The Federal Government has reiterated its dedication to decreasing the country’s carbon footprint. Dr Salisu Dahiru, the Director-General, National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), recently highlighted the federal government’s commitment while speaking in Abuja at the official Presentation and Socialisation of Nigeria’s Long-term Low-emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS). According to him, the government’s dedication is evident through the implementation of various initiatives such as the Electric Buses Rollout Programme, the Carbon Market Activation Programme, among others.
Dr. Dahiru said the current government is offering full support for the adoption of strong, supportive policies and structures. He encouraged all involved parties to coordinate their efforts and share their knowledge to take specific steps that will push Nigeria towards a common goal of being more environmentally friendly and prepared for climate change. The LT-LEDS plan is thorough and acts as a tool for guiding Nigeria towards achieving its goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2060. Specifically, it highlights effective initiatives and strategies designed to speed up the adoption of measures and technologies within a climate-resilient development framework.
LT-LEDS is a roadmap for transitioning Nigeria.
He stated that LT-LEDS is dedicated to achieving substantial reductions in Greenhouse gas Emissions over the long run in key sectors of Nigeria. The country introduced the detailed Long Term-Low Emission Development Strategy to support its progress in meeting international obligations following the initial presentation of the Long-Term Vision 2050 at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021 as part of its adherence to the Paris Agreement (PA). The LT-LEDS are designed to fill the deficiencies and limitations of the revised 2021 NDC outlined in the NDC implementation blueprint.
It is a comprehensive plan that aims to guide Nigeria towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2060. This strategy includes a range of specific initiatives and policies designed to promote the adoption of sustainable practices and technologies that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions over time. In essence, the LT-LEDS is a roadmap for transitioning Nigeria towards a climate-resilient future through measurable actions and goals. This project aims to enhance sustainable growth and ensure a resilient Economy against Climate Change by involving multiple stakeholders in climate initiatives.
Incorporating the concept of LED-type will reduce emissions.
Effective Climate Action requires collaboration across various industries, such as bio-economy, marine, agriculture, and Renewable Energy sectors, in accordance with key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and governmental objectives like eradicating poverty, ensuring access to affordable energy, and achieving food security. Moving forward, there is a need to convert LT-LEDS into a detailed Investment blueprint that aligns with updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and ongoing efforts to promote carbon neutrality, facilitating strong coordination among all involved parties. This advanced strategy document will enable Nigeria to actively seek a low-emission development path.
Incorporating the concept of LED-type into the country’s national development planning mechanisms will help boost the economy and reduce net GHG emissions in comparison to regular business trajectories. The LT-LEDS project utilized four scenarios with the LEAP-NGA model Architecture for planning purposes. Nigeria’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2060 was carefully considered alongside priorities such as energy access, economic competitiveness, Poverty reduction through job creation, food security, sanitation, economic development, and progress in innovation, among other factors.
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Nigeria aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060 through the Renewable Energy Scenario (RES), which outlines ambitious goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Business as Usual (BAU) scenario predicts a substantial rise in emissions across all sectors in Nigeria as a result of Economic Growth and population increase, without effective mitigation measures in place. In the Gas Economy Scenario (GES), it is projected that Nigeria will rely heavily on gas resources for 58% of its Power Generation by 2060. On the other hand, the Current Policy Scenario (CPS) envisions an economy driven by the goals of achieving Net-Zero emissions by 2060, as outlined in the Energy Transmission Plan (ETP) and NDC.