Residents of Albert Okolo Street, Canal View Estate, Oke-afa, Isolo, Lagos, have complained over the stench from refuse dumps in front of an uncompleted building in the area.
Muyiwa Gbadegesin,
Residents of the community dump refuse in front of an uncompleted building at No.17 Albert Okolo Street claimed that officials of Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) hardly picked up their refuse.
Mrs Lydia Paul, a member of the Church of Christ, lamented the horrible time she had when she handled the children’s section of the church.
“The odour that comes out from that dumpsite makes us as mothers fear for our children.
“That heavy rain that fell some days ago soaked the dumpsite and after the sun heated it up, it started emitting a stench.
“During the early hours of the day, particularly on sunny days, we are usually starved of clean, fresh air to breathe. That is why we fear for the lives of our children and our own lives too,” Paul said.
Mrs Obot Ntuen, a resident of the area, spoke in the same vein.
“Residents have tried without success to bring government’s attention to the health hazard this uncompleted building is posing and the need for the owners to develop it.
“There are days that even motorists could not drive through the street because the gabage overflows the road and even beyond the fence of the church beside it,” Ntuen said.
Mr Clement Orji, another resident, lamented the foot-dragging by LAWMA to evacuate refuse from the street.
“We have reported this to LAWMA, but they have turned deaf ears to our predicament. We are even tired of the whole issue.
“My fear is the health hazard this menace will cause to the innocent school children on this street,” Orji said.
Speaking on the development, the Director, Public Affairs, LAWMA, Mrs Folashade Kadiri, said that issue raised would be investigated.
Kadiri, however, emphasised that there was not enough reason for residents to dump refuse indiscriminately.
“We have always made it clear that there are other avenues to explore, which include calling LAWMA toll-free lines for backup service.
“And dumping in any unauthorised place(s) which also includes but not limited to uncompleted buildings is not acceptable.
“Residents should take responsibility for their actions, treat the environment right, because what you give it is what you get,” she said.
She noted that those who evaded Private Sector Partnership (PSP) payment, who didn’t have covered bins were those perpetrating the act of indiscriminate dumping of refuse.
“However, if they are caught, the environmental laws will take its course. This, however, will be investigated,” Kadiri said.
According to experts who met at the sixth United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) that held recently in Nairobi, a transformation of the global economy is urgently needed to curb existential threats to nature and humankind caused by plastics.
Plastic pollution
The production and use of plastics has grown exponentially over the past decades, with extensive consequences and costs for the environment, both marine and terrestrial, human health and the climate.
Not only is plastic waste contaminating food, water and the oceans, with plastic litter making up 85% of marine waste; the production, use and waste management of plastics also generates about 4% of total global greenhouse gas emissions.
The plastics industry is the fastest-growing source of industrial greenhouse gases in the world. Under a business-as-usual scenario, the plastics lifecycle could be responsible for as much as 19% of global greenhouse emissions by 2040.
Given the limited carbon budget available, this would put the central Paris Agreement goal of holding global average temperature rise under 1.5 degrees Celsius out of reach.
International governance systems need to be applied to plastics
At an event co-organised by the UN Climate Change secretariat and GRID-Arendal in Nairobi, experts noted that the international response has significantly well-developed international governance systems that can be applied to plastics. This can happen in the form of the Paris Agreement and other Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs).
Such Multilateral Environmental Agreements include the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions which all share the common objective of protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes.
Cecilia Kinuthia-Njenga, Director of Intergovernmental Support and Collective Progress at the UN Climate Change secretariat, said: “From the climate regime, we recognise the value of transparency, accountability and collaboration. Scientific research confirms that we have a very limited window of action for lasting change. No single instrument and no single institution are adequate to tackle the problem. Collaboration and cooperation are therefore key.”
Under the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement, numerous references have been made to the need to transition towards sustainable lifestyles and sustainable patterns of consumption and production as a key means to tackle climate change.
Underpinning this transformation are changes in lifestyle and consumption patterns, along with solid support for effective legal and policy frameworks.
