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New body aims to limit pollution’s deadly toll

Michael Simire
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New body aims to limit pollution’s deadly toll

Pollution is widespread – and often fatal.

Dirty air alone is responsible for 6.7 million deaths globally every year, while one study suggests that in 2019 alone 5.5 million people perished from heart disease linked to lead exposure.

vehicular pollution
Vehicular pollution

To stem this pollution crisis, countries agreed in 2022 to establish a new body that would provide policymakers with robust, independent information on chemicals, waste and pollution prevention.

Negotiators are finetuning the details of this new science-policy panel, with the latest round of discussions set for June 15-18, 2025, in Uruguay. Once operational, the panel will complete a trifecta of similar scientific bodies designed to counter climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.

“What we’ve been missing is a strong and comprehensive science-policy interface to tackle the pollution pillar of the triple planetary crisis,” says Tessa Goverse, a Principal Officer with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) supporting the intergovernmental working group that is preparing the foundational elements of the panel. “Now the global community is constructively working towards a panel that can deliver policy impacts that save lives and protect the environment for decades to come.”

The new science-policy panel can help to translate scientific findings into action and is expected to work strategically with the Global Framework on Chemicals adopted in 2023 and numerous Multilateral Environmental Agreements.

Ahead of the Uruguay discussions, here’s a closer look at the science-policy panel and why experts say it could play a major role in reducing pollution.

What is the aim of the new science-policy panel?

It seeks to equip policymakers with the best available science and knowledge, enabling them to make well-informed decisions and develop policies to lessen the toll of toxic chemicals, waste and pollution on human health and the environment.

“There’s a lot of information out there, but the landscape is quite fragmented because of a tendency to look at issues chemical by chemical,” said Goverse. “The panel has the potential to look at chemicals, waste and pollution in a more integrated way and offer the knowledge for more holistic solutions.”

Why is the new panel necessary?

Chemicals bring many benefits to society. But their unsafe and unsustainable management means hazardous and long-lived chemicals are polluting air, land and water. This threatens human health and ecosystems. For example, pesticides used to kill insect pests leak into rivers and lakes. Discarded medicines end up in wastewater. Contaminated liquids from waste dumps seep into soil.

Those problems are expected to mount. By 2050, the world’s municipalities are projected to generate nearly 4 billion tonnes of solid waste – a 56 per cent increase from what was generated in 2021, according to UNEPs Global Waste Management Outlook. The size of the global chemical industry is also projected to double by 2030.

“We need urgent action because worldwide the issues are growing and the risks are wide-ranging,” Goverse said.

What are the science-policy panel’s key functions?

The panel is expected to conduct assessments of current issues and identify potential solutions, in particular those relevant to developing countries. It will also identify key gaps in scientific research, support communication between scientists and policymakers, and raise awareness. The panel will also assist information-sharing and build capacity to strengthen the science-policy interface.

Will the panel be looking for emerging areas of concern?

Yes. It will also undertake “horizon scanning” to identify trends and emerging issues that could be relevant to policy makers in the future. 

“In these fast-changing times, it is imperative to better understand how the chemicals, waste and pollution crisis could evolve,” said Goverse. “To secure a pollution-free world and achieve sustainability while recognising the differences in contexts, we need to be ahead of the curve.”

Are any of the emerging types of pollution and waste especially worrying?

Yes. A 2020 UNEP report highlighted several of them, including endocrine disrupting chemicals, microplastics, persistent pharmaceutical pollutants, including antibiotics that can promote antimicrobial resistance and nanomaterials.

When will the panel be up and running?

In 2022, an ad hoc open-ended working group was established to prepare proposals for the panel. The working group aims to complete this task this year and convenes from June 15 to 18, 2025, in Punta del Este, Uruguay, back-to-back with an intergovernmental meeting scheduled for June 19 and 20 where countries would consider the panel’s establishment. 

Who will be on the panel?

The panel will be an independent intergovernmental body which governments will be invited to join. Member governments will make up the panel’s governing body that takes decision and approves its programme of work. 

Who else will be involved in the panel?

To produce policy-relevant deliverables, the panel will depend on the contributions of thousands of scientists and experts around the world. It will also need to engage with local communities, workers and Indigenous Peoples, since they are often the ones on the receiving end of pollution. Engagement with the private sector is also relevant for addressing the source of pollution and waste, and for coming up with solutions grounded in reality. But careful attention must be paid to potential conflicts of interest.

How will the science-policy panel contribute to Multilateral Environmental Agreements? 

