The generation of clean electricity in Europe is reportedly setting records. In the first half of 2024, renewables made up more than 50% of all power generation in Europe while nuclear provided a stable share of 24%, according to latest figures from Eurelectric’s electricity data platform.
Secretary General of Eurelectric, Kristian Ruby
Demand for power, however, remains low due to sluggish growth, deindustrialisation and mild weather. Stimulating demand for electricity will be paramount to ensure continued investments in clean generation.
Europe’s power generation is decarbonising at unseen pace. The latest figures from Eurelectric’s Electricity Data Platform, ELDA, show that 74% of electricity produced in the EU in the first half of 2024 came from renewable and low-carbon energy sources. This is a significant increase compared to the 68% share in 2023. The main reasons behind this remarkable result were an unprecedented influx of renewables on the grid combined with the stabilisation of the nuclear fleet.
“The pace of change is impressive. These figures document that the decarbonisation efforts of electricity companies are years ahead of any other sector,” said Secretary General of Eurelectric, Kristian Ruby.
While the numbers on the supply side are promising, the same cannot be said for electricity demand. In the first half of 2023 power demand in the EU decreased by 3.4% compared to same period in 2022 and has continued to remain low in 2024 – 2.6% lower than in H1 2022. This trend is mainly due to industry relocating abroad, warmer temperatures, energy savings and slow economic growth.
“Policymakers must urgently support the uptake of electricity to provide the necessary investment signals for clean generation,” added Ruby.
To do so, Eurelectric is calling on the new Commission to propose an Electrification Action Plan within the first 100 days of its mandate, with a 35% indicative target for 2030 and a clear electrification indicator to be introduced in the national energy and climate plans (NECPs) of EU countries to monitor and deliver progress on the ground.
“Having a decent space to call home is a cornerstone of a liveable city.” – reSITE, a global platform connecting people and ideas to improve the urban environment, 2020
Cities must be innovative; otherwise, they will stop functioning properly. Innovation goes hand in hand with technology, making city life easier and allowing people to live more fulfilling lives.” – Patrizia, European City Ranking, 2023
Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide
In June 2024, the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU), an affiliate of The Economist, published its annual report on The World’s Most Liveable Cities 2023. Vienna, Austria, maintained its position as the numero uno world’s liveable city for the third consecutive year (2021, 2022 & 2023) among 173 cities surveyed across the globe.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Lagos, Nigeria’s primate city, was in a starkly different position, ranking a challenging 170th. This placed the megacity among the world’s top “10 least liveable cities”, as reported by the EIU. This position has been a consistent feature for Lagos over the past three years – 2021, 2022, and 2023 – a stark contrast to Vienna’s three-year reign as the world’s most liveable city.
The EIU considered several significant factors in conducting the global survey and ranking the participating cities, including education, environment, health care, connectivity, amenities, culture, safety, and sustainability.
While some cities, such as Hong Kong, Osaka, Johannesburg, and Oslo, made valiant efforts to improve their ratings by moving up the ladder of the world’s most liveable cities, Lagos, along with Dhaka, Karachi, Algiers, Tripoli, and Damascus, have adamantly remained at the bottom of the ladder year in and year out.
They are annually ranked among the world’s top 10 least liveable cities. The authorities in charge of planning and managing these cities seem content with the plight of the cities they superintend, as evidenced by the need for improvement in their rankings.
This piece addresses Lagos’s poor annual liveability ranking among other global cities. It starts by posing a direct question: Is Lagos truly a liveable city? To what extent is Lagos liveable? What are the factors that hinder tolerable liveability levels in the megacity? It emphasises the Lagos State Government’s (LASG) significant role in improving the residents’ liveability conditions.
Before we delve into the specifics of Lagos’s liveability, let’s first understand what it means for a city to be liveable, a term often used in urban planning discussions.
Liveability, a sustainability meme, explains certain conditions required to facilitate decent living for the residents of cities and sundry categories of human settlements, including their physical, social, and overall well-being.
A liveable city is a human-centred settlement that provides essential urban services such as efficient public transport, affordable housing, health care, education, recreational facilities, security, a wholesome environment, and the promotion of culture, all to guarantee a better quality of life and living.
