Director, Centre for Climate Change and Development, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ebonyi State, Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, has charged young climate activists in Enugu to aspire to be champions in their field of advocacy.
Professor Chukwumerije Okereke
Okereke gave the advice at the International Visitors Leadership (IVLP) Impact Award in Enugu, the Enugu State capital.
At the hybrid event that was monitored virtually, 30 participants, including nine female activists, took part in the competition leading to the award.
The award was tagged: “Impacts of the Urban Greening Training, Education and Advocacy”.
Okereke reminded the participants of the huge media coverage of the just concluded COP28 in Dubai, UAE, especially on the issues of fossil fuels and emissions.
“I hope that you will continue to be leaders in this space; deepen your activities to go further and higher.
“Become superstars on urban greening and climate change based on the kind of exposures and motivations you have derived from the training.
“I see a lot of African voices that are being promoted by the global media to become champions in their space and they don’t have two heads,” Okereke said.
He noted that the interactive teaching sessions the participants had been exposed to gave them the opportunity to prepare their own campaign plans.
Ogechi Nkonye, the Executive Director, Eco-Cyclers, remarked that the topic for the project, Urban Spaces and Greening, had been an eye opener for everyone.
“When we started this project, we were not expecting the type of momentum and commitment by young people from Enugu applying.
“At first, we had to choose about 15 persons from those who applied, but because of the magnanimity of Okereke, we had to increase it to 30.
“The programme was very successful, it was not just a talking shop but we had some practical aspect of it.
“We brought an expert from the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, to help us to test the quality of air from two different locations in Enugu.
“We planted about 35 trees in Enugu Metropolis; we also took it further,” Nkonye said.
She said that, through the project, a community of young climate change agents were formed.
Nkoye added that the community looked forward to a state-wide tree planting exercise to combat deforestation in the Enugu metropolis.
She expressed gratitude to the US Department of States that gave the award to Okereke and also to the awardee himself for his passion in raising young climate change activists, not just for Nigeria, but also for Africa.
The participants were grouped into three, A, B and C, with group B emerging as the winner, followed by A.
Group B wrote its proposal on: “Community Tree Planting and Fight Against Deforestation: Sustainable Solutions for a Greener Future”.
Okereke said: “The winners goes to Group B because they have the clarity of objectives. They want to plant 2,000 trees in Enugu State.”
Recall that the participants underwent a few days training in August, on Urban Spaces and Greening, in Enugu, which built their capacity to pitch on climate advocacy.
The event was put forward by Okereke in partnership with the Society for Planet and Prosperity, Centre for Climate Change and Development and Eco-Cylers.
The allocations to postharvest losses should urgently focus on supporting small cottage processing and storage facilities in communities based on different commodities to be owned, operated, sustained, and expanded by smallholder women farmers cooperatives. This will help address the challenges of postharvest losses experienced by smallholder women farmers across Nigeria.
L-R: Mercy Nnanna (SWOFON), Ayo Omowu (Community of Agriculture Non-state Actors – COANSA), Abigail Danladi (COANSA) and Yemisi Ogedengbe (SWOFON), during the media briefing in Abuja
This submission was made in Abuja on Friday, December 15, 2023, at a media briefing organised by ActionAid Nigeria in collaboration with the Small-Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON), ONE and the CAADP Non-State Actors Coalition (CNC) on the 2024 Proposed Agriculture Budget.
The briefing shed light on an analysis that focused on the proposed 2024 agricultural sector’s budget to x-ray how the Nigerian agricultural sector is funded and positioned for growth, employment creation, domestic food requirements, and export promotion of quality processed agricultural commodities.
While suggesting that solar dryers should also be provided to smallholder women farmers cooperatives in communities based on agriculture produce that can be dried to save losses, SWOFON, ONE and CAADP officials urged the Federal and State Governments to invest massively in rural roads to support transportation of agriculture produce and trade.
A budget line should be created from this budget as a yearly Strengthening Access to Credit budget line, they added, pointing out that this funding should focus on getting consultants or consultancy firms to support women, youths and farmers living with disability cooperatives to be able to navigate the too cumbersome access to credit in Nigeria.
“The team or consultancy firm will handhold the cooperatives to access existing CBN agricultural credit facilities through preparing their business proposals, interfacing, and negotiating with BOA, Bank of Industry, NIRSAL, commercial and microfinance banks.
