Martins Ifijeh
As part of efforts to mitigate the hazards associated with climate change, the Media Advocacy on Climate Change Initiative (MACCI) has set a performance agenda for the recently sworn in Minister of Environment, Muhammad Mahmood.
MACCI said the minister must be determined to do things differently to tackle climate change, as Nigeria was not moving fast with adaptive measures to mitigate the impact of the change.
In a statement made available to THISDAY recently, the Executive Director, MACCI, Victor Emeruwa said the country faces an enormous risk if nothing is done to urgently reverse the already observable consequences of climate change which is already showing up in the form of extreme flooding, and shortage of water in the Lake Chad regions which is causing conflict between herders and farmers.
He said: “As a country, we must put back the issues of climate change as an integral element for our national priority and form a common ground for adaptation of all activities required for mitigating the impact on our economy and livelihood.
“In Nigeria’s vision 20:2020 Economic Transformation Blueprint, climate change is recognised as having the potential to cause damaging and irrecoverable effects on infrastructure, food production and water supplies.
“The minister of environment as a matter of priority must implement the National Adaptation Strategy and Plan of Action on Climate Change in Nigeria, (NASPA-CCN), a policy document drafted since 2011. This is a comprehensive policy material that requires immediate execution.”
He urged the minister to call a Conference of Party on the document and present a guideline and timeline for implementation of the policy.
He added that as signatories to several United Nations Treaties on Climate Change, including the 2016 Paris Agreement, Nigeria must apply urgency to the issues of reduction of greenhouse emission, adaptation and financing.
MACCI said: “According to the National Adaptation Strategy and Plan of Action on Climate Change in Nigeria, the country will lose 15 to 25 percent of the GDP to effect of Climate Change if urgent actions are delayed.”
The group therefore urged the newly appointed minister to take leadership in addressing and prioritising all issues of climate change as it affects Nigeria.