All these factors have been a daunting challenge to the planning and management of the Lagos conurbation. Consequently, its liveability ranking could be a lot higher. Firstly, the issue of public transportation and connectivity within the megacity is often a harrowing experience for the residents. Lagos is notorious for traffic, where commuters spend long hours on the road trying to reach their various destinations for work, school, and commercial purposes.
Strangling traffic has adverse health implications for the environment and commuters. The emission from large vehicles on the city roads pollutes the environment. At the same time, the commuters suffer the consequence of the unclean air they breathe because of the relentless environmental pollution. The residents’ quality of life and liveability are unavoidably in jeopardy.
The famous saying that Lagos is not for low-income people has a telling effect on housing affordability among a larger percentage of the residents. A significant percentage of the population needs help to afford to pay the rent for decent accommodation.
As a result, they live in crowded slum areas without amenities, precluding them from comfortable, healthy living. Therefore, the shortage of affordable housing is one of the negative factors affecting Lagos’s low liveability ranking among the world’s most liveable cities.
Another factor of city liveability where Lagos is deficient is the provision of social services such as health care and educational facilities. The LASG’s efforts in this direction are overwhelmed by the high demand from the colossal population of city residents. The health care system is overburdened. Access to health care services takes work.
The low-income people find access to health care services very difficult, even though such services are supposed to be free. The doctor-patient ratio is not within the acceptable standard specified by the World Health Organisation. The WHO standard is a ratio of 1:600 patients, while that of Lagos is 1:9,083 (The Lancet, Feb. 24, 2024).
The number of public schools is grossly inadequate, and families with school-age children, especially the slum dweller parents, often experience unpalatable moments trying to register their wards in public schools. Embarrassed by student overpopulation in public schools, the LASG has vowed to tackle the problem frontally, according to the Director-General, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Mrs Abiola Seriki-Ayeni, who further said that “the state had quality education for pupils in schools in Lagos State as its topmost priority…and that the government was building more schools in places where existing schools are overpopulated and more qualified teachers while training existing ones in effective class management.” (Punch, August 31, 2023).
Access to quality education should also be part of the effort to improve the state’s educational system.
Lagos is an island. As the saying goes, water is everywhere, but there is none to drink. The city’s major liveability factor challenge is providing POTABLE WATER (my emphasis) for the teeming population of the megacity. The entire megacity is underserved with drinking water. The Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) has a daunting task in coping with its cardinal responsibility as a water provider to the city’s residents. Most of the water infrastructure had broken down beyond repairs.
The government should be decisive about providing potable water to the nooks and crannies of the megacity. The LASG must build additional water treatment/pumping stations, and the few existing ones should be overhauled for operational efficiency. Water is life. Maintaining essential human and house hygiene would be easier with a constant water supply for the residents’ daily shores.
Liveable cities must be aesthetically appealing. A foreign freelance journalist visiting Lagos for the first time once quipped, “Lagos appears as a city that has never been touched by urban planning.” The disorderliness, notice of noise pollution, refuse, open drainage and presence of urchins on the streets of Lagos are attributes of an unliveable city. These negative factors caused the EIU to give Lagos shallow scores during the 2023 World’s Liveable Cities survey exercise.
Lagos’s yearly ranking among the 10 least liveable cities worldwide for three consecutive years should concern the LASG. It is an indictment. The government must be responsive to the challenges, notwithstanding their enormity. The trajectory must change. All the factors outlined in this piece are germane to improving Quality of Life (QOL). People who love their cities take care of them. But the LASG should lead the cause. More funding should be allocated to each sector to improve the operations of the MDAs.
Some cities have enhanced their liveability ranking because their municipal government worked assiduously to improve the liveability factors where they were formerly deficient. The LASG should emulate best practices.
Tpl. Yacoob Abiodun (Planning Advocate) writes from Chicago, USA
The Federal Government of Nigeria says it is adopting new approaches to monitor and increase agricultural productivity, to address food insecurity in the country.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari
Chief Uche Nnaji, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, said this on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, at the opening ceremony of a four-day workshop on CropWatch Innovative Cooperative Programme (CropWatch-ICP) in Abuja.
The regional workshop focused on “Advancing Satellite-Based Crop Monitoring to Increase Resilience in the face of Global Food Insecurity.”
