Nigeria Will Be One of the World’s Best Examples in Emission Reduction – President Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari |
President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigeria will be one of the world’s best examples in emission reduction.
The President made this known on Tuesday in his statement at the 22nd Session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22) taking place in Marrakech, Morocco.
A statement issued in Abuja by Femi Adesina,
the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, said Buhari
outlined Federal Government’s plan toward aligning with the global
objectives on climate change and ensuring inclusive growth and
environmental sustainability.
President Buhari, therefore, declared
the resolve of government to ensure that policies put in place to
address climate change would make the country emerge as one of the
world’s best examples of how reducing emissions could benefit the
environment and the economy.
He added that “in Nigeria, we are
launching a strategic plan for the implementation of our Intended
Nationally Determined Contributions”.
“We have equally embraced the issuance
of green bonds as innovative means and alternative way of raising
climate finance both locally and internationally. We cannot afford to
wait until 2020. We are already making far reaching changes in all
sectors of our economy, including through substantially increasing the
use of climate smart agriculture and diversification of our energy mix
through renewable and efficient gas power,’’ Buhari added.
He said that the changes also included
creating more efficient, cleaner and lower-carbon oil and gas sector,
especially through a gas to energy programme and initiating the
implementation of clean-up of the Ogoni-Land in the Niger-Delta region.
The President stated that Nigeria
planned to reduce emissions by 20 per cent by the year 2030, with the
intention of raising the target to 45 per cent, with the support of the
international community.
He noted that “we have reflected our
determination for green growth in my country’s ambitious Intended
Nationally Determined Contribution.
“We have also announced plans to reduce
emissions by 20 per cent by the year 2030, with the intention of raising
this target to 45 per cent, with the support of the international
community. This is one of Africa’s most ambitious Intended Nationally
Determined Contributions – covering all emissions from all parts of the
economy,” he said.
According to the President, Nigeria has no choice but to key into the global action on climate change.
He said that “in Nigeria for instance,
the impact is being felt by the more than 2.1 million people displaced
by devastating floods that the country has continued to suffer since
2012.
“If not addressed by 2050, the human and
financial cost would be colossal. For us in Nigeria, the larger
dimension of the challenge goes beyond emission rights. Survival rights
are also at stake,” Buhari added.
He equally reminded the gathering of the
agreement at the 71st session of the UN General Assembly that climate
threats and security threats go hand in hand and called for concerted
efforts on them.
“The Lake Chad Basin for example, has
shrunk to a mere 10 per cent of its original size, and this has
seriously affected the livelihood of over five million people and
contributed to the growth of insecurity in the region, including the
emergence of Boko Haram as a terrorist group. Hence the urgent need to
resuscitate Lake Chad. In this regard, I seize this opportunity to
express gratitude and appreciation to those who have responded to our
call and to encourage other well-meaning partners to join in our efforts
to revive the Lake Chad Basin,” President Buhari said.
He expressed the readiness of Nigeria to join hands for the change that the whole world was working toward.
“We, therefore, stand ready to engage in
meaningful partnerships to tackle the menace, and call on our
neighbours and developing partners to fulfill their financial
obligations in support of efforts to mitigate the negative impacts of
climate change,” Buhari added.
He also called on world leaders to
“recommit ourselves to the achievement of the goals outlined in the
Paris Agreement that we collectively signed in 2015 for the benefit of
this and future generations.”
President Buhari disclosed that Nigeria
had submitted its instrument of ratification for the new global agenda
on climate change.
“We urge others to do the same in order to make the world a safe place.”
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