These accords can both contribute to and benefit from the findings of the panel. They could invite the panel to look into specific scientific and technical matters that require global attention. Examples include the use of chemicals in products and the reduction of the footprint of high-impact sectors. Relevant agreements include the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, which set out measures for handling chemicals and waste, and the Minamata Convention to manage the use of mercury.

Could the panel help counter the other two prongs of the triple planetary crisis, climate change and nature loss?

Yes. The sound management of chemicals and waste, and the prevention of pollution can boost the fight against climate change by reducing pollutants that are greenhouse gases. It can also help to achieve the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which calls for a reduction in the negative impacts of pollution on biodiversity and ecosystems. 

Scaling climate technologies for action

Michael Simire
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Scaling climate technologies for action

The first Climate Week of 2025, held in Panama, served as a springboard for real-world solutions that support countries’ climate actions. Policymakers, experts and practitioners came together to turn climate ambition into tangible results – across three critical pillars: finance, technology and carbon markets.

AICA Launch
AICA Launch. Photo credit: UN Climate Change

The Technology Lab, held under the theme “Climate Technologies and Innovation: Understanding Needs and Gaps for Moving from NDC Ambition to Action,” raised awareness about proven climate technology solutions that can help accelerate adaptation and mitigation across regions, identifying the steps needed for implementation.

Structured as a series of interactive roundtables, the Lab tackled challenges and opportunities in four key areas: the water-energy-food nexus, energy systems, industrial decarbonization, and artificial intelligence (AI) for climate action.

It opened with the launch of the AI for Climate Action Award 2025, a global competition spearheaded by the UNFCCC Technology Executive Committee (TEC) and the UN Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN), in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). The award seeks open-source, AI-powered solutions tailored to the needs of least-developed countries and small island developing states. Submissions are open until July 31, 2025, with the winning innovation to be showcased at COP30 in Belém this November.

Participants from government, the private sector and civil society explored sector-specific barriers, shared good practices, and identified steps to accelerate climate technology deployment. They agreed that while innovation – from AI to renewables and industrial decarbonisation – is abundant, scaling it requires sustained, inclusive investment and improved finance flows.

A roundtable discussion on the water-energy-food nexus and agrifood systems revealed a disconnect between community-driven technological solutions and national strategies. Despite a wealth of innovations already in use, uptake remains limited due to insufficient financing, weak coordination across agencies, and low public awareness. Participants called for climate finance mechanisms that not only support technology deployment but also invest in education and capacity-building, aligning national planning with community-level needs for long-term impact.

Discussions on energy systems and industrial decarbonisation echoed similar challenges. While renewable energy momentum is growing, deployment is slowed by skilled labour shortages and restricted access to capital. Industrial decarbonisation faces high upfront costs and continued fossil fuels competitiveness.

Experts stressed the need for blended finance, risk-sharing models, investment incentives and clear regulatory frameworks to accelerate the adoption of green technology solutions. Across these sectors, coordinated efforts between policymakers, financial institutions and the private sector – supported by clear national targets and regulatory frameworks – were seen as essential to driving both energy transformation and industrial emissions reduction.

A roundtable session on AI for climate action highlighted its potential across both mitigation and adaptation. However, participants raised concerns about the risks of AI: energy intensity, high costs, and regulatory uncertainty. Without robust governance, ethical standards, and sustainable funding, the potential of AI as an enabler for climate action could fall short. 

Looking Ahead

The Technology Lab outcomes will inform the TEC’s workplan by clarifying technology needs, gaps and scalable solutions, and by strengthening technology development and transfer through better links to finance, carbon markets and capacity-building.

The Lab reaffirmed a central message: turning climate ambition into reality requires coordinated, well-funded and inclusive implementation. The tools are emerging, but efforts need to accelerate to deploy them at scale.

EACOP: Concern over Ugandan judiciary as 11 jailed activists appear in court

Michael Simire
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EACOP: Concern over Ugandan judiciary as 11 jailed activists appear in court

Eleven activists arrested on April 23, 2025, while attempting to deliver a letter to KCB Uganda, expressing their opposition to the bank’s involvement in the controversial East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), have remained in jail for close to two months since their arrest.

StopEACOP
StopEACOP campaign

The 1,443-kilometre pipeline, if completed, would transport crude oil from Uganda’s oil fields to Tanzania’s coast, passing through sensitive ecosystems, and has already displaced thousands of community members.

The activists were attempting to deliver a letter expressing their disappointment and opposition to KCB Uganda’s decision to fund EACOP when they were led into the basement of the bank’s offices – reportedly by the head of marketing – under the pretense of meeting with the general manager. Instead, they were met by police and security personnel and arrested on the spot.