“The team or consultancy firm will ensure that the cooperatives access such facilities and other services like extension, insurance, etc. and even market access and they are able to pay back at the end of each circle,” they stated.
They also want insurance made available and easily accessible for all women farmers across communities. Insurance products for smallholder women farmers, they added, should also be targeted at risk factors such as rainfall, drought, pests, and high temperatures.
Gender sensitiveness and responsiveness of the agriculture budget should be enhanced by increasing line items for the implementation of the National Gender Policy in Agriculture that address specific challenges that affect women farmers different from men as well as avoid lumping up budget for women farmers and other groups such as youths.
They added: “Evidence exists that irrigation has the potential to boost agricultural productivities by at least 50%. The average milk yield is as low as between 1-2 litres per day in the rainy season to only 500 ml per day in dry season. The production of fresh milk is very seasonally influenced in Nigeria, with 2/3 of the production to be achieved in the rainy season, and 1/3 in the dry season.
“Investments in irrigation is needed and can be done through the provision of solar powered boreholes across rural communities to provide water for lives and livelihoods to support households use and water for crops irrigation, water for cattle and the growing fodder which can reduce farmers and herders’ clashes across Nigeria while bringing out increased livestock and milk production.
“The Federal Government should commit 10% of her annual budget to the agriculture sector to meet the 10% Maputo/Malabo Declaration required to support at least 6% growth rate for the sector as postulated in the CAADP framework and ensure timely and total releases of the agriculture budgets towards food security, unemployment reduction and poverty eradication.
“Budgetary allocations should be increased and should go to strategic areas of investments which include Extension Services, Access to Credit, Women in Agriculture, Youth in Agriculture, Appropriate Labour-Saving Technologies, Inputs, Post-Harvest Losses Reduction Supports (processing facilities, storage facilities, trainings, market access, etc.), Irrigation, Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture (CRSA)/Agroecology, Research and Development, Monitoring and Evaluation, as well as Coordination.”
A non-governmental organisation (NGO), the Rainforest Resources and Development Centre (RRDC), has petitioned the National Park Service over the alleged sale/lease of the Oban Hills Division of the Cross River National Park in Akamkpa Local Government Area to the Indian firm of Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO).
Cross River National Park
Executive Director of RRDC, Prince Odey Oyama, who disclosed this to some newsmen in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, revealed that the park was sold or leased to the Indian firm for conservation of elephants which the organisation perceived to be strange.
The environmental organisation disclosed that the alleged activities was signed in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in September 27, 2022, between the National Park Service and Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited.
Following the above findings, on December 11, 2023, RRDC petitioned the National Park to release the Certified True Copies (CTC) of documents/information/materials pertaining to the sale or lease of the Cross River National Park at the Oban Hills Division.
The letter, titled: “Urgent Action Required”, addressed to the Conservator-General, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Goni, National Park Abuja, through the Conservator of Cross River National Park, read: “The attention of the Rainforest Resources and Development Centre (RRDC) has been drawn to the sale and /or lease of the Oban Hills Division of the Cross River National Park to an Indian Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited called SEEPCO.
“Our preliminary investigation on the matter has revealed that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has already been drawn and endorsed between the National Park Service and SEEPCO, purportedly for the conservation of elephants in the park.
“It is in response to this development that we are writing to you, to apply for Certified True Copies (CTCs) of information/documents/materials pertaining to the proposed contract/MoU between your good selves and SEEPCO, intended to be implemented within your professional, operational and legitimate jurisdiction.
“We understand that, as part of the proposed project, arrangements have reached advanced stage for the construction of roads within the territory of the National Park.”
The organisation further noted that standing upon the relevant provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, the National Park Service should provide CTCs of some documents/information/materials pertaining to the proposed project/ programme.
The copies listed include: “The details and the content of the Memorandum of Understanding and other related documents articulated for the implementation of the project/programme (including the main proposal to the project, project design and implementation work plans, reporting schedules, log frame, budgets, etc.
“The profile and records of experience of the Indian oil exploration and energy production company, SEEPCO, in the realms of Conservation in general, and the conservation of Elephants in particular. The Curricular Vitae and professional certificates of all the staff of the Indian company who are going to be involved in the implementation and management of the proposed project.”
Others include: “CTC of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report produced by the proponent of the project which is dully approved by the Federal Ministry of Environment after due public consultation and scrutiny as required by law. CTC of the Expatriate Quota granted by the Federal Ministry of Interior to the Indian oil exploration and energy production company, SEEPCO, to carry out Elephant Conservation business in the territory of the Oban Hills Division of the Cross River National Park, in Nigeria.
