Climate change continues to be an important issue of discourse globally. As part of efforts toward ensuring that there are actions toward achieving the SDG 13, combating climate change and its impact, world leaders are meeting at Glasgow, for the 2021 Climate Change Conference (COP26) which got underway on Sunday 31st October.
This year’s Conference of Parties (COP) is the 26th edition of the annual event which started in 1995. In 2020, the event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The COP brings together signatories of the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change (UNFCCC) every year to discuss how to address the climate change menace.
What Is the Focus Of COP26?
The COP26 brings together world leaders to discuss ways of ensuring limiting warming temperatures to 1.5 degrees, reducing global emissions by half in 2030 and reaching net Zero by 2050.
The Yale Climate Connections had noted that; “with a 1.5°C rise, about 4% of Earth’s terrestrial land area is projected to undergo a transformation of ecosystems from one type to another. With a 2°C global temperature rise, about 13% is projected to undergo a shift”.
The summit will also analyse the promise to raise $100 billion per year to tackle issues around
climate change globally.
Countries are also expected to submit their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) detailing actions aimed at advancing climate-related targets. As of September 2021, 86 countries and the EU27 have submitted their new NDCs.
Nigeria submitted its own in 2016 with an updated version submitted in 2021.
Nigeria’s Presentation at COP26
On day 2 of the conference, President Muhammadu Buhari addressed the 26th Conference of Parties promising, in his speech, that the country will hit Net-zero emissions by 2060.
He made this promise at the ongoing conference in Glasgow.
He also pledged that Nigeria will end deforestation by 2030 as part of its commitment.
He said: “I do not think anyone in Nigeria needs persuading of the need for urgent action on the environment. Desertification in the North, floods in the centre, pollution and erosion on the coast are enough evidence. For Nigeria, climate change is not about the perils of tomorrow but what is happening today. Nigeria is committed to net zero by 2060.”
“Gas will be key for addressing the clean cooking challenge, which is also a challenge of deforestation, and for giving our electric grid the stability and flexibility to integrate renewables at scale.”
“Our plan also includes a flagship project to electrify 5 million households and 25 million people using decentralized solar energy solutions.”
“I also noted, in my Statement, that the 2022 Federal budget, which I recently submitted to the National Assembly, is the first cross-sectoral, gender and climate-responsive budget ever prepared in our history.”
“In addition, the National Assembly has also passed the Climate Change Bill, which provides a framework for achieving low greenhouse gas emissions, inclusive of green growth and sustainable economic development.” Mr Buhari stated.
How Is Nigeria Impacted By Climate Change?
The President is right on the money in his description of climate change realities as present in the country. Nigeria is recognized as vulnerable to climate change impacts, ranked 160 out of 181 countries in the 2020 ND-GAIN Index.
The effects of climate change are major drivers of conflict and insecurity in the country. A United Nations Sustainable Development Group report and the organization for world peace also blamed the increasing violence between farmers and herders in Nigeria on shrinking land and increasing temperatures, direct effects of climate change.
Nigeria has observed the gradual drying of Lake Chad over the last 40 years, from a land area of over 40,000 km2 to currently just 1,300 km2 as well as the encroachment by the Sahara Desert, which has been attributed largely to the country’s increasing temperatures.
Temperatures have continued to rise, increasing from 0.03 degrees per decade between 1901 and 2016 to 0.19 degrees in the last 30 years.
According to the SDG report, “Herders have had to change their transhumance routes—the paths along which they move cattle from one grazing ground to another on a seasonal basis.” the report read.
The International Crisis Group noted that as at 2018, 1300 persons have been killed by the Farmers-Herders clashes.
The crisis has contributed significantly, alongside terrorism, insurgency, banditry and kidnapping; to high food inflation leading to an increase in Hunger in the country.
Food inflation has put over 7 million persons below the poverty line, according to the world bank.
Flooding and reducing overall rainfall volume impacts just as directly on Nigeria’s 35% population who are engaged in Agricultural activities. The impact of these floods pushes even more Nigerians below the poverty line and aggravates food insecurity.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies noted that torrential rains at Niger and Benin reached Red alert in October 2020.
