United Nations COP 28 Applauds Nigeria’s Climate Strategy as a Model for Developing Nations
DUBAI/United Emirates: Stakeholders convening at the United Nations 28 Conference of Parties on Climate Change enthusiastically praised Nigeria’s pioneering strides in formulating its Long Term Emission Strategy (LTS), urging other developing nations to emulate its approach.
This sentiment was echoed during the exchange of experiences between high-level Nigerian delegations and their counterparts from Senegal at a side event titled “Long Term Climate Vision and Development Strategies: Lessons from Nigeria and Senegal,” held at the NDC Pavilion during COP 28.
Dr. Eugene Itua, the CEO of Natural Eco-Capital, emphasized that Nigeria’s Long Term Emission Development Strategy was intricately woven into the country’s broader vision of achieving Net Zero emissions by 2060. He emphasized the strategy’s foundation as country-driven, elucidating the involvement of 34 Nigerian experts in its development, highlighting peer review and validation phases that invited extensive contributions from diverse Nigerian stakeholders.
“The process entailed meticulous alignment, fostering a collaborative environment that birthed a foundational document poised to guide other nations,” stated Itua, underlining the collaborative effort’s significance.
Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, Director of the D Center for Climate Change and Development at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ebonyi State, emphasized the necessity for countries endeavoring to create long-term strategies to establish steering and technical committees. He detailed Nigeria’s approach, delineating the roles of these committees drawn from ministries, departments, agencies, and advocating for broader stakeholder representation from the private sector and academia.
Okereke shed light on Nigeria’s evolutionary process, contrasting the Energy Transition Plan’s narrower scope with the comprehensive Long Term Strategy (LTS), which integrated crucial aspects like Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (AFOLU) emissions, rectifying previous oversights.
“When we initiated the LTS process, we identified a critical oversight in the Energy Transition Plan regarding AFOLU. Achieving Net Zero without addressing AFOLU emissions proved challenging,” Okereke explained, emphasizing the deeper analysis carried out by indigenous experts, which uncovered previously unaccounted emissions sources.
Highlighting the broader context within Africa, Okereke noted the dominance of foreign experts in drafting African NDCs, underscoring Nigeria and South Africa as exceptions, while emphasizing the significance of indigenous expertise in shaping climate policies.
Samba Fall, representing Senegal, applauded Nigeria’s innovative strides, outlining Senegal’s approach that included a diverse pool of ambassadors encompassing researchers and policymakers. Fall emphasized Senegal’s multifaceted transitions in agriculture, energy, and industry, commending the synergy between environmental and energy ministries. He stressed the broader objective of not merely planning the LTS but using the process, reliant on local expertise, to equip Senegal to address various climate-related challenges.
Fall acknowledged Nigeria’s exemplary approach, expressing keen interest in leveraging lessons learned to shape a regional West African LTS, emphasizing the value of shared experiences in climate development strategies across nations.
The vibrant exchange between Nigerian and Senegalese delegations underscored the significance of collaborative, inclusive approaches in crafting robust climate strategies, setting a commendable example for nations striving for sustainable development amidst the challenges of climate change.