Circular economy and policy action are crucial to reduce plastic waste
In 2022, nations meeting at the United Nations Environment Assembly agreed to end plastic pollution and to forge an international legally binding agreement by the end of 2024.
The contributors toward greenhouse gas pollution are spread across the plastic life cycle, from the sourcing of raw materials, plastics production, use and waste management.
Presently, 99% of raw materials needed to produce plastics are fossil-fuel based. Only 1-1.5% of plastics produced in the world are bio-based, i.e. derived from biomass such as corn, sugarcane or wheat. And less than 10% of the world’s plastic is recycled.
Experts agree that both decarbonizing plastic production and ensuring the plastics lifecycle is circular are key solutions to the problem.
This means reducing the use of plastics, reusing what is produced and recycling what cannot be reused, along with developing alternatives to plastics.
Science shows that inclusive climate action increases resilience and produces better results, yet the financial support to address specific challenges and harness the contributions of half the world’s population – girls and women – in addressing the climate emergency falls woefully short. For International Women’s Day 2024, the UN Climate Change examines how closing this gap will boost climate action.
Women. Photo credit: UN Women/Joe Saade
“It is alarming that only 0.01% of global finance supports projects address both climate and women’s rights,” said Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations at COP28, underlining the need for more resources that goes towards gender-responsive climate initiatives, in other words, initiatives that respond to the needs of both women and men.
Although climate change affects everyone, it does not affect everyone equally. The political, economic, and social pressures on societies caused by a changing climate can perpetuate and magnify inequalities, such as the gender gap in access to education and employment opportunities, discrimination, lack of access to and control over land and natural resources, and participation in decision-making spaces.
Gender-responsive initiatives consider the different needs, roles, and responsibilities of women and men in all their diversity and ensure their equitable participation and representation in decision-making at all levels. The resulting climate actions are proven to be more efficient and inspire social cohesion, benefiting society as a whole.
In this sense, climate policy and action that does not include a gender perspective cannot achieve its full transformative potential.
Elevating Climate Ambition through Gender-Responsive Climate Finance
This year is crucial for both ambitious climate action and its chief enabler: finance. Over the course of 2024, countries will work on the next round of their national climate plans, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to be submitted by 2025. As set out in the Paris Agreement, these NDCs must be more ambitious than previous ones, covering all areas of climate action including reducing emissions (mitigation) and strengthening resilience (adaptation).
Meanwhile at the next UN Climate Change Conference, COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan in November, finance will be in focus as countries consider how to unlock the vast sums needed for ambitious climate action.
In short, this year is a key opportunity for countries to root gender-responsive action and finance at the heart of their climate strategies.
“The issue of funding is critical because without the necessary funding at both national and international levels, gender mainstreaming may remain in theory, but in terms of implementation it will not do much,” said Margaret Mukahanana Sangarwe, Zimbabwe’s National Focal Point for Gender and Climate Change, at COP28.
According to a recent publication, some countries are already leading the way. St. Lucia has been working to collect gender-disaggregated data to enable gender-differentiated impacts to be considered in decision-making and planning on its climate actions, while Fiji has factored in the specific role of women in different economic spheres when implementing climate change adaptation activities.
In addition, a report by UN Climate Change on the doubling of adaptation finance found that gender-responsive approaches increase the overall effectiveness of adaptation finance. Accelerating climate action and resilience through gender-responsive finance is also the focus of this year’s Standing Committee on Finance Forum.
“Gender equality is not a ‘nice-to-have’, it is not a box to tick. It is a right. What is more, it is how we move from business as usual,” said Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change. “Gender-responsive climate policies are crucial to close implementation gaps and gender-responsive finance can accelerate climate action and resilience for all, so they are key to achieving the highest possible climate ambition.”
Gender in the UN Climate Change process
Gender-responsive climate action has continuously been strengthened in the UN Climate Change process with the adoption of the first Lima Work Programme on Gender (LWPG) at COP20 (2014) and its successor, the enhanced LWPG and its gender action plan at COP25 (2019).