“It is an outrageous injustice that peaceful people, simply trying to deliver a letter to a bank, are spending months in a maximum-security prison. These activists were exercising their democratic right to be heard and to assert themselves as legitimate stakeholders in the future of their country and environment. Instead, they were deceived, arrested, and thrown behind bars in appalling conditions – all with the complicity of KCB.” Said Zaki Mamdoo, coordinator of the StopEACOP campaign.

The activists – now known as #TheKCB11 – have appeared before the court a record three times, including yesterday’s hearing, and have been denied the opportunity for bail at each occurrence. 

On each occasion that the 11 activists have appeared in court, the prosecution has not been able to provide any witnesses. Yesterday, the lawyers of the 11 activists requested the court to dismiss the matter for lack of witnesses, and while the state attorney had no objection, the magistrate, Justice Frank Namanya, refused the request, stating that the alleged offense of criminal trespass was a serious offense, which is inaccurate as it is considered minor under Ugandan law.

“From the start, this case has been handled in a way that raises serious legal and ethical concerns. Bail was denied to the detained on a technicality at the first hearing, and at the second hearing, proceedings were stalled because both the magistrate and state prosecutor were absent due to a prosecutors’ symposium. Yesterday, the case file was mysteriously taken from court by an unknown lawyer, and despite our request for time to retrieve it and proceed with a bail application, the magistrate refused and adjourned the case. The continued failure to produce prosecution witnesses only deepens concerns around the weaponisation of the judicial system to keep peaceful activists behind bars, completely undermining the pursuit of justice.” Said Advocate Tumusiime Kato, a Legal representative of the #KCB11. 

According to StopEACOP, all the cases against the StopEACOP activists opposing the project have unnecessarily dragged on for months, sometimes years, only to be dismissed for lack of prosecution witnesses. 

In fact, early in April, Ugandan MPs from the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee warned the Judiciary about the dwindling public trust and dire consequences, referencing Kenya’s anti finance bill protest when the judiciary officers appeared before the committee to defend their ministerial policy statement

“As communities directly affected by the EACOP project, we stand in full solidarity with the KCB11. Those arrested were not acting for themselves alone; they were courageously amplifying the very real fears and injustices communities face on the ground. We thank them for championing our concerns, for speaking truth to power, and for taking up this struggle for justice. Their arrest is not only unjust, it is an attack on all of us who dare to demand a future where our voices are heard and our rights respected,” said Balach Bakundane, Team Leader at the EACOP Host Communities organisation. 

The activists’ detention also highlights growing concerns about the shrinking space for civil society and environmental advocacy in Uganda, where critics of the EACOP project have faced increasing restrictions and legal challenges.

The StopEACOP coalition takes issue with the magistrate’s refusal to grant bail and incorrect legal interpretation of criminal trespass as a serious offence that contradicts established Ugandan legal precedent.

“We therefore call on the Uganda Law Society to take a keen interest in its officers,” declared the group.

Biotech society warns against ignoring modern biotechnology

Michael Simire
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Biotech society warns against ignoring modern biotechnology

The Biotechnology Society of Nigeria (BSN) has advised that countries should embrace modern biotechnology.

Prof Sylvia Uzochukwu
Prof Sylvia Uzochukwu, President of the BSN

Prof Sylvia Uzochukwu, President of the BSN, and a professor of Food Science and Biotechnology, gave the advice in an interview on Friday, June 13, 2025, in Abuja.

While expressing delight that Nigeria embraced the technology, Uzochukwu said biotechnology was not just about providing food security and revolutionalising healthcare, but also charting the course of international trade and diplomacy.

According to her, challenges of population growth and climate change will continue to require bioengineering of plants to improve attributes such as drought resistance at a much larger scale.

Uzochukwu said that in line with international treaty that a regulator should be set up to ensure safe use of genetic engineering, the Federal Government established the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA).

She said that this was to ensure safety of biotechnology products.

“I call on the NBMA that regulation of new products of biotechnology should become more and more product-based rather than process-based.

“What this means is that the agency should concentrate on the safety of the product, irrespective of how it was made,’’ Uzochukwu said.

She said that since the NBMA had been mandated to ensure safety of genetically engineered food products before commercial release, there should be no cause for alarm among the populace.

The BSN President said that the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) also had the mandate of promoting the technology in Nigeria.

She said that the NBRDA was also required to midwife the regulation of biotechnology products after twenty years of consistent work with various partners.

“The worry of some Nigerians is that apart from personnel costs, these agencies are largely left to fend for themselves and rely on donor funds for the actual execution of their mandates.

“Now that donors are withdrawing funds from projects, it is hoped that our governments will channel funds to science and technology,’’ Uzochukwu said.

