The Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP), a leading environmental non-governmental organisation (NGO), has called on Nigerian states to formulate their climate policies, actions, and plans to drive Sustainable Development across the country. Speaking at a recent event in Lagos, Mr. Nnaemeka Oruh, Senior Policy Analyst at SPP, emphasised the nation’s vulnerability to environmental change. With a population of about 230 million people spread over 923,769 square kilometres, Oruh stated that it is impractical to address the nation’s global warming challenges solely through central government efforts.
Oruh stressed the necessity of multilevel approaches and subnational environmental action. He noted the discrepancies between federal and subnational warming efforts, undermining the country’s overall strategy to combat ecology change. Despite several federal policies, their impacts are not felt nationwide due to the disconnect between their actions. He called for a more integrated approach where subnational initiatives complement federal efforts, aligning with Nigeria’s federated governance structure. He pointed out that environmental change impacts are most acutely felt at the subnational level.
Strategic action is vital to address climate change across the nation.
Effective climate mitigation must involve strategic actions from states and local governments across the country. He argued that leveraging state-level policies and plans is crucial for addressing environmental change from the grassroots up. He asserted that none of the country’s national Environmental Sustainability goals can be achieved without corresponding efforts by states as well as local governments. He called for urgent attention to subnational environmental governance to meet national and international ecological targets and sustainable development goals.
Furthermore, he stressed that the diverse environmental impacts across the 36 states and 774 local government areas necessitate localised responses. These adaptive actions should be supplemented by mitigation efforts, feeding into national plans to reduce Greenhouse gas Emissions and prevent future environmental impacts. One practical step towards this goal is the development and implementation of state-specific environmental policies and action plans. To promote greater ecological awareness and action at the subnational level, SPP has partnered with the Department of Climate Change under the Federal Ministry of Environment to conduct the first-ever rating and ranking of environmental governance performance across every state.
NGO urges states to develop policies to be evaluated at annual events.
Also, the ranking evaluates states based on five criteria, including environmental change institutional arrangements and administrative structures; ecological policy and action plans; environmental budget and finance; project implementation and monitoring, and online visibility regarding ecological action. The report reveals significant gaps in subnational environmental policies and action plans, providing a framework for effective environmental governance at the state level. This initiative is critical for enhancing environmental action in the country, meeting the nation’s Nationally Determined Contributions, addressing key developmental issues, and advancing Nigeria’s 2060 net-zero ambitions anchored on green growth.
Key stakeholders, including state governors, ministers, heads of environmental change councils and departments, civil society, environment and ecological commissioners, academics, community and youth groups, women and persons living with disabilities, and the media, will gather at the Abuja Continental Hotel for a high-level event. This event aims to share ideas, recognise top performers, and evaluate subnational environmental governance for the first time. He announced that this event will become an annual evaluation metric to enhance subnational environmental actions for the country’s benefit.
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In addition, engaging local communities and leveraging indigenous knowledge is vital for effective environmental action. Community-driven initiatives can provide tailored solutions that resonate with local realities and cultural contexts. Local involvement promotes ownership and accountability, ensuring that warming policies are not just top-down directives but inclusive and participatory efforts. Moreover, empowering women, youth, and marginalised groups in governance can lead to innovative approaches and resilience-building. Thus, states must develop their climate policies for strategic governance and utilise the full potential of community-driven and inclusive climate action.