“Many countries have developed specific gender action plans to guide the implementation of their climate change policies on the ground and coordination networks with other stakeholders, like the private sector, to respond to the enhanced LWPG,”says Verania Chao of the UN Development Programme.
Environmental group, BAN Toxics, held a webinar on Friday, March 8, 2024, as the world celebrates International Women’s Day. Speakers from the academe, science, and development work shared their insights on the intersectionality of environment, women and gender rights.
Women
“We seem to have come a long way in terms of gender mainstreaming as the Philippines ranked 16th place in the Global Gender Gap Index in 2021, claiming the highest in Asia,” according to UP Professor Nancy Parreño from the Department of Social Work at UP Diliman. The Gender Gap Index measures gender equality based on the relative gaps between women and men across areas of health, education, economy, and politics.
“Yet, a lot needs to be done to achieve substantive equality or equality in outcomes, which recognises that the situation of women and men differs according to country, age, class, ethnic or social origin, and other factors that should be accounted for. Filipino women have higher educational attainment than men but have lower labour force participation rates, are in elementary occupations as Overseas Filipino Workers, have less access to resources, are in unpaid productive work, and are less represented in public leadership positions,” Parreño elaborated.
BAN Toxics emphasises policy and community engagement for its chemical and waste management advocacy, including initiatives on mercury-added skin lightening products, women in small-scale gold mining, with a focus on marginalised sectors including women and children.
The webinar addressed the proliferation of cosmetic products laced with harmful chemicals, which is one of the current focuses of BAN Toxics.
“We have identified the intentional use of harmful fluorinated ingredients in cosmetics in South Korea. Our study showed that harmful fluorinated chemicals have significantly varied concentrations in cosmetics, with sunscreens having the highest concentration,” Dr. Inja Choi from the Wonjin Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health in South Korea discussed.
Dr. Inja Choi explained that fluorinated ingredients, such as per/poly fluorinated acrylate polymers or PFAS, which are known to be harmful, are used in lipstick, sunscreen, and other cosmetic products as emulsifiers, stabilisers, and surfactants, among others.
“Women’s exposure to these harmful chemicals is heightened due to the direct application of cosmetics products to the skin and the use of multiple products at the same time,” Dr. Inja Choi warned.
BAN Toxics, for its part, has been championing gender mainstreaming in its work. “Gender mainstreaming means integrating a gender equality perspective at all stages and levels of programmes and projects. The group’s pioneering work in artisanal small-scale gold mining to reduce the use of mercury among women and men miners has been consistent with this thrust.
“The current campaign to reduce the prolific use of mercury-added skin lightening products is another important advocacy that exemplifies how gender mainstreaming takes into account the differences in the situation of women and men,” Edel Garingan from BAN Toxics said in the webinar.
Responding to a question from participants, Parreño added: “Environmental issues often disproportionately impact women, and it is important to undertake gender analysis and gender impact assessments as crucial tools for gender mainstreaming.”
The webinar was attended by representatives from government agencies, schools, and the public. BAN Toxics’ board members, including Prof. Donna Paz Reyes from Miriam College Department of Environment, graced the activity with her insights as well.
There are many lessons of this season. We deal with one here. Please share with especially young people.
Hebert Wigwe
Since the death of Herbert Wigwe, wife and son, you have to have lost something in your humanness not to feel it. You do not need to have met them or known them. The most I know him, is via a very talented and excellent person I know, I can say, well, who was head-hunted to assist with his project. This person told me good things about him, and I trust her judgement.
If you have paid attention, his death is classical William Shakespeare; “When beggars die, there are no comets seen; The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.”
It may be safe to say that more persons have known Herbert Wigwe in death than while he lived. May his soul, and that of his wife and first son, rest in peace.
It is possible that his death may have received more media attention than most other things in Nigeria of this time. One aspect that has become important to some persons is the birthday of a lady who is reported as being in the same church or is his pastor/wife of his pastor, I am not sure, but we have learnt that Herbert supported their church very well. The video link below is one of such media conversations that jumped onto my laptop on YouTube and I decided to listen. That became the prompter for this. You may want to listen if you have some time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N58AuLEgzV0.