By Sylvester Thompson

NESREA shuts 25 facilities over environmental violations

Michael Simire
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NESREA shuts 25 facilities over environmental violations

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has shut down 25 facilities in four states of the Federation over noncompliance with environmental regulations.

NESREA
Officials of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) during an enforcement operation

Mrs. Nwamaka Ejiofor, Assistant Director (Press) in NESREA, stated this in a statement on Friday, June 13, 2025, in Abuja.

She said that the facilities which cut across different sectors were shut down in Anambra, Enugu, Bayelsa, and Rivers for various environmental crimes.

Ejiofor said these included refusal to conduct Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before commencement of the project, Environmental Audit, and lack of a functional effluent treatment plant, among others.

She said the sealed facilities included Rugal Pharmaceutical, Emene Industrial Layout, Enugu; China Communication Construction Company (CCCC), Owo yard, Enugu; Hardis and Dromedas, Umunya, Anambra State; and Pinnatech Engi Asphalt Plant, Awkuzu, Anambra.

Others are China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), Obogoro Road, Swali, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State; Megastar Technical and Construction Company Limited, Imiringi Road, Yenagoa, Bayelsa; and Multi Plan Nigeria Ltd., Okuru-Ama, Trans-Amadi Industrial Layout, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, among others.

Prof. Innocent Barikor, the Director-General of NESREA, urged operators to comply with the provisions of environmental laws in their operations.

Barikor stated that the agency would continue to conduct such enforcement exercises to safeguard the environment and serve as a deterrent to facility operators.

By Doris Esa

Nigeria has only two cases over last 20 years on climate change litigation – Karikpo 

Michael Simire
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Nigeria has only two cases over last 20 years on climate change litigation – Karikpo 

The Country Manager, Natural Justice, Michael Karikpo, has called on Nigerian lawyers particularly women to explore the growing field of climate change litigation, highlighting the urgent need for legal reforms and court interventions to combat the climate crisis. 

Natural Justice
Participants at the Natural Justice training workshop on climate change litigation

Speaking during a two-day training session hosted by Natural Justice in Lagos, Karikpo emphasised the global rise in climate related legal actions and Nigeria’s slow pace in that space.

“In the discussion of climate change litigation across the world, there is an increasing use of law of the courts to encourage governments and companies to act for climate justice. In Nigeria, we only have two cases over the last 20 years on climate change litigation.” Karikpo said. 

The programme, focused exclusively on female legal professionals, aims to encourage their participation in climate advocacy and litigation, considering the disproportionate impact of climate change on women.

“We have decided to focus on women because of the fact that they suffer even more impact from the climate change crisis,” Karikpo explained.

“This is the first cohort of this meeting. We will be having subsequent meetings where we will have both male and female lawyers discussing climate change litigation, but this is actually just for women, for female lawyers, so that they also reflect on how climate change impacts them and what they can do using the instrumentality of the law to address those impacts.”

Karikpo expressed hope that the initiative would inspire a new generation of female lawyers to engage in climate change litigation and push for legal and policy reforms.

“We hope that it will inspire young women lawyers to specialize in climate change litigation and see the need for legal reforms, policy reforms, and the role that court decisions and court action can play in enhancing government’s capacity to act for climate justice,” he said.

Among the participants was Confidence Chisoma Jonathan, a lawyer, chartered arbitrator, and founder of the Raj Foundation, a non-profit focused on women and girl empowerment. She described the training as transformative and practical.

“So far, the training on climate change litigation and responses by Natural Justice has been amazing,” Jonathan said. “For me, it’s been an eye opener, learning how to manage my everyday life and also protecting the climate and the planet the way it is.”

Jonathan, who is based in Port Harcourt, plans to take her new knowledge back to her community and educate women and girls about the realities of climate change.

“One of my key takeaways, if I go back to the South, I’m going to let the people know, especially my organisation, like I said, I’m a founder and I have women in my organisation. I’m going to let them know that climate change is not one scientific myth. It is not a folklore, a fairy tale. It is real. It is real because we see it every day in our society, in our streets, in the marketplace.”

She emphasised personal responsibility and practical solutions, especially around plastic use.

“How can we prevent the whole climate change issues that we’re experiencing today? By taking responsibility for our actions. The use of plastics should be prohibited, and if not possible to be prohibited, it should be reduced. There are other ways we can fight this, from using bamboo bags or biodegradable bags.”

Jonathan stressed that her motivation isn’t financial gain but community impact.

“Right now, as a founder, I’m not just looking at using this training to make money because it’s not about making money. So whatever I’ve learned here, I’m taking it back to my community, to the rural areas, to teach girls, to teach women, to take climate change very seriously,” she said.