“Certified True Copy of the security clearances issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service and all other platforms of the National Security Architecture of Nigeria.”
As part of its measures to promote energy efficiency and protect Nigeria from becoming a dumping ground for various inferior commodities, the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has concluded plans to adopt the Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for Nigeria’s lighting products.
Participants at the awareness workshop on MEPS in Abuja
Nigeria, as a signatory to the Minamata Convention, is obligated to eliminate the use of mercury-added products such as fluorescent, which are inefficient toxic lighting that the entire global community has accepted as needing to be phased out by 2027 because of their health, environmental implications, and because they are not energy efficient.
According to the agency, if these new guidelines are properly implemented, they will help Nigeria achieve its 20% unconditional emissions reduction target contained in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and position the country for a more sustainable future.
Speaking on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, in Abuja at an awareness workshop on MEPS organised by SON in collaboration with the Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADev Nigeria), the agency’s director general, Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, said MEPS are special regulations that have been put in place to set a benchmark of energy efficiency that a product must meet to be sold in the market.
The DG, who was represented at the event by Adewunmi Richards, the director of Laboratory Services at SON, explained that, by setting minimum energy efficiency requirements for lighting products, governments ensure that only energy-efficient options are available for consumption.
He further elaborated that these standards are fundamental to reducing energy consumption, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting a sustainable future for all Nigerians as the world gradually transitions to cleaner energy sources.
“Nigeria will save about 387 megawatts of power, which is estimated at half a billion dollars, by implementing the MEPS as the world gradually shifts to clean energy,” Dr. Okeke stated.
With the meeting’s theme centred on how to “promote energy efficiency and non-toxic lighting through MEPS compliance,” the SON’s chieftain hinted that these new rules apply to a wide range of products, including appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioners, and televisions, and other electrical appliances.
As a country suffering from massive energy poverty, Dr. Leslie Adogame, executive director of SRADev Nigeria, believes that efficient energy solutions such as LEDs should be deployed as alternatives to supply families with 24-hour energy demands.
Apart from the energy efficiency issue, he also mentioned that one of the major challenges that MEPS intends to address is the presence of mercury in the majority of lighting items to save Nigeria from becoming a haven for counterfeit electrical devices.
“It is one thing to talk about the transition to LEDs, which are energy efficient and mercury-free; it is another thing to have standard-quality materials for use that can last for a reasonable period,” Dr. Adogame said.
He expressed regret over the fact that many goods that don’t have the necessary energy capacity are shipped into Nigeria, which is sad because it’s like creating a problem while trying to solve another.
Stakeholders, according to him, have all accepted the process and are waiting for SON to roll out its implementation to ensure that manufacturers and importers comply with those standards.
The SRADev Nigeria boss assured that with the unveiling of these new regulations, very soon Nigerians will no longer have sub-standard LEDs as currently found everywhere across the country.
MEPS, he revealed, will not only oversee the lamps but even labelling standards because most of the labels are in other languages like Chinese and people cannot read them.
“So, this standard is to take care of all that because we want to sanitise our system by saying farewell to toxic lighting and fluorescent lamps,” he said.
Similarly, MEPS, according to CLASP manager Monica Wambui, pushes consumers closer to energy efficiency.
This, in her opinion, means energy savings because, as electricity customers, “we are always looking at our pockets,” adding that above all, MEPs ensure that mercury is no longer used in lighting products.
She bemoaned the fact that many homes still use fluorescent lights, which contain mercury and are quite harmful.
However, because energy-efficient bulbs do not contain mercury, they not only preserve human health but also promote environmental safeguards, she explained.
“It is also helping in reducing and achieving the carbon emission target because energy efficiency contributes to reducing carbon emissions and helping to achieve the 1.5 degree Celsius that has been set for global warming,” Wambui said.
I schooled in Ibadan in Oyo State and I can tell you that Agodi Garden was one of the great places we would all go to for some recreational activities, but what is happening to our haven that provides the city with different biodiversity? This is what Agodi Gardens means to me.
Agodi Garden, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Photo credit: Chiamaka Obuekwe
Agodi Garden is more than just a beautiful escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. It plays an invaluable role in conserving biodiversity, enabling research, educating the public, offering recreation, and benefiting local economies. It serves as a bridge, connecting both urban and rural communities to the wonders of the natural world.