The workshop is organised by the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), in collaboration with Aerospace Information Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences (AIR-CAS).
Other collaborators are the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and Alliance of International Science Organisations (ANSO).
Nnaji said the workshop was aimed at sharing knowledge of data for smart and precision agriculture.
Represented by Mrs Esuabana Nko, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Nnaji said that food insecurity had been a major issue in West Africa.
He said the deployment of space technology could address the growing food demands.
“Agricultural production systems need profound transformation through technolo-Earth Observation (EO) techniques.
“With rapid developments in artificial intelligence, robotics, and nano-satellites, we are adopting new approaches for monitoring and increasing agricultural productivity.
“These include regenerative and sustainable agriculture, and Carbon Dioxide Reduction (CDR) methods,” he said.
The minister emphasised the need for African nations to partner in order to ensure food security, agricultural sustainability through exploring space technologies.
The Director-General of NASRDA, Dr Matthew Adepoju, recalled that UN’s projections of the world population to increase to 9.5 billion by 2050, which food production was expected to increase by 70 per cent to meet the demand.
Adepoju said that space, science and technology played a critical role in revolutionising agriculture.
“It provides the tools and methods necessary for a sustainable agricultural future by providing up-to-date information on sustainable farming practices through scientific research.
“Technology bridges the gap between scientific research and practical application, enabling the implementation of innovative solutions.
“Space technology is significantly impacting agriculture and has the potential to transform the sector by 2030.
“By utilising GPS, drones, satellite images, and data analytics to optimise resource use and reduce environmental impact by minimising waste and preventing overuse, space technology,” he said.
Nnaji said this would provide data on crop phenology, plant nutrition, water optimisation, soil health, crop health, and yields,” he said.
According to him, let us embrace the transformative power of science, technology, and innovation to create a future where agriculture in developing countries is resilient, productive, and sustainable.
The Director-General of AIR-CAS, Prof. Yirong Wu, commended Nigeria on its CropWatch-ICP achievements, saying that the workshop would showcase such to other African countries to key-in.
Wu added that AIR-CAS would launch a CropWatch-ICP regional centre for West Africa which would be domiciled in NASRDA.
According to him, Nigeria will provide the technical assistance for other West African countries on crop management and productivity.
Ms Haihua Gong, Director, Division of Asian and African Affairs, CAS, said the programme would enable African countries to reduce dependence on foreign data on agriculture which could be unverified, leading to delayed decision making.
Gong said: “This programme will provide essential data and information to increase resilience to natural disaster under climate change and help improve agricultural diversification and sustainability.”
Mrs Liping Zhang, Chief of Science, Technology and Development Section, UNCTAD, said adopting the CropWatch programme in developing countries would help to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals one, two and three.
Mr Mohammed Fall, UN Resident Coordinator for Nigeria, recalled that the Food and Agricultural Office (FAO) projected 32 million Nigerians to face hunger in 2023.
Fall said that if necessary steps are not taken to ensure food security in two years to come, about 82 million Nigerians would be on the border line to phase three food insecurity.
Highlight of the event was the inauguration of the CropWatch-ICP Regional Centre for West Africa.
The Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted thunderstorm and rains from Wednesday, July 3 to Friday, July 5, 2024, across the country.
Thundery weather
NiMet`s weather outlook released on Tuesday, July 2, in Abuja predicted morning thunderstorms on Wednesday over parts of Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Taraba and Adamawa states.
“While afternoon/evening thunderstorms are expected over parts of Adamawa, Taraba, Jigawa, Kaduna, Yobe, Bauchi and Gombe states.
“Thunderstorms are expected over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Kwara, Kogi, Plateau, Benue and Niger states in the North Central in the morning.
“Later in the day, thunderstorms are expected over parts of Plateau, Nasarawa, Niger, Kogi, Kwara, the Federal Capital Territory and Benue states,” it said.
According to NiMet, morning rains are expected over parts of Lagos, Ondo, Delta, Ogun, Abia, Rivers, Edo, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states in the southern region.
It anticipated high prospects of continuous rains for Lagos which might lead to flooding.
The agency forecast thunderstorms with rains over the entire region during the afternoon and evening hours.
NiMet predicted morning thunderstorms over parts of Kano, Katsina, Zamfara and Kaduna states on Thursday with thunderstorms over parts of Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Borno, Yobe and Jigawa states later in the day.