There are lessons here beyond the person who died and the pastor and the church he chose to belong to, and to support. One lesson here is about managing human relationships. There are lessons about man in community, and in society. There are lessons which young people today need to learn about interpersonal skills and human relationships. Those skills today are in short supply. They may never have been socialised on what is expected of the human person in community and society, in different circumstances, good or bad. This weakness does not exclude some adults who live for themselves.
There are moments, and there are moments. There are moments to arouse the humanity and humanism in the human. Unfortunately, today society is filled with people who only remember others when they need help, and after that they move on as if they do not remember. There are those who remember what they chose to and forget what they chose to. I have held that some persons have the gift and grace from their creator, or what do I attribute that to, of selective amnesia, and convenient forgetfulness.
I am reluctant to admit they could be pretentious, cunny, or mischievous. I do not believe that there are persons whose preference is to be described as bad or evil. People are simply products of their backgrounds, history, socialisation from birth, and natural attributes. In other words, the famed nature and nurture. Sadly, there are not many examples of persons who easily accept their weaknesses or change as they pass through life.
There not many cases of examples of the Biblical David, who though human, had such attribute as in Psalm 51, “My sins are ever before me”. This is not about religious preferences, Christian, Muslim, traditional, or even atheist.
These may be found in the relationships between husbands and wives, fathers and mothers and their children. It is found amongst cousins, nieces and nephews, as well as in-laws. It includes fathers- and mothers-in-law, sons- and daughters-in-law. Note that in this list, I did not include friends, for if someone is truly your friend, he or she will not likely fail on this at certain such moments. They will be there. As one song states, “just call my name, I will be there” Another states, “that’s what friends are for. In good times and bad times, I will be by your side for ever more”. And yet another states, “I will be bridge over trouble waters”. Ironically in the lists above fathers and children, husbands and wives, siblings, in-laws, uncles, aunties, cousins, nieces and nephews are implicated. So is life.
Interestingly, in the Herbert Wigwe case, men cried like women and boys. Aig, Sanusi, Dangote, men who many will think of as hard men, wept openly. There is something there. People openly confessed favours Herbert did them. Lessons. For Christian example, Jesus wept at the death of his friend, Lazarus, along with his sisters (John 11:35).
It is about the human person and consciousness of what is expected of a human being in certain circumstances. In an important way, a Christian manifest when the circumstance calls for what Christ would do in similar circumstance, and not an oral claim to be a Christian. Christ said, by their fruits you will know them.
When under deprivation or when in abundance, are you able to unconsciously, without prompting activate the Christ-parameter, or is your Christianity about attending church, mid-night prayer, celebrated fasting, all manner of crusades and similar events? But most critically, it seems that there has emerged a new era/society that is uncaring, and not conscious of the other person, and what the circumstance demands. Christians are expected to mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice.
Last July (2023), I lost my father. Humanity surprised me by their care and support. Persons I never factored with surprised me. Persons, I have nothing to offer anything surprised me. Persons, I did not remember to inform, days and weeks after, felt committed to show sympathy. At the same time, a few persons I expected sympathy from were not there. So is life. What is involved may not be Christianity. It may be each person’s consciousness, and each person’s humanism, and each person’s inter-personal skills.
These weaknesses may indeed be a function of a weakness in childhood socialisation. My late mother in my undergraduate days would inform me about those who are bereaved, had a baby, got married, or whatever, immediately I returned home on holidays. She would ask me to go round and see them. At that young age, I often struggled on what to say to those persons, especially those bereaved. I am not sure there are parents who prompt their children on things like these.
When my grandfather died in October 1986, I was certainly, as Prince William pledged to his father, King Charles at his coronation, my father’s liege man of life and limb. Prince William: “I, William, Prince of Wales, pledge my loyalty to you, and faith and truth I will bear unto you, as your liege man of life and limb. So, help me God.” (Prince William Kneels Before His Father King Charles in Emotional Coronation Moment).