Biodiversity is the key to a healthy planet, and Agodi Garden understands its significance. By providing a sanctuary for diverse plant and animal species, it helps maintain the delicate balance of our ecosystems. From vibrant flowers to majestic trees, every living being has a vital role to play in our planet’s survival.
Agodi Garden also serves as a hub for research and education. Scientists and researchers can study the unique flora and fauna found within its boundaries, contributing to our understanding of the natural world and finding innovative solutions to environmental challenges. Moreover, through educational programmes and guided tours, Agodi Garden enlightens the public about the importance of biodiversity and the need to protect our planet.
But Agodi Garden is not just a place for science and learning; it’s a place for recreation and rejuvenation. Families, friends, and individuals can immerse themselves in the beauty of nature, taking leisurely walks, enjoying picnics, or simply finding solace amidst the greenery. It’s a sanctuary for both the body and the soul.
Let’s not forget the positive impact Agodi Garden has on local economies. By attracting tourists and visitors, it contributes to the growth of nearby businesses, creating employment opportunities and economic development. Saving Agodi Garden means safeguarding not only nature but also the livelihoods of many individuals who depend on its existence.
Agodi Garden is a gem that connects us to the wonders of the natural world. Let’s unite to protect and preserve this invaluable treasure for generations to come. Together, we can make a difference.
Development Impact Pathfinders Initiative (Devimpath) in partnership with Centre for 21st Century Issues (21st) on December 5, 2023, hosted a virtual workshop that brought together over 57 stakeholders to share evidence, correlations and deepen conversations around the intersection of climate change and gender-based violence (GBV).
Participants at the climate change and GBV webinar
The purpose of the workshop was to amplify the call to end GBV and forge a new front for effective integration of GBV response mechanisms into climate change mitigation and adaptation programmes in Nigeria.
The theme of the workshop, “Deepening awareness and conversations around the intersection of climate change and Gender-Based Violence (GBV)”, was adjudged by participants to be timely, coming at a time when world leaders were gathered in Dubai for the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to climate change to define the next line of actions against climate change, a global challenge that has been considered the worst threat to the planet and humanity worldwide.
It was also regarded as timely because it came at the time when there is a global call to end violence against women and girls under the auspices of the 16 days of Activism against GBV. Both climate change and GBV impact socioeconomic development and impede achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The workshop was moderated by Glory Amara Brendan-Otuojor, Executive Director of Devimpath. Speakers x-rayed the impacts of climate change on gender and affirmed that though climate change affects the entire population, women and girls are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and suffer the most due to their heavy dependence on natural resources that are also particularly vulnerable to climate change.
Dr. Eghosa Ekhator, a senior lecturer in law at the University of Derby, United Kingdom, spoke about climate change and its impacts on livelihoods in Nigeria and recounted how the devastation of the environment in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria is affecting vulnerable women and livelihoods of poor communities.
He also highlighted that gender roles, exclusion from family inheritance, lack of access to resources and some cultural believes and practices pose barriers to women’s access to environmental justice.
Dr. Ekhator further outlined some progress that have been made towards addressing climate change of which the new Climate Action Act is one. He encouraged CSOs to utilise the policies and legal resources available to seek climate and environmental justice in court. Training of lawyers and enforcement of environmental laws were also recommended.
In connecting the dots between climate change and GBV in Nigeria, Mrs Morenike Omaiboje, the Director of Programmes with Women’s Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON), opined that although climate change does not directly lead to GBV, but it can be a multiplier of the drivers of GBV.
She said: “Women and girls are primary providers of water, energy, food and some other basic domestic needs in Nigeria and the availability of these resources is affected by climate change effects like drought, flooding, heat waves and other extreme weather event.”
Thus, women and girls face higher risk of experiencing GBV while working harder to continue to carry out those roles which they have traditionally been assigned. For instance, climate change impact on water resources means that women and girls will have to trek long distances to get water and, along the line, they may be subjected to sexual abuse and exploitation.
Also, climate induced drought may result in loss of vegetations and arable lands, leading to food insecurity and conflicts over scarce resources. When conflicts happen, women and girls become more vulnerable and exposed to sexual harassment and early marriage. Girls may be asked to discontinue school to help meet family needs.