“Thunderstorms are expected over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Kwara, Kogi and Niger states in the North Central in the morning.
“Later in the day, thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Nasarawa, Plateau and Benue states.
“Morning thunderstorms with rains are expected over parts of Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Lagos, Delta, Abia, Rivers, Edo, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states in southern region.
“Rains are expected over the entire region during the afternoon and evening hours,” it said.
NiMet predicted morning thunderstorms over parts of Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Bauchi and Gombe states on Friday while thunderstorms are expected over the entire region later in the day.
It anticipated partly cloudy atmosphere in the morning over the North Central region with thunderstorms over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Nasarawa, Niger, Benue and Kogi states later in the day.
“Morning rains are expected over parts of Lagos, Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states in southern region.
“In the afternoon/evening hours, rains are expected over the entire region during the afternoon/evening hours,” it said.
NiMet urged the public to take adequate precaution as strong winds might precede the rains in areas where thunderstorms were likely to occur.
It further urged the public to take note and take safety precaution in places where continuous rains were expected, flood incidences might occur.
It advised Airline operators to get updated weather reports and forecast from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended a comprehensive set of tobacco cessation interventions, including behavioural support delivered by health-care providers, digital cessation interventions and pharmacological treatments in a first guideline on tobacco cessation.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organisation (WHO)
The guideline focuses on helping the more than 750 million tobacco users who want to quit all forms of tobacco. The recommendations are said to be relevant for all adults seeking to quit various tobacco products, including cigarettes, waterpipes, smokeless tobacco products, cigars, roll-your-own tobacco, and heated tobacco products (HTPs).
“This guideline marks a crucial milestone in our global battle against these dangerous products,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “It empowers countries with the essential tools to effectively support individuals in quitting tobacco and alleviate the global burden of tobacco-related diseases.”
Over 60% of the world’s 1.25 billion tobacco users – more than 750 million people – wish to quit, yet 70% lack access to effective cessation services. This gap exists due to challenges faced by health systems, including resource limitations.
“The immense struggle that people face when trying to quit smoking cannot be overstated. We need to deeply appreciate the strength it takes, and the suffering endured by individuals and their loved ones to overcome this addiction,” said Dr Rüdiger Krech, Director of Health Promotion at WHO. “These guidelines are designed to help communities and governments provide the best possible support and assistance for those on this challenging journey.”
Effective therapies for quitting tobacco
Combining pharmacotherapy with behavioural interventions significantly increases quitting success rates. Countries are encouraged to provide these treatments at no or reduced cost to improve accessibility, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
WHO recommends varenicline, Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), bupropion, and cytisine as effective treatments for tobacco cessation.
In 2023, WHO initiated a prequalification procedure for medicinal products against disorders caused by tobacco use to improve global access to recommended tobacco cessation medications. In April 2024, Kenvue’s nicotine gum and patch became the first WHO-prequalified NRT products.
WHO recommends behavioural interventions, including brief health worker counselling (30 seconds to three minutes) offered routinely in health-care settings, alongside more intensive behavioural support (individual, group, or phone counselling) for interested users. Additionally, digital interventions such as text messaging, smartphone apps, and internet programmes can be used as adjuncts or self-management tools.
WHO encourages health-care providers, policy-makers, and stakeholders to adopt and implement this guideline to promote tobacco cessation and improve the health of millions of people in need worldwide.
In a move towards increasing Nigeria’s crude oil production and growing its reserves, NNPC Ltd has declared a state of emergency on production in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
GCEO, NNPC Ltd, Mallam Mele Kyari (standing 7th from left) in a group photograph with participants at the on-going Nigeria Oil & Gas (NOG) 2024 Energy Week Conference & Exhibition in Abuja
Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Mr. Mele Kyari, disclosed this in a keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 23rd edition of the Nigeria Oil & Gas Conference and Exhibition (NOG Energy Week) in Abuja, on Tuesday, July 2, 2024.
“We have decided to stop the debate. We have declared war on the challenges affecting our crude oil production. War means war. We have the right tools. We know what to fight. We know what we have to do at the level of assets. We have engaged our partners. And we will work together to improve the situation,” the GCEO declared.