Abdul Ruqoya Anuoluwapo, a 200-level law student from the Faculty of Law, Lagos State University, expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to attend the training program on climate change litigation for female lawyers.

“I’m not a lawyer yet, so yeah, I’m an aspiring lawyer. I’m grateful for the platform actually because I’ve learned a lot,” she said.

Ruqoya admitted that before receiving the invitation, she was unaware of the concept of climate change litigation. 

“Initially, I didn’t know that there was something called climate change litigation until I received the mail. Somebody recommended me for this program, so I received the mail and I was wondering, climate change litigation? And it happened, I came.”

She noted that the first day of the training was insightful, highlighting the indirect impact of human actions on the climate and the potential for collaboration between legal and scientific experts.

“We learned a lot about the effects of our actions on the climate and how it might not even directly affect you, the doer, but somebody somewhere else. And how we can cooperate with scientific experts, I don’t know, is that correct? Scientists. In short, how the lawyers and the scientists can collaborate because they are the ones that will provide the fieldwork, the evidence, and the lawyers have to just go to court to drag the case.”

She emphasised the importance of pursuing climate justice for the benefit of future generations. “How we have to do this, not for our own generation but for the future generations,” she said.

When asked how she intends to use what she has learned, Ruqoya shared that she had spoken with the organisers and learned that the workshop is a recurring event.

“They’ve said that it is okay for students to be there and they are providing this platform, they are engaging us. I feel like it’s something that I can leverage because before today, there’s this CFA Institute that used to talk about climate change and I’ve always been attending, not even knowing that I can merge this with law.”

Asked whether she had found her new calling, she responded with cautious optimism.

“I think I am, but I’m not sure. Do you like climate change? The thing about me is I used to have short attention span. So one moment I’m very invested in something and the next moment I’m like, is this thing even for me? I don’t know. Let me say I’m more of the quick results type of person.

“So if I’m not getting that…That’s like something that I’ve learned in this workshop, that the result might not necessarily come immediately and we just have to keep pushing. The purpose of the workshop is not even to like get compensation actually. Sometimes it’s just to get them to stop those actions that are causing damages.”

Another participant, Oderanti Zainab, a 400-level student of Common and Islamic Law at Lagos State University, also shared her thoughts.

“I’ve been here since yesterday for the Natural Justice event. It’s been a nice event and I got to meet wonderful women in the industry,” she said.

“Talking about climate change is something I’ve not really been into. I have an idea now of what the climate change and climate education is all about and how I can make a change.”

By Kathy Kyari

‘What we need from govt is exoneration’ – Groups reject state pardon for Saro-Wiwa, others

Michael Simire
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‘What we need from govt is exoneration’ – Groups reject state pardon for Saro-Wiwa, others

The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), the Ogoni Liberation Initiative (OLI) and other groups in Ogoni ethnic nationality of Rivers State have rejected the state pardon granted to the late Ken Saro-Wiwa and other leaders of the area by the Federal Government.

Ken Saro-Wiwa
People protest against the hanging of Ogoni leader Ken Saro-Wiwa and his eight colleagues in London, UK, November 17, 1995. Photo credit: PA Archive/PA

President Bola Tinubu had on Thursday, June 12, 2025, granted pardon to Saro-Wiwa and other leaders of Ogoni who were murdered in 1995 by the military administration of late General Sani Abacha on allegation of civil disturbance, murder and others.

Responding to the state pardon, MOSOP said what the people of Ogoni need from the government is exoneration and not pardon, calling on President Bola Tinubu to review his stance.

Speaking, the Publicity Secretary of MOSOP, Comrade Imeabe Saviour Oscar, in Port Harcourt, said the declaration of pardon is not acceptable, noting that pardon does not arise because Saro-Wiwa and eight others did not commit the crime levelled against them by the government.

Oscar said: “It is clear that the Ogoni struggle is not a local struggle rather international. So, Mr President cannot claim that he is not aware of what led to the death of Ken Saro Wiwa and others by the military administration of Abacha that Ken Saro-Wiwa and others were hanged even in their innocence.

“What do you call pardon, when somebody was killed in his innocence? He is supposed to exonerate them and not pardon. President Bola Tinubu cannot claim that he is not aware of the history of the Ogoni people. He is not a novice to the incident, so granting these our leaders pardon is not acceptable rather we need outright exoneration because they did not commit any crime.

“The President should have exonerated Ken Saro-Wiwa and the others of any crime because they were killed innocently. So, if you pardon them, it simply means that they committed crime and have been forgiven, whereas these leaders were innocent. We need exoneration for our murdered leaders.”

Similarly, OLI noted that the people of Ogoni are not against the administration of President Bola Tinubu but noted that decisions of the President ought to be impeccable.