Mrs Morenike further mentioned that gender-based inequalities in education, access to health facilities, finance and land can make it difficult for women to recover in time from disaster or to develop ability to adapt to the impacts of the disaster. The impacts of these disasters may bring additional workload to women and girls, making it more difficult for them to respond to domestic demands.
One of the lead causes of domestic violence in rural communities is women not being able to carry out their domestic duties. Young girls are also more likely to be coerced into sexual exploitation in exchange for goods and services in times of resource scarcity while the risk of girl-child marriage increases significantly. Therefore, she called for more awareness to the issues of GBV and inequalities in access to resources faced by women and girls in rural communities.
Speaking on the efforts made by Nigeria towards addressing climate change and gender, Ms Damaris Uja, a Monitoring and Evaluation specialist with Women Environment Programme (WEP), informed that Nigeria has developed a National Gender Action Plan which aims to advance women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in climate change programmes and to promote gender-responsive climate policy in Nigeria.
She admonished CSOs to use the plans as tools for gender advocacy and active engagement with government and stakeholders at all levels, adding that he plan can also be used to develop proposals and design multisectoral projects including gender-responsive climate finance.
Speaking about women’s participation in climate change activities in Nigeria, Ms Damaris said that during the development of the Gender Action Plan, women at all levels including PWDs were engaged, and their inputs were used to form the plans. She also stated that since the launch of the Gender Action Plan, her organisation has initiated and implemented several projects to sensitise women about climate change, build their capacity to take climate actions, trained women small holder farmers on climate smart agriculture and introduced drought resistant crops to women farmers in the northern part of Nigeria.
In responding to how climate justice activism can be used to drive the end GBV campaign and promote the meaningful participation of women and girls in climate change solutions, policymaking and adaptation programming in Nigeria, participants suggested the formation of women cooperative societies to enhance access to finance and other resources that women need to adapt to climate change.
They also suggested financial skills training for women and girls, educational opportunities and representation of women in policy and decision making. The need for more climate change awareness, early warning systems and enlightenment programmes for women in rural communities were also highlighted. Women were also admonished to speak up and make their voices heard, develop their skills and build confidence to confront challenges.
In closing, the host and co-host of the workshop (Devimpath and 21st Century Issues) thanked participants for participating in the workshop and advised them to keep engaging in advocacy for the protection of women and girls at all levels and to use the information that have been shared to amplify climate action and call for end to violence against women and girls in their communities.
They were requested to keep their communication lines open as the conversation on climate change and GBV is an ongoing conversation and require their active engagement to push for the integration of GBV prevention and response mechanisms into climate change adaptation programmes including bringing 16 days of activism against GBV into Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) activities in the future.
A group of Nigerian civil society organisations (CSOs) who participated at the 28th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that held for two weeks in Dubai and closed on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, has expressed cautious optimism over the outcome of the global summit.
Nigerian CSO leaders and some government officials at COP28
Among other resolutions, COP28 ended with the adoption of “The UAE Consensus” and a commitment to transition away from fossil fuels to achieve net zero.
But, Prof Chukwumerije Okereke, Director, Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP), is apparently unexcited, stressing that celebrations that greeted some of the resolutions were misplaced.
He said: “The wild celebration of the inclusion of ‘transitioning away from fossil fuel’ in COP28 text is largely misplaced. While symbolical, it is political economy and NOT COP texts that will shape the action of states and companies. We need more than words to fight climate change.”
The SPP, along with the Centre for 21st Century Issues (C21st Issues) and EnviroNews Development Network (Endenet), is collaborating to execute a British High Commission (BHC) supported project that mobilised Nigerian CSOs at COP28, in partnership with the Nigeria Climate Justice Alliance (NCJA).
Titled: “COP28: Strengthening Nigeria’s Civil Society Organisations’ Engagement with Global Climate Change Policy”, the project is aimed at improving the communication, lobbying and advocacy competencies of climate CSOs to ensure a more active participation at the global summit.
In her assessment of COP28, Titilope Akosa, Executive Director of C21st Issues, said: “The decisions made at COP28 have emphasised the importance of focusing on just transition pathways that align with the temperature goal set in the Paris Agreement. This is particularly crucial for developing countries, as we need to carefully plan and execute our just transition journeys to promote human flourishing and the well-being of our citizens.
“It is imperative that we advocate for grants-based and gender-responsive climate finance to support the phase-out of fossil fuels and the widespread adoption of renewable energy, with the aim of tripling its use. It is high time for developed countries to fulfill their climate debt obligations, as this is essential for ensuring a just transition that benefits both people and the planet. A transition burdened by debt would not align with principles of climate justice and would undoubtedly cause significant harm to our communities.”
