O.Adejo
President Muhammadu Buhari has called for immediate action on climate change issues, saying that the blame game must end and developed countries must take the right steps to tackle the problem.
The President, who was represented by the Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, made the announcement on the sidelines of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
The Clean Energy Transition event, organised by Bloomberg Philanthropies and Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), provided an opportunity for Nigeria to highlight its efforts and concerns about climate change on the continent.
In his speech, President Buhari stated, “without a doubt, we are at a critical juncture in terms of the world’s climate future, and our actions today and over the next few decades will determine the fate of future generations and the planet. This year has seen devastating extreme weather events ranging from terrifying wildfires in the United States to unprecedented heat waves in India, Pakistan, and Europe, as well as intense floods in my home country of Nigeria.”
As a result, he urged developed countries to take more aggressive action, as they are the major contributors to the climate change issues affecting Africa and the world in general through gas emissions. He also stated that for developing countries, particularly in Africa, which have historically and currently contributed the least to emissions, the degree of climate change is disproportionately high, necessitating accelerated action from those responsible.
Furthermore, the President stated that Nigeria and other African countries are committed to addressing the climate change crisis by taking bold actions on their own. He cited examples such as signing the Paris Agreement, submitting highly ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and allocating up to 9% of GDP to climate change mitigation.
The Minister of Environment is also expected to deliver Nigeria’s National Statement in plenary, as well as attend bilateral and side meetings on Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan.
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