country.
She said that the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu had pledged total support for the housing project.
Adeyeye described Agro-Allied Commodities Cooperatives as a surest way for technological advancement, adding that it also ensures food security for the growing population in Nigeria.
“With all these advantages and benefits in Agro Allied Commodities Cooperatives, Nigeria can soar high among the comity of nations of the world in no distant time.
“90 per cent of the total agricultural production comes from small holder Farmers, but agricultural services are not tailored towards the needs of small holder farmers in the country,” she said.
Adeyeye explained that there was need to improve implementation of different strategies that would bring significant improvement in agricultural productivity.
This, she added, would help to increase farm related employment and incomes as well as promote better nutritional services at all levels.
“Consequently, for Nigeria to be great, it must start with a very strong foundation for Agro-Allied Commodities Cooperatives and services in the value chain system,” she said.
Queen Adeyeye was joined by the new President, Agro Allied Commodities Cooperatives Services of Nigeria, Professor Williams Ijoma, and other stakeholders in the Cooperatives Societies.
Eight Cooperative Societies and Companies were in partnership with the Federal Government through the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) to provide palliatives for farmers in Nigeria.
Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, has disclosed that the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Shri Balasubramanian, paid him a visit on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, at the State House in Abuja.
Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action and Mr Shri Balasubramanian, Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, who paid him a visit on Wednesday at the State House
He said, in a statement, that he discussed new green industrial partnership opportunities with the administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ngelale said Modi’s administration had proved to be one of the world’s most committed governments on green industrial development.
“We have agreed on actionable next steps in this sphere at a time when the two most populous democracies in Asia and Africa have many shared aspirations for their economies in the present and the future,” he said.
Ngelale said he also exchanged views with the Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, on the establishment of Africa’s first eco-industrial park, Evergreen City.
“In the company of the Managing Director of the Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria (InfraCorp), Dr Lazarus Angbazo, we recorded tremendous progress in our discussions, and a deliverable set of time-bound next steps were agreed to,” Ngelale said.
In accordance with Article 6 of the Paris Climate Agreement, some issues have been agreed upon under Article 6.8, and there is a ready document, COP29 President-designate, Mukhtar Babayev, has said.
Mukhtar Babayev
“One of the most important topics of discussion is Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Some issues have been agreed upon, while others remain open. Discussions are currently underway, in which we are actively participating. If countries can reach an agreement, it will be a very important decision at COP29,” Babayev said.
He noted that article 6.8 of the Paris Agreement has already been agreed upon: “It is almost a ready document. The parties continue discussions on articles 6.2 and 6.4.”
Article 6 is a key part of the Paris Agreement. It allows parties to voluntarily cooperate to meet their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and mobilise financial support for developing countries.
There are three tools under Article 6:
Article 6.2: Allows countries to exchange mitigation outcomes bilaterally and use them towards their nationally determined contributions (NDCs).
Article 6.4: Establishes a new mechanism for the validation, verification and issuance of high-quality carbon credits.
Article 6.8: Provides opportunities for countries to cooperate towards the achievement of their NDCs without relying on carbon markets.
While emphasising that Azerbaijan is ready to create platforms to discuss COP29 initiatives, Babayev disclosed that countries are discussing introduction of a special tax (solidarity tax) in the field of maritime cargo transportation and aviation.
“Several countries have taken the initiative to introduce a tax on the transportation of goods by sea, air, which mainly concerns business class passengers or charter flights. Everyone’s approach is different, this is a subject of discussion. For such initiatives, we are ready to open platforms on which such issues can be discussed in Baku,” Babayev noted.
He added that among those who are actively promoting this idea is Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley.
“Decisions are not made by Azerbaijan, our country creates platforms, and 200 countries must come to an agreement during discussions,” he explained.
Last week, UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, suggested that carbon emissions and windfall profits from fossil fuel companies should be taxed (the so-called windfall tax).
According to Babayez, the third high-level dialogue “International Energy Agency (IEA)-COP29” will take place in September 2024 in the US.
“The previous IEA-COP29 dialogue with the participation of the head of the agency, Fatih Birol, took place in June in London. Our next meeting will be in this format, i.e. the third high-level dialogue will be held in New York in September this year,” Babayev noted.
The dialogues, co-chaired by Birol and Babayev in close partnership with the secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, are aimed at continuing to form an international consensus on ways to develop energy, reduce industry emissions to zero and limit global warming to 1.5°C.
The 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) will be held in Baku in November 2024.
The second ASEAN-China Ministerial Roundtable on Construction and Housing 2024 (ACMROCH 2024) that convened on July 4, 2024, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, saw ministers and representatives adopt a high-level communique to implement sustainable urban development in ASEAN Member States and China.
Delegates at the second ASEAN-China Ministerial Roundtable on Construction and Housing 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The Roundtable was organised by the Malaysian Ministry of Housing and Local Government under the theme “Building Sustainable Futures: Deepening ASEAN-China Cooperation in Housing and Urban Development for Shared Prosperity”.
The first ASEAN-China roundtable was held in Nanning, China, in September 2023. Convened by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People’s Republic of China (MoHURD), its goal was to strengthen regional cooperation in housing and urban-rural development and explore opportunities towards strengthening development cooperation to synergise common priorities. The parties agreed to continue the initiative and now look into organising annual meetings between housing ministers of the ASEAN countries and China.
“Housing and urban development constitutes an important area of economic and social development. In recent years, China and ASEAN countries have achieved remarkable progress and results in this area through pragmatic cooperation,” said Chinese Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong at the ministerial meeting in Kuala Lumpur. “We should uphold the concept that ‘cities should be built by the people and for the people,’ and taking the satisfaction of people’s need for housing as a starting point for ensuring people’s well-being.”
Housing, climate change, sustainable urban planning, harmonisation of policies and smart use of technology for the benefit of people and communities were identified as priorities by the attendees.
“One of the key takeaways from this meeting is the recognition of the interconnectivity of urban development challenges across borders. Issues such as housing affordability, resilient infrastructure development, climate change and environmental sustainability, and social inclusion are ubiquitous concerns that transcend national boundaries,” said Nga Kor Ming, Minister of Housing and Local Development of Malaysia.
“By acknowledging these shared challenges, nations can leverage on regional cooperation to craft innovative solutions that are tailored to the specific needs of different regions while drawing on collective knowledge and experiences,” added Ming.
Among priority areas and collaborative actions, ASEAN Member States and China mentioned efforts to accelerate the implementation and reporting on the New Urban Agenda, a comprehensive framework on the “how” of sustainable development.
The Kuala Lumpur consensus communique reads: “We will accelerate efforts towards the implementation of the SDGs and adaptation of the New Urban Agenda through multilevel governance, multi-stakeholder’s participation and regional cooperation towards realising the transformative commitments for sustainable urban development in ASEAN Member States and China. We welcomed the establishment of the New Urban Agenda platform for ASEAN and the wider Asia-Pacific region that aims to help Member States prepare and submit timely reports on the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.”