Dr Joseph Onoja of the Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF), which is coordinating the NCJA, said: “Reflecting on the much-anticipated COP28, the outcome could be better as it is not as ambitious as we expected it to be. Although fossil fuels phase out was not agreed, but parties have now recognised that it is that will be done eventually. We will, however, continue to push for nature to be at heart of solution to the climate crisis. Nature for people, for climate and for prosperity.
“As for the flow of finance for nature, we were hoping to see a more rigorous approach and that such should reach indigenous peoples who are more affected by the climate crisis. The recognition of nature is expanding and the need to have nature in the cities is being recognised globally. That is why we are resisting the wanton destruction of forest in Ibadan by the Oyo State Government.”
Sam Onuigbo of the Climate Axis and Strategic Initiative: “COP28, in my humble view, was a success. This was the first time the whole world, in a near unanimous position, agreed to commence necessary actions to limit rise in temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial era by transiting from fossil fuels. The first positive sign of steady progress was the operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund from day one of COP28. On a continental level, Africa recorded gains on the Global Goal on Adaptation, Climate Health, tripling renewable energy and many pledges that are in Africa’s favour.
“On the part of Nigeria, President Tinubu exercised leadership by setting the pace and tone of his administration in tackling climate change. His leadership through direct participation, and also drawing up participation roaster for his appointees motivated both his appointees and other Nigerians to achieve a lot of bilateral agreements and partnerships that are good for the sustainable development of the country.”
Gloria Bulus, Climate Realty Leader and Executive Director, Bridge-That-Gap Initiative, said: “COP28 was indeed a crucial moment for the world to act on the climate crisis and keep the 1.5°C limit within reach. Though the UAE Consensus is not a perfect agreement, and there are still many challenges and gaps to overcome.
“None the less, it is a clear indication that the world is moving in the right direction, though slowly, and that there is a collective will to tackle the climate emergency. As the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, ‘We can’t keep kicking the can down the road. We are out of the road and almost out of time’. COP28 has shown that we can still act together and make a difference for the future of our planet. It shows we still have clear responsibilities on us to address the climate crises and we must not ignore it.”
Umar Saleh Anka, Executive Director, Centre for Environment and Rural Development (CERD), said: “COP28 has come and gone with the usual promises that are meant to be broken just like other COPs and again this time around with no standard timelines, no enforceable agreement. The only difference between other summits is the active participation of different faith groups in the discussion and voluntary commitment by the fossil fuel companies to capture methane emission. Wealthy countries promised $100 billion until 2020 not much was remitted.
Ahmed Tiamiyu, Executive Director, Community Action Against Plastic Waste (CADws), said: “It is unprecedented, and it is even more so because it happens in UAE; in a country that’s strongly built around fossil fuel. The outcome of Dubai is a confirmation of the little, slow progress of the Paris Agreement and a new era.”
Usman Muhammad Mareri, Executive Director of the Centre for Renewable Energy and Action on Climate Change, said: “I am happy Loss and Damage has been authorised and replenished with over $400 million, even though the amount is small, but it will make significant contributions to meeting the needs of those affected by climate change. I am also happy that countries have ratified the contract to phase out fossil fuels from oil and gas. I am also happy that Armenia reached consensus to allow Azerbaijan to host next year’s COP in Baku.”
Olumide Idowu, Executive Director, ICCDI Africa, said: “At the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28 closing session, there was a declaration or agreement to quickly and fairly transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems and to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that do not address energy poverty or just transitions. This was a historic moment, and we welcome it.
“The developed world should keep its climate finance promises and redirect its funds to renewable energy projects. In the hopes of receiving climate finance support, they should show their commitment by investing a large amount of the profits from fossil fuel production into renewable energy development.”
Prince Israel Orekha, Executive Director, Connected Advocacy for Empowerment and Youth Development Initiative, said: “The conclusion of COP28 leaves a glaring gap in emission reduction commitments, with the agreed text lacking clarity on addressing the concerns of local communities. Despite calls for a transition from fossil fuels, developed countries retain room to increase their fossil fuel pursuits without clear targets or timeframes for transition, posing a threat to achieving the 1.5°C goal.