According to him, a detailed analysis of assets revealed that Nigeria can conveniently produce two million barrels of crude oil per day without deploying new rigs, but the major impediment to achieving that remains the inability of players to act in a timely manner.
He said the “war” would help NNPC Ltd. and its partners to speedily clear all identified obstacles to effective and efficient production such as delays in procurement processes, which have become a challenge in the industry.
On medium to long-term measures aimed at boosting and sustaining production, Kyari said NNPC Ltd. would replace all the old crude oil pipelines built over four decades ago and also introduce a rig sharing programme with its partners to ensure that production rigs stay in the country for between four and five years which is the standard practice in most climes.
He called on all players in the industry to collaborate towards reducing the cost of production and boosting production to target levels.
He expressed the company’s commitment to investing in critical midstream gas infrastructure such as the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) and the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipelines to boost domestic gas production and supply for power generation, industrial development and economic prosperity of the country.
On Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Kyari observed that NNPC Ltd. has since keyed into the Presidential CNG drive, adding that in conjunction with partners such as NIPCO Gas, NNPC Ltd. has built several CNG stations, 12 of which will be commissioned on Thursday in Lagos and Abuja.
The opening ceremony of the NOG Energy Week also saw goodwill messages and keynotes presented by the Secretary General of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Haitham Al Ghais; Secretary General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), Engr. Mohamed Hamel; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Ekperikpe Ekpo; Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Ms. Olu Verheijen; as well as the Chairman, Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG), Mr. Abdulrazaq Isa.
NNPC Ltd. is the Principal Sponsor of 2024 NOG Energy Week Conference & Exhibition which has as its theme “showcasing opportunities, driving investment and meeting energy demand.”
Climate change has created significant environmental problems in Nigeria, affecting all regions and socioeconomic classes. The 2024 heatwaves are a stark reminder of its impact, causing considerable stress on commercial farmers and threatening food security.
Malam Balarabe Lawal, Minister of Environment
The Niger Delta faces persistent oil spills, leading to severe soil and water pollution, while the northern regions struggle with drought and desertification.
Climate change impacts are primarily felt at the subnational level in Nigeria. Therefore, effective climate action must be localized. Despite the presence of comprehensive federal policies, such as the Climate Change Act and the Energy Transition Plan, there is a glaring absence of similar frameworks at the subnational level. For Nigeria to meet its climate and sustainable development goals, state-level action is crucial.
Recognising this, the Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP), in collaboration with the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and the Department of Climate Change (DCC), conducted a survey on subnational climate impacts, actions, and policies. The survey engaged diverse stakeholders, including state climate change desk officers, academics, youths, and climate experts. The resulting report, “Climate Impacts, Policies, and Actions at the Subnational Level in Nigeria,” was launched in Abuja on November 17, 2023.
The report found that eight states, including Nasarawa, Plateau, Yobe, Jigawa, Anambra, Ebonyi, Ondo, and Ogun, allocated budgets for climate projects in 2023. Additionally, 13 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have developed climate action plans.
Lagos, Enugu, and Rivers State have even established dedicated climate change offices, with Rivers State being the only state to pass a Climate Change Bill into law.
While these developments are promising, it is essential to monitor and evaluate state-level efforts to ensure they achieve their goals. SPP, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment’s Department for Climate Change have worked closely to initiate an annual ranking of climate change governance at the subnational level. This ranking will assess administrative structures, budget allocations, policies, action plans, and other metrics.
The inaugural ranking will be released on July 25, 2024, in Abuja, recognizing the hard work on the three top states and highlighting areas needing improvement and encouraging better climate action across states.
For Nigeria to effectively combat climate change and advance sustainable development, state-level initiatives must complement federal policies. The upcoming ranking and continued scrutiny of state efforts will drive accountability and enhance climate action, ensuring Nigeria meets its climate goals.
Prof Chukwumerije Okereke is President and Chairman, Board of Trustee, Society for Planet and Prosperity, Nigeria
As part of its efforts to improve citizen education, the Environmental Art Collective Foundation (ENACOF) conducted a sensitisation programme in Karonmajiji, a small suburb in Abuja, to educate the inhabitants on the importance of environmental protection.