I was literally in charge. I was everywhere. I was up and doing. When my grandmother died in April 1999, of course we were old enough, and I told my father and his brother that my siblings and I, children from my mother will do everything, and all they needed to do was to tell us what they wanted and how they wanted it.
That was the old society, or so it seems. Not too long ago, I was at the Church funeral service for a well-known professor, and an obviously respected man. At the time his first son was called to say the funeral oration, he was not inside the church, but with his friends outside. I have also seen another prominent man, whose son was unable to say anything, after being called a number of times in the church funeral service.
The times are far away from the era when a daughter could volunteer to stay back from school to become mother to her siblings at the demise of her mother. This generation is different, and obviously not just the young people. The values of old have been overrun by the world of today. Why it is important to focus on the young people, is that perchance, just perhaps, we can salvage a few.
“Nigeria relies heavily on oil, which contributes to an uncertain political environment for implementing diverse environmental incentives conducive to voluntary carbon markets. Furthermore, commercial availability of carbon credits and liquidity might depend on global and dynamic environmental conditions.”
Dr. Salisu Dahiru, Director General, National Council on Climate Change
Nigeria is developing a plan to create a $2.5 billion carbon market. The purpose of this market is to encourage investments, reduce emissions, and promote sustainable growth in Nigeria. A special committee has been appointed to draft a comprehensive plan for activating the carbon market. It is led by Dr. Zacch Adedeji, Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service.
The plan is expected to include an emissions trading scheme, a carbon registry, and a framework for high-integrity carbon credits, aligned with the African Carbon Market Initiative. The blueprint also involves a focus on using natural gas as a transitional fuel while investing in renewable energy sources. The ultimate goal is to enable Nigeria to participate significantly in the mandatory and voluntary carbon markets, opening doors to substantial climate finance.
First and foremost, we need to understand that the oil economy in Nigeria is a major obstacle to the development of a carbon market in the country. The Nigerian economy is heavily dependent on oil and gas, which will discourage the development of a carbon market. One of the main reasons for this is the fact that the government is reliant on revenues from oil and gas for its budget. This reliance makes it difficult for the government to prioritise environmental protection and sustainable development, which are key components of a carbon market.
Second, a comprehensive and clear policy and framework needs to be established for a successful and transparent carbon market. Currently, there are no universally agreed standards for carbon emissions accounting, offset mechanisms, or accreditation requirements between different jurisdictions, further complicating coordinated efforts to control global warming efficiently.
Nigeria will have to develop her own methodologies for measuring and reporting greenhouse gas emissions and establishing additional carbon markets to facilitate the exchange of units. One recommended approach is international cooperation under Clause 6 of the Paris Agreement to facilitate emissions reductions.
Furthermore, a lack of knowledge or lack of awareness about carbon markets among stakeholders can hamper their effectiveness. To create a functional carbon market, potential investors and sellers need to understand the fundamentals of this market so they can meaningfully engage and transact.
Finally, an accurate data gathering system is essential for tracking, verifying, and validating carbon emissions data. A 2019, study revealed that most Nigerian manufacturing companies are silent on environmental information disclosure. Without reliable data and appropriate monitoring processes, tracking emissions will be difficult, which would hamper business’ ability to participate in the carbon market, and meet their targets.
Realistically assessing potential obstacles is important when moving toward the implementation phase. Engaging constructively with national and international partners will ultimately determine the success or failure of the initiative by enabling resilient integration amid uncertainty.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has inaugurated the Intergovernmental Committee on Carbon Market Activation Plan to harness Nigeria’s vast carbon potential which exceeds $2 billion.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima with delegates at the inauguration of the Intergovernmental Committee on Carbon Market Activation Plan in Abuja
Shettima, while inaugurating the committee in Abuja on Thursday, March 7, 2024, said the initiative was in fulfillment of President Bola Tinubu pledge to reduce Nigeria’s carbon footprint.