“The absence of concrete measures and timelines for achieving a 1.5°C target, coupled with a reliance on greenwashing solutions, continues to expose African lands and waters to vulnerability. The outcome of COP28 appears poised to increase carbon market activity, utilising Africa as a testing ground for offsetting.
“The agreed text falls short on financial commitments to support developing countries, notably Africa, and lacks specific targets for methane emission reduction. Concerns raised by small island nations about their exclusion during the finalization of the text underscore a need for more inclusive decision-making processes.
“In response to these challenges, a united front among developing countries becomes imperative. Recognising that the global north may not commit beyond charitable donations for climate actions, it is crucial to address the root causes of the climate crisis. To keep the 1.5°C goal alive, collaboration between indigenous knowledge and scientific expertise must drive co-creative solutions, emphasising the importance of technology transfer for a just transition.
“As we navigate the aftermath of COP28, the urgent need for a more robust and equitable approach to climate action becomes evident. Only through collective efforts, genuine commitments, and a fusion of traditional wisdom with modern solutions can we aspire to achieve meaningful progress toward a sustainable and climate-resilient future.”
Universities in Africa need to forge closer linkages with institutions of higher learning in Hong Kong for mutual academic benefits, according to Professor Dennis Lo, President of the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences.
Professor Dennis Lo, President of the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences
Lo, also an associate dean for research at the Faculty of Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, says there is a need to pick approaches suitable to institutions and centres of higher learning that get involved in collaborations.
Speaking at the inaugural Hong Kong Laureate Forum held from November 13 to 18, 2023, he said such collaborations could be realised in areas such as student exchange programmes and joint research and development activities.
“That is a reasonable situation and in Hong Kong, there is a studentship scheme which encourages students from abroad to join us. For instance, in my laboratory, I have a student from Pakistan, and I don’t see any reason why we would not extend that to our African and other developing world colleagues,” said Lo.
The Hong Kong Laureate Forum aspires to be a world-class academic exchange event to connect the current and next generations of leaders in scientific pursuit and to promote understanding and interests of the young generation in Hong Kong and around the world in various disciplines in science and technology.
According to Lo, exploring research collaborations between universities is important to allow access to the best scientific and engineering technologies in specific domains.
“With technology, it becomes cheaper as it goes. For instance, in my area of DNA sequencing computers process (using) slots, and every eighteen months the processing power doubles at the same cost.”
During the forum, various Shaw Prize winners were in attendance for the prize established in 2002 in Hong Kong awarded annually to individuals who are active in their respective fields, have recently achieved distinguished and significant advances, who have made outstanding contributions to academic and scientific research or applications, or who in other domains have achieved excellence.
“The Shaw Prize is a big international prize and the Hong Kong Laureate Forum is a vehicle in which we bring the winners to meet young people from Hong Kong and other places to have a close distance talk and interact with renowned international scientists and, hopefully, in the process they become inspired to be scientists in their own right,” said Lo.
He explained that when one looks at scientific publications, they are about stories of discovery, stories on inventions and young people like to listen to stories no matter where they come from as long as they “ignite the spark in them and some may eventually decide that science is for them.”
These stories aren’t just about resources, they are ideas that fire up people to want to do something: “I can imagine in areas like infectious diseases where there are many possibilities, human genetics, and evolution of the African population that have more genetic differences. I think it’s very interesting.”
There is need for an increase of ocean literacy among Nigerians particularly in the context of the Ocean Decade by the United Nations.
Some of the participants at the Ocean Literacy Research Feedback Workshop in Lagos
Anthony Akpan, President, Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE), made the submission in Lagos on Thursday, December 14, 2023, during a feedback workshop on a research project conducted on Ocean Literacy in Nigeria.
Akpan said: “We as Nigerians should be mindful of our relationship with the ocean and how the ocean relates with us particularly in this decade of the ocean 2021 to 2030 and to conserve and protect the ocean.”
According to him, “Data collection on Ocean Literacy in Nigeria started in September 2022 till January 2023 with a total of 166 engaged and 119 responses received. Following the summary of some of the results so far analysed.”
“The next step will be for a further expansive and more inclusive stakeholder research which will include ocean governance institutional framework to enable an enabling framework for ocean literacy and ocean governance in Nigeria,” he revealed.
Dr. Emma McKinley of Cardiff University in her address listed some of the challenges hindering Ocean Literacy as “inadequate information of the importance of oceans in the lives of the people at their disposal. Ocean-related topics are often ignored in classes while there are few ocean scientists involved in education and outreach”.