The leader of OLI, Dr. Fabeke Douglas, in Port Harcourt, noted that the state pardon granted Wiwa and others did not meet the least expectation of the people of Ogoni and Niger Delta, demanding that the murdered Ogoni leaders be exonerated.

Douglas said: “Thank you, Mr President, for considering the plight of the Ogoni people, however, granting pardon to the Ogoni did not meet our expectations. We demand that they be exonerated from the crime they never committed.

“They were not afforded a fair hearing nor given the opportunity to appeal the judgement as stipulated by the law of the land. We shall continue to offer you our support until you adequately address this matter Mr. President. We appreciate your efforts, but the Ogoni case necessitates meticulous attention.”

Ken Saro-Wiwa & Ogoni 8: Let genuine reparations, healing begin, Tinubu told

Michael Simire
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Ken Saro-Wiwa & Ogoni 8: Let genuine reparations, healing begin, Tinubu told

Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s posthumous pardon and conferment of national honours on Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists but noted that, for this long overdue gesture to transcend ceremonial pageantry, it must catalyse full reparations and tangible justice for Ogoni Land and its people.

Ken Saro-Wiwa
The late Ken Saro-Wiwa

In a statement made available by its Media and Communications’ Officer, Robert Egbe, after the President’s June 12, 2025, Democracy Day address, CAPPA described the pardons as a historical reckoning that coincides with the 30th anniversary of the fatal and unjust execution of the environmental activists.

“Ken Saro-Wiwa was a writer, poet, and political activist who founded the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) and led a non-violent campaign against the oil pollution and mindless exploitation of Ogoni land and waters by Shell and other big oil corporations.

“Yet in 1995, under the Abacha junta, he and eight fellow leaders—Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine – were unlawfully arrested, subjected to a sham trial, and arbitrarily hanged. They paid with their lives for courageously defending the pillage of their homes and rights to live in dignity.

“Three decades on, nothing has changed. Despite evidence and witness testimonies showing Shell’s wicked collusion with the Nigerian state and military to crush the Ogoni resistance, the company continues to operate without accountability and has even succeeded in divesting its Niger Delta subsidiary to a Nigerian consortium to evade mounting liability,” the statement said.

“Till today, the executions of the Ogoni 9 remain an indelible stain on Nigeria’s record and proclamation alone will not vindicate their legacy,” CAPPA’s Executive Director Akinbode Oluwafemi remarked.

“Genuine tribute demands decisive action. The presidency must match these honours awarded today with political will by speeding up the full cleanup and restoration of Ogoni land. Major oil polluters that have caused this pain and devastation must answer for every drop spilled,” he added.

“In 2011, the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) assessment of Ogoni Land recorded that its soil and water remain so dangerously polluted that restoring safe farmlands and access to potable water will take up to 30 years, as well as cost at least USD 1 billion, with the first five years alone demanding that full sum.

“Although urgent remediation plans were highlighted years ago, including a recommendation for an initial $1 billion capital injection from both the polluting oil actors and the Nigerian government to facilitate the process, to date, substantive cleanup and justice for Ogoni communities remain stalled, even as alarming discussions and plans to resume oil production in the region have surfaced in recent times.

“The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), established by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration in 2017 to oversee the environmental cleanup and provide drinkable water to locals following the UNEP assessment, remains plagued by many controversies. Contracts have been found outsourced to firms with no track record or environmental credentials. Some sites listed as ‘remediated’ exist only on paper, and communities have reported that even the so-called restored areas remain barren, incapable of supporting crop growth or aquatic life.

“Meanwhile, the polluters-in-chief, including Shell, Total, Agip, and the former Nigerian government-owned NNPC, which comprise the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) Joint Venture partnership for the clean-up exercise, pledged $900 million, to be paid over five years. Yet since their first $180 million deposit in 2018 into the Ogoni Trust Fund, a HYPREP-managed escrow overseen by government, they have contributed only $572 million in total.

“The Nigerian government, for its part, has failed to pay its counterpart fund put at N100 billion, arguing that the NNPC serves as its proxy,” the statement observed.

CAPPA called on the federal government to immediately match talk with action by insisting upon the full payment and transparent disbursement of every dollar owed to the remediation of Ogoni land.

It also urged President Tinubu to commit to a legally binding moratorium on oil exploration in Ogoniland and not use the pardon as a cover for resuming drilling in the area.

“The presidency must institutionalise community reparations, ensuring that total and thorough cleanup is achieved and verified by independent experts, civil society, villagers, and local communities. The Nigerian government must also compensate farmers and fishers for decades of lost harvests, while also investing in renewable energy and agro-ecology programs to rebuild livelihoods,” it said.

