Dr. Iziaq Salako, the Minister of State for the Environment, has emphasised that taking action on climate change is essential to the realisation of the eight presidential priorities that have been highlighted by the present administration. On Friday in Abuja, at the launching of an initiative mapping climate change impacts and policies across the 36 states of the country, Salako made this statement. He pointed out that for successful management of environmental concerns and the change in climate, full participation from all levels is required.
According to him, in order to successfully manage the environment and address issues relating to climate change, it is necessary to have the full commitment of both the nation’s sub-national governments as well as each Nigerian. The minister provided an explanation that the mapping project’s objectives were to map the effects it has in all 36 states and determine the support requirements of each of these states in order to domesticate policies addressing the change successfully.
Northern regions see severe effects like droughts and desertification.
The minister pointed out that different areas of the country are more vulnerable to the effects of the change in climate due to regional differences, with the minister noting that northern regions experiencing severe effects such as droughts and desertification. It was also revealed that the mapping project evaluated each state’s climate perception, measures taken, and needs to improve climate resilience. This assessment is important because it will help direct resources to areas of greatest vulnerability that require immediate interventions.
Among the speakers at the launch were Lawmakers Hon. Sam Onuigbo and Gov. Mohammed Bago. On his part, Onuigbo encouraged governors and chairmen of local councils to make sufficient financial provisions for climate change based on the findings of the new assessment. He pointed out that given the responsibilities that the Act places on representatives of subnational governments, governors, and chairmen of local governments, these individuals should start making adequate budgetary allocations for improving its action and resilience.
Significant commitment has been shown by the state government.
Speaking further at the launch, Mohammed Bago, the state governor, reaffirmed Niger State’s leadership role in the fight against climate change and cited the state’s recent summit on the green economy, which was held to discuss the state’s commitment to environmentally responsible policies. He observed that the level of commitment and dedication shown by the State government, as well as its people, has been remarkable with regard to the actions taken to combat climate change.
Bago disclosed this in recognition of the significance of unhealthy environmental conduct, making the state recently host a Green Economy Summit with the theme “Sustainable Future: Harnessing Green Assets and Innovation for Niger State’s Prosperity.” aimed at leveraging environmental resources for the state prosperity. On the other hand, the mapping project is in accordance with the provision of the Climate Change Act 2021, which addresses the formulation of national climate policies that take into account the perspectives of sub-national governments.
More efforts are needed to combat environmental effects.
In a new report, the United Nations Climate Change indicates that national climate action plans are still inadequate for accomplishing the goals of the Paris Agreement and keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius. Despite increased efforts by several countries, the report demonstrates that much more action is required to shift the trend of global emissions substantially downward while avoiding the most severe effects of climate change. Human activities are the root cause of climate change, threatening all life on Earth. It can have awful effects, such as extreme and changing weather patterns and higher sea levels.
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