This caused flooding in Jigawa, Kebbi, Kwara, Sokoto, Zamfara among many other states. 91, 254 persons were affected with 15,209 households impacted.
The flooding was blamed on torrential rainfalls.
Information on floodlist, dedicated to tracking flooding around the world, shows that 100,000 persons have been affected by flash floods in Adamawa state alone. In Nigeria’s capital territory, Abuja, four persons were reported killed by flooding.
The council for foreign relations (CFR), noted that increased flooding in Nigeria and the United States of America is a resultant effect of Climate Change.
“The elephant in the living room in both countries is the impact of climate change. In the United States, hurricanes appear to be more frequent and more severe. In parts of Nigeria, rains are notably heavier, and the sea level in the Gulf of Guinea is rising.” a publication on the CFR reads.
Flooding that occurred in Adamawa has also been blamed for water contamination in Nigeria, leading to increased cases of Cholera. The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), as at October 2021, noted that Nigeria recorded over 93,000 cholera cases with over 3000 deaths between week 1 to 41 of 2021 alone. This is another direct impact of climate change, occasioned by flooding, on citizens.
What Is Nigeria Doing to Counter the Effect of Climate Change?
The president’s address is commendable, recognising the country’s need for quick actions and highlighting broad strokes of the country’s plan. Nigeria has pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emission by 20% in 2030 and hit Net-zero emissions by 2060.
Its action plan includes Mitigation and low carbon high growth development; Food security, poverty reduction; protection of the vulnerable and health; Integrated and comprehensive disaster risk management; Infrastructure; Research and development; Capacity building and institutional strengthening and Sustainable and coordinated climate change financing.
Electric vehicles are also listed as part of an action plan in ensuring low emission rate and introducing the rail system of transportation. Air transportation is also targeted to be made cheaper and easier.
However, the country has not made much progress.
Issues like burning fossil fuels, like Coal and Gas, enhance climate disruptions. Others such as deforestation, farming, urban and infrastructure development contribute to global warming and affect climate change.
According to the International Energy Association, Nigeria has witnessed a 227% increment in emissions from 1990-2019.
Nigeria has sources of renewable energy such as wind, solar, biomass, hydroelectric. A report by the International Institute for Environment and Development puts Nigeria’s Solar energy potential at 427,000MegaWatts.
Data from the International Renewable Agency shows that as of 2020, Nigeria had generated only 2,153 megawatts from renewables. The breakdown shows 2,111 from Hydro-Marine, 28 megawatts from Solar, 3 megawatts from wind, 10 megawatts from Bioenergy. A far cry from its potentials for renewable energy.
Although Nigeria in its new Petroleum Industry Act makes provision for reducing gas flaring activities and curbing gas emissions, inclusive of fines for those who go against its gas emission principles, the challenge still remains.
How Will Nigeria Fund its Climate Initiatives?
Nigeria is part of funds such as the Green climate fund and the Adaptation Fund, both funds are pools of finance available for climate change initiatives. Nigeria also has a gas fund aimed at curbing gas flaring and building gas infrastructures.
There is also the Climate Investment Fund in the country committed to issues such as renewable energy, upgrading transport systems among others. This fund is supported by the African development bank. Nigeria also has the Green Bond, “a financing mechanism to facilitate and assist Nigeria in meeting its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target”.
In its National Climate Change Policy 2021-2030, the government restated its commitment to Climate change financing. “Nigeria recognizes that to respond effectively to climate change mitigation and adaptation challenges, the country will require a critical mass of financial resources beyond what governments at all levels can provide. To this end, the government of Nigeria has launched and issued Green Bonds as innovative means and alternative way of raising climate finance, and has released the guidelines for the Green Bonds that target about $250 million in climate finance to support national projects in key areas that include environment, agriculture, power and energy efficiency-transportation.” a statement on the policy plan reads.
In August, Nigeria was earmarked to benefit from the 16.2 million Euros to tackle climate change and plastic pollution.
Nigeria has also sought international partnership and investment to help meet its climate change objectives and target.
Beyond events like COP26, where there is some coverage of and attention given to climate change issues, there does not appear to be a communication strategy to back the government’s commitments to countering the effects of climate change. Also, media reportage of the issues is mostly limited to special events such as the conference on climate change.