“Our demands are not rocket science, they are the sine qua non of genuine reconciliation and healing.

“Democracy Day commemorates Nigeria’s hard-won right to dissent and assemble, a right Saro-Wiwa and others exercised at mortal risk. Now that the presidency has taken a critical step, he must ‘show workings’ by making sure the pardon of these martyrs becomes the mandate to cleanse our nation’s soil and soul alike.

“President Tinubu must make sure his tenure oversees the rapid revival of poisoned lands, the restitution of stolen livelihoods, and the accountability of every corporate actor whose pipelines and flares turned a vibrant delta into a toxic hinterland.

“Anything less would betray both the sacrifice of heroes past like Ken Saro-Wiwa and the very spirit of June 12,” the statement concluded.

Least Developed Countries demand accelerated climate action at Bonn talks

Michael Simire
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Least Developed Countries demand accelerated climate action at Bonn talks

With the world on the brink of breaching the 1.5°C global warming threshold before 2029, the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Group is calling for urgent and transformative action at the UN Climate Meetings (SB 62), taking place from June 16 to 26, 2025, in Bonn, Germany.

Evans Njewa
Chair of the Least Developed Countries, Evans Njewa

WMO projects that global temperatures will remain at or near record highs over the next five years, intensifying climate risks and impacts on societies, economies, and sustainable development. Keeping 1.5°C within reach is vital to minimize the worst impacts – giving up on it would be a betrayal of the most vulnerable countries, including LDCs.

Backed by recent warnings from the latest WMO Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update, which projects an increasing risk of surpassing 1.5°C within the next five years, the LDC Group is pushing for meaningful outcomes on adaptation, mitigation, and climate finance that match the scale and urgency of the climate crisis that disproportionately affects LDCs.

“We can no longer afford frameworks that look good on paper but fail to deliver where it matters most,” said Evans Njewa, Chair of the LDC Group.

In preparation for the Bonn sessions and COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the LDC Group convened a strategy meeting in April 2025 in Blantyre, Malawi. The priorities agreed at this meeting will guide its negotiations at SB 62 and will be further reflected upon during the upcoming LDC Ministerial later this year.

Among them is the call for a clear and credible roadmap to finalise measurable and meaningful indicators for the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA).

Mr. Njewa said, “These indicators must go beyond vague commitments and drive real progress in enhancing adaptive capacity, strengthening resilience, and reducing climate vulnerability. Importantly, they must also include the means of implementation – finance, technology, and capacity-building – without which adaptation will remain out of reach for many LDCs.

“Ahead of COP30, we also expect a clear, fair, and time-bound pathway to implement the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) decision and deliver the $1.3 trillion annual climate finance goal by 2035, ensuring adequacy, transparency, and predictability, while fully reflecting the needs and special circumstances of LDCs.

“While 2025 marks the deadline for developed countries to double adaptation finance, this target in our strong view is outdated, inadequate, and dangerously behind the times. Informed by science and the scale of escalating climate impacts, the LDC Group is calling for a bold leap: triple adaptation finance by 2030 as part of an ambitious New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) to meaningfully protect vulnerable communities on the frontlines of the climate collapse.

“The Global Stocktake clearly outlined what is needed to limit warming to 1.5°C. Governments must respond by submitting new, updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in 2025 that commit to deep cuts in emissions, reflecting their highest possible ambition and fair share of global action Yet, just 22 countries have stepped up so far. We can’t afford further delays and major emitters must lead by example to demonstrate genuine ambition and global solidarity.

“The LDC Group also expects rapid, direct, and simplified access to the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), prioritising frontline communities who are already bearing the brunt of climate impacts.

“We are committed to supporting the incoming presidency in rebuilding trust in the climate process,” Mr. Njewa concluded. “This means moving beyond processes to deliver real outcomes – outcomes that are shaped by those most affected and designed to secure a safer, fairer future for all.”

SB62: Bonn climate talks must rebuild trust through justice – Civil society

Michael Simire
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SB62: Bonn climate talks must rebuild trust through justice – Civil society

As delegates gather for the UNFCCC SB62 climate negotiations, civil society voices from across the Global South and North are calling for a course correction grounded in justice, equity, and real accountability.

November’s COP30 in Belém must not repeat the failures of Baku, the campaigners insist.

UN Climate Change Talks
UN Climate Change Talks in Bonn, Germany

Bonn SB62 arrives at a moment of reckoning for the multilateral climate process. Six months after the collapse of trust at COP29 in Baku – where Parties failed to agree on a credible New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance – civil society operatives believe that the credibility of the UNFCCC is under intense scrutiny.