For this to be addressed, Mckinley suggested that “people must be able to understands the essential principles and fundamental concepts about the ocean. People must be able to make informed and reasonable decisions regarding the ocean and its resources, among others”.
Adekunbi Falilu, a researcher with Nigeria Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR), is of the opinion that the awareness stage is very germaine to this advocacy because it is when you have the right information that you will know how best you can protect the continental shelf.
“As a further on from this workshop we look forward to a more inclusive survey or a better understanding.
“The policy makers should also have a better perspective on what the ocean offers us and do more on the legislation in favour on the sustainability especially with respect of the UN Ocean Decade for Sustainable Development.
“On issue of its importance to the economy of Nigeria, the researcher opined: “The ocean offers Nigeria a lot of opportunities in respect to the Blue Economy, talking about tourism, marine transportation, and food security, among others. What is more important is the need to have more understanding on how to tap into that opportunity and be reliance for sustainability.”
A participant, Mr. Adenigba Henry Oluwarotimi, Executive Director, Humanity Family Foundation for Peace and Development (HUFFOED), said: “The research feedback is a laudable initiative which affords the participants the opportunity to deliberate on the way forward for the Nigerian community to have better understanding of what the ocean offers us as well as the ecosystem services that the ocean gives to us, that is the reason the people have to protect the ocean.”
The collaborative project brought together researchers from Cardiff University, Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation and the Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE) to build on the emerging global ocean literacy research community, identifying a forward-looking research agenda for ocean literacy, albeit in an African context.
Nigerian-based nonprofit, Centre for Renewable Energy and Action on Climate Change (CREACC-NG), is collaborating with ReSeed, a nature-based carbon credit solutions provider, to bring carbon credits directly from Nigerian smallholder farmers to market.
Usman Muhammad Mareri, Executive Director of the Centre for Renewable Energy and Action on Climate Change (left), and Josh Knauer, Co-Founder, ReSeed, at the signing of MoU at COP28
The initiative, which has been green lit by the Nigeria’s National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), was formally announced at COP28 in Dubai during a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony at the Nigerian Pavilion on Saturday, December 9, 2023.
Nigeria’s 38 million smallholder farmers are responsible for producing 90% of the country’s agricultural produce, yet the vast majority live below the poverty line. The profitability and productivity of Nigerian smallholders has long been hindered by the lack of access to market insights, minimal ground support, and the high costs of investing in new agricultural practices.
CREACC-NG will act as ReSeed’s implementing partner to support Nigerian farmers to unlock new revenue streams by measuring the carbon drawn down into soil via regenerative farming practices. As more credits are traded in the region, there will no longer be a need for additional deforestation to generate extra income for smallholder farmers and traditional communities.
ReSeed partners with smallholder farmers around the globe to unlock climate financing and incentivise environmentally beneficial regenerative agricultural practices while supporting global corporations to clean their supply chains. ReSeed’s partnership with 9,000 Brazilian Kilombola farmers resulted in a 40-80% increase in annual incomes.
Accredited by the United Nations, CREACC-NG provides climate solutions to smallholder farmers. It reaches underserved and isolated communities throughout Nigeria with clean energy for afforestation and reforestation and improves economic conditions for girls.
The sale of carbon credits holds the potential to significantly improve the livelihoods of Nigerian smallholder farmers, with 50% of carbon credit sales going directly to farmers and 30% to CREACC-NG for their on-the-ground support. Farmers will easily be able to track data about the carbon collected and stored in the soil on their land, which ReSeed turns into carbon credits with auditable data and satellite imagery verified by ReSeed’s third-party verifier Foodchain ID.
“This partnership will undoubtedly spur development in our rural communities in Nigeria and drastically improve livelihoods in the region,” said Usman Mohammad Mareri, Executive Director at CREACC-NG. “The project will reduce poverty and hunger by dramatically increasing rural farmers’ income. Additionally, with many of these farmers tremendously affected by climate change, they will have access to the support and technical assistance to help with resilience and adaptation.”
“This partnership reflects a common commitment to a future that is sustainable, ethical and resilient, with the Nigerian nation positioned as a leader in driving forward positive environmental and social transformations,” said Vasco van Roosmalen, ReSeed CEO and co-founder. “This cooperative effort strives to establish a new benchmark for ethical business conduct on a global scale.
Carbon credits from Nigerian farmers are estimated to be available for purchase in 2024.