The Vice-President said that the inauguration of the committee signified the Tinubu-administration’s focus on natural gas as a transition fuel.
He expressed hope that the initiative would attract investments, act as a catalyst for emission reduction and foster sustainable development in the country.
He, however, said that the needed intervention would not be achieved unless the best minds come together to oversee the transition, adding that the committee has capable hands to do this.
“(The gathering) today is part of the broader initiative to position Nigeria and, by extension, Africa in green growth manufacturing and industrialisation.
“Our mission is to meet the needs of the present while safeguarding the future and the beauty of it all is that Nigeria is largely a gas nation; we have more gas than oil.
“Since the bold step taken at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai to establish this committee, all eyes have been on Nigeria.”
The Vice-President emphasised that members of the committee must consider the initiative as a call for collaboration, innovation and collective action.
He said that the carbon market offers a remarkable opportunity to unlock billions for the climate finances of Nigeria and Africa.
“This initiative is not just about economic growth and creating green jobs, it is about protecting our ecosystem and driving climate action.
Shettima said that the administration would ensure decisive and cohesive leadership over the markets and institutions responsiveness for management of risk, capital and asset allocation.
He urged the committee to facilitate private capital inflow into carbon credit and safeguard investor’s interest.
Earlier in his remark, the Co-chair of the committee, Mr Zacch Adedeji, said the initiative held immense promise for Nigeria’s sustainable future.
He commended the Vice-President for his unwavering support and commitment to drive Nigeria’s carbon market agenda forward.
Adedeji gave the assurance that the committee would collaborate with the African carbon market initiative to harness Nigeria’s vast potential.
“Today’s inauguration is a testament to our collective determination to build a future where economic growth goes hand-in-hand with environmental stewardship,” Adedeji said.
In his remarks, Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), Dr Salisu Dahiru, said the committee had swung into action since December 2023, when it was established by Tinubu on the sidelines of COP28 in Dubai.
Dahiru, who is also a Co-Chair of the committee, explained that carbon market and trading was imperative to the management of climate change.
The Kaduna State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources has trained no fewer than 500 women, youths and school feeding vendors on briquettes making to promote climate change adaptation in the state.
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State
Abubakar Buba, Commissioner of Environment, disclosed this at the opening of a one-day training for women from the 23 local government areas of the state in Kaduna, the state capital.
According to him, climate change is the greatest threat to humanity, hence the need to reduce use of wood as source of cooking fuel.
“Felling of trees as sources of cooking fuel has exposed women to health hazards while exposing the environment to desertification.”
He described the briquette as a bio-gas invention used as a substitute for charcoal.
Buba said the programme would enable them to become self-reliant and contribute positively to the socio-economic and political development of the state.
He revealed that the training was the pilot phase of the scheme in collaboration with Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project.
He urged the participants to imbibe the empowerment programme with seriousness and commitment in order to achieve the set objectives.
On his part, Jubril Rufai, Project coordinator, ACReSAL, commended the state government, saying that training was in line with efforts towards mitigating climate change impacts.
He said no fewer than 500 women would benefit from the training while receiving briquette making equipment.
Yahaya Ibrahim, Chief Executive Officer, Prestine Green Environmental Safety Consulting Limited, said the participants had learnt how to produce briquette coal using waste materials, rice, sugar cane and maize husks, among others, without cutting down trees.
Conservator-General (C-G), National Park Service (NPS), Dr Ibrahim Goni, says creating awareness on biodiversity conservation aligns with the mandate of the National Park Service.
Members of the Climate and Sustainable Development Network of Nigeria (CSDevNet) team with National Park Service officials
Goni communicated this when a team from the Climate and Sustainable Development Network of Nigeria (CSDevNet), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), paid him a courtesy visit on Thursday, March 7, 2024, in Abuja.
Goni, who was represented by the Assistant Conservator-General (AC-G), Ecology and Resource Management, Dr Mohammed Kabir, commended the group for the visit and assured of park’s readiness for more collaboration on biodiversity conservation.