“Vulnerable countries left Azerbaijan with unmet expectations and deepened mistrust. The result is a system creaking at the seams, and – in the year when countries are meant to deliver on their new climate plans – many people are now openly asking: can the UNFCCC still deliver the coordinated, equitable action the world urgently needs?

“This question lands in a world reeling from multiple overlapping crises. Wars, genocides, growing authoritarianism, weaponised trade, and unregulated digital upheaval have created a geopolitical environment that is increasingly resistant to collaboration.

“At the same time, the climate crisis is accelerating: temperatures are rising, weather extremes are worsening, and climate impacts are threatening lives and livelihoods across every continent. Yet even in this worsening context, the political will for ambitious, cooperative climate action – especially from the world’s largest emitters – remains alarmingly weak.”

Climate Action Network’s new expectations briefing sets out detailed demands across key negotiation tracks – highlighting the stark contrast between worsening climate impacts and the lack of political will from wealthy nations. As geopolitical instability, economic inequality, and ecological collapse deepen, the group wants SB62 to signal a decisive shift from fragmented, elite-led processes to people-centred multilateralism grounded in justice.

“COP30 can only succeed if the road to Belém rebuilds trust, prioritises equity, and delivers clear political and financial commitments that centre those most impacted by the climate crisis.”

June’s Triple Test for Climate Justice

The next few weeks present a rare and revealing sequence: the G7 Summit (June 15–17), SB62 in Bonn (June 16–26), and the Financing for Development Conference in Seville (June 30–July 3). Together, they expose the power dynamics that continue to stall climate finance, submitted CAN.

“From empty promises on debt and IMF reform at the G7, to stalled ambition in the COP process due to a lack of predictable finance, to the structural rules on tax, trade, and SDRs under scrutiny in Seville – June is a test of whether the global financial system can be reshaped to serve people and the planet. These are not separate tracks – they are one crisis. Justice, coherence, and political will must rise across all three if COP30 is to succeed.”

Tasneem Essop, Executive Director at Climate Action Network International, said: “We are facing a crisis of legitimacy and a breakdown of trust in the UN climate process. Government negotiators at the SB62 session must send a clear signal that the decisions and actions they take will ensure that justice is not a side conversation – but the core principle that will determine whether COP30 can succeed or not.”

Key Demands Ahead of COP30

Centring Justice in Just Transition: A Just Transition must uphold human rights, labour rights, and the rights of Indigenous Peoples. It must guarantee social protection, ensure inclusion and social dialogue, and be rooted in equity and international solidarity. This includes providing debt-free climate finance and fair access to technology. The establishment of the Belém Action Mechanism (BAM) would accelerate and strengthen Just Transition efforts within and between countries – giving voice to workers and communities in shaping the transitions they need, and supporting countries to build economies free from pollution, debt, and regressive technology and trade rules.

Delivering Justice for Climate-Impacted Communities: Justice means adaptation and loss & damage get real money, not empty promises. Communities on the frontlines of climate breakdown need urgent support now. SB 62 must deliver a justice-centred roadmap for COP30: finalise adaptation indicators that reflect grant-based finance, set a new public target to replace the outdated doubling goal, and build a permanent UNFCCC agenda on Loss and Damage. The new fund must be fast, fair, and fully resourced – because delay equals denial.

Advancing Economic and Financial Justice: Fix the money or forget the climate goals. From Baku to Belém, the roadmap must shift public finance from fossil fuels to frontline solutions. That means ending subsidies and fossil finance by 2025, taxing polluters under a UN framework, linking climate justice to debt relief, and reforming global rules to give the Global South real access to resources. Climate finance must be public, grant-based, and transparent – no offsets, no loopholes, no excuses. Let’s make polluters pay – and make finance finally work for the many.

Beyond Just Transition, adaptation and finance, SB 62 must also deliver progress across key negotiation tracks: 

  • The Global Stocktake must confront the emissions and finance justice gaps head-on, not hide behind vague gestures. 
  • Ambition discussions must drive real and equitable emission cuts across whole economies – and all NDCs must be submitted by September in time for consideration in the UNFCCC NDC Synthesis Report, with rich countries taking the lead.
  • Sectoral work must fast-track fossil fuel phase-out, align agriculture with agroecology and food sovereignty, and protect ecosystems from false solutions. 
  • Finally, shrinking civic space and surveillance of observers threaten the legitimacy of the UNFCCC itself – Bonn must mark the start of a course correction on human rights and participation. 

Jacobo Ocharan, Head of Political Strategies at Climate Action Network International, said: “Justice is the red thread – from finance to forests, from transition plans to civic space. If it is not centered, the climate process will lose what little credibility it still holds.” 

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