Participants in the awareness-raising campaign held in Karonmajiji to fostering environmental literacy
The event, which took place in Abuja on Saturday, June 22, 2024, as part of activities commemorating World Environment Day (WED 2024), included a variety of activities such as tree planting and the use of art, as well as entertainment such as the Plan, Learn, and Act Now (PLAN) card game to enhance environmental education.
“We cannot confront the issue of climate change without communal efforts,” says Aliyu Sadiq, community coordinator for the Art for Earth Restoration (AER) initiative.
This understanding, he explained, is why he and his team chose to visit the small village, an engagement he described as very interesting due to the fair representation of participants, including women, young people, and persons with disabilities, all of whom came together to assure the event’s success.
According to him, the turnout demonstrates the community’s desire to participate in any climate action that promotes sustainable development.
Aside from the fact that June 5 is recognised as Global Environment Day every year, the circular economy advocate stressed the need to understand why and how to protect the ecosystem.
Hence, he went on. This endeavour is a way of bringing more people on board to ensure that this problem is solved.
Sadiq commended the Embassy of France in Nigeria for collaborating with ENACOF and vowed to expand the project to other communities to increase environmental literacy throughout the country.
In agreement with this viewpoint, HRH Yunusa Abdullahi, District Head of Karonmajiji, stated that the exercise has exposed members of his community to the value of tree planting and how it can help combat the harmful effects of climate change on human activities.
The royal father justified his statements by pointing to a tree he planted three years ago, saying it not only provides protection but also serves as a symbol of their heritage.
The tree, he explained, “is the original meaning of Karonmajiji,” and he planted it to preserve its memory since, without it, many of the community’s young people would grow up unaware of the tree’s historical significance.
“Many of them will think it is fruit, but it is medicinal,” he disclosed.
Ketty REGIS, Cooperation Attachée, Embassy of France in Nigeria, stated that their participation in the programme is part of their intention to conduct around 11 projects across Nigeria to commemorate this year’s WED.
She went on to explain that in Nigeria, climate change cannot be discussed without mentioning health and gender because women are the most affected by this societal problem.
“For us, we just try to go with people who are involved in the subject,” REGIS remarked during a sideline interview held at the event.
Abdulrahman Sani, who spoke on behalf of the young people, hailed the event as a game changer since it educated him and other youth in the neighbourhood about the importance of tree planting and its role in ecosystem conservation.
“Now I know that if we don’t plant trees, it will cause a lot of problems in the environment,” he added, and he promised to engage with other young people to support and sustain this present effort by organising a major tree planting campaign in the town and beyond.
UN Climate Change on June 28, 2024, officially launched its online reporting tools for the Paris Agreement’s Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF). These tools will enable countries to track crucial climate data and information, from greenhouse gas inventories to progress made implementing their national climate plans, achievements and support.
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell
Data submitted through these new online tools is an integral part of the information to be provided in Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs) – the first round of which are due by December 31, 2024 – under the standardised formats established by the ETF.
These new BTRs – and the broader ETF – will enable much better assessments of global climate progress. At a national level, they will also be a vital enabling tool, helping countries to build a robust evidence base that governments can use to design stronger climate policies and national climate plans (known as Nationally Determined Contributions or NDCs).
“Biennial Transparency Reports shine a light on progress. Knowledge gained will help countries make informed choices, set ambitious goals, and unlock the finance needed to support them,” said UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell.
The new online tools enable countries to compile data and generate reporting tables using agreed formats, ensuring a more streamlined and consistent reporting process and enabling aggregation of data.
Data gathered through the BTRs will help governments assess their climate progress and pinpoint areas where resources and support are most needed. Having a clearer understanding of these needs, backed by data, will put countries in a better position to attract more financing and accelerate achievement of their Paris Agreement commitments.
Support and Resources
An ETF reporting tools support site is available for Parties to use the new tools effectively. This resource includes user manuals, technical guides, FAQs and a portal to report technical issues. UN Climate Change will continue to update this page with additional information as needed.
A dedicated user management tool is also available, allowing Parties to designate individuals who will use the reporting tools on their behalf. National focal points have already begun nominating ETF Focal Points and Alternates. Designation of these roles is crucial for gaining access to the reporting tools.
UN Climate Change will continue to provide support and deliver as much practical assistance as possible. Information on specific training activities related to the ETF will be updated regularly on the same site.