Earlier, Mr Umoru Ameh, Finance and Admin Officer, CSDevNet, said that the group was ready to foster collaboration with the National Park Service on its ongoing projects related to biodiversity conservation education and awareness.
The CSDevNet team also embarked on a tour of NPS facilities such as the museum and the animal orphanage.
Danjuma Magaji, Deputy Conservator-General (DC-P) at the museum, said awareness was key to biodiversity conservation.
Newton James, Deputy Conservator-General (DC-P) in charge of NPS Animal Orphanage, said the facility was used to conserve rescued wildlife.
“We don’t keep animals in captivity because we are not zookeepers; we raise rescued animals from poachers,’’ he said.
More so, the group paid a courtesy visit to Dr Agnes Asagbra, the Director-General (D-G) of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), who expressed willingness to partner with it on biodiversity conservation.
Asagbra, who was represented by Mrs Scholastica Bello, acting Director Planning, Research and Statistics Unit, NBMA, assured that the agency would remain committed to allowing only safe Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) come into the country.
“Presently, we are not at the ports to monitor illegal entry of GMOs, but we have a memorandum of understanding with those at the ports,” she said.
Britain’s flagship renewables scheme has received its biggest ever funding boost from government, with more than £1 billion for its upcoming auction.
UK Energy Security Secretary, Claire Coutinho
The budget for the sixth Contracts for Difference (CfD) allocation round – confirmed by the Chancellor at Spring Budget – signals large-scale government backing to drive further investment into the UK’s thriving renewables sector and roll out more clean, secure, and affordable energy – while helping grow the economy.
This announcement comes as part of the government’s plan to strengthen energy security and bring down energy bills in the long-term.
Following an extensive review of the latest evidence, including the impact of global events on supply chains, the government has allocated a record £800 million for offshore wind, which has been given a separate funding pot. This makes this the largest round yet, with four times more budget available to offshore wind than in the previous round.
This follows the increase in the maximum price for offshore wind and floating offshore wind in November and will ensure Britain remains a global pioneer in wind power – as home to five of the world’s largest offshore windfarm projects. It will also help to deliver the UK’s ambition of up to 50GW of offshore wind by 2030, including up to 5GW of floating offshore wind.
The CfD scheme gives renewable energy projects a guaranteed price for the electricity they generate, boosting investment in the UK – which has increased renewable electricity generation from 7% in 2010 to over 40% now.
Energy Security Secretary, Claire Coutinho, said: “When it comes to renewables, we have a record to be proud of. In 2010, just 7% of our electricity came from renewables, this is now up to over 40% today.
“We have the second largest renewables capacity in Europe, which is backed by £300 billion of investment since 2010, with £24 billion since September alone. We are sticking to the plan to deliver the long-term change our country needs to deliver a brighter future for Britain – securing more homegrown, green energy we can protect billpayers from volatile gas prices.”
The Allocation Round 6 budget includes:
£120 million for established technologies such as onshore wind and solar,
£105 million for emerging technologies such as floating offshore wind and geothermal, including a ringfenced £10 million budget for tidal for a second consecutive year and
£800 million for offshore wind.
CfD contracts are awarded through a series of competitive auctions, which ensure value for money for consumers. This has reduced prices since the first auction and contributed to solar and wind being amongst the cheapest form of electricity generation in the UK.
The government is making progress on the network reforms announced at last year’s Autumn Statement. This includes offering earlier grid connection dates to projects worth £40 billion, alongside transmission network companies announcing investment plans worth up to £85 billion. From next January, a new process will ensure that only projects which can show progress will be offered a connection date to join the grid.
Neil McDermot, CEO, Low Carbon Contracts Company, said: “We welcome the news from DESNZ on the budget for Allocation Round 6 which has a combined total of £1,025 billion across 3 pots. As the private law counterparty for the Contract for Difference scheme, LCCC looks forward to welcoming future projects into its portfolio which currently consists of over 31GW of renewable electricity generation and 240 contracts across 12 technology types.”