Following the first capacity and confidence building workshop held in Baku in May, the incoming COP29 Presidency is planning to hold additional training sessions, including on the margins of the upcoming Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) workshop on inventory software, which will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from September 4 to 6, 2024.
Addressing Challenges and Building Capacity
While the benefits of climate reporting are clear, preparing reports can be challenging for some countries. Not all countries have the same experience when it comes to reporting and review. Many nations, particularly developing countries, face problems gathering, managing and analysing data and producing reports.
UN Climate Change has joined forces with other support providers to ensure countries have the information, training and hands-on experience to navigate the new tools and procedures and is committed to developing more training and capacity-building programmes.
Over 1,900 experts from 150 countries have already been trained, building capacity for thousands of practitioners, including those working across other intergovernmental organisations. All countries are encouraged to take advantage of workshops and available resources to learn, test, and build the skills and capacities they need.
Stiell added: “We should not see reporting as a burden, but as an incredible opportunity – to learn from the data and to design more effective policies. To direct resources where they’re needed most. And to share the successes we’re so proud of. Together we can build capacity, to see and seed more climate action and change lives for the better.”
For Azerbaijan, which is hosting the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 29), the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy sources and investments in this area are important, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Elnur Mammadov, said on June 29, 2024, at a forum in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Elnur Mammadov/ Photo credit: Report
Mammadov noted that the country managed to attract large investors in the development of the renewable energy sector.
“We managed to attract investments from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and the UK. We also continue to work on other projects with the EU, so that, according to Ursula von der Leyen, we act as a reliable partner,” Mammadov emphasised.
He recalled that a memorandum on strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and the EU was signed in July 2022, which contains two important components.
“The first is doubling the throughput capacity of the Southern Gas Corridor, increasing it from the current 12 billion cubic meters to 20 billion cubic meters by 2027. The second important component is our environmental agenda and the transition to a green economy. And, of course, for us, as country that will host COP29 later this year, it is now important that we also work on the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy sources,” he added.
Meanwhile, Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, has emphasised the critical need for decisive action at COP29, saying that the conference must prioritise climate justice while considering the interests of developing nations.
Guterres painted a stark picture of the current climate reality.
Each of the last 12 months has been hotter than the previous one, he said, highlighting the alarming trend of rising global temperatures.
The UN chief noted that, for the first time, scientists are warning that we may exceed the crucial 1.5-degree Celsius threshold of global warming within the next few years – a situation that, while not irreversible, signals a “dramatic moment in history.”
Guterres stressed the importance of addressing climate change through the lens of climate justice. He pointed out that many developing countries, particularly small island nations and African countries, are bearing the brunt of climate change impacts despite contributing little to the problem.
According to Guterres, decisions that reverse the trend of climate change while also responding to the needs of those developing countries experiencing dramatic consequences and in need of resources will be a significant step forward.
The UN chief called on developed nations to fulfill their commitments and contribute more effectively to solving the problems faced by developing countries under the pressure of climate change.
Azerbaijan, as COP29 host, knows that this is an extremely important event, and its work in preparing for the conference deserves praise, Ambassador of Canada to Türkiye, Georgia and Azerbaijan with residence in Ankara, Kevin Hamilton, has said.
“I am confident that Baku will successfully host this event. The Canadian delegation will also take part in CO29,” the diplomat noted.
He added that he would visit Baku next week to present his credentials to the president of Azerbaijan.
In a related development, the United States has officially expressed its support for Azerbaijan in successfully hosting COP29. This announcement was made by James O’Brien, the US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, during a press briefing in Baku on June 28, 2024.
The United States strongly supported the role that Azerbaijan plays in this agreement, he said, adding that Washington provided as much consultation and technical support as it could.
O’Brien believes that climate change is a key issue for the entire world, and that this meeting provides an opportunity to make real progress in addressing some issues that are important for accelerating the transition to renewable fuels and mitigating the effects of climate change.
He said the United States is encouraged by Azerbaijan’s progress in this direction.
The selection of Baku as the host city for COP29 marks a pivotal moment in Azerbaijan’s environmental diplomacy. This decision was reached during the plenary session of COP28 in Dubai on December 11, 2023, reflecting the international community’s confidence in Azerbaijan’s capability to host such a crucial global event.
