COP29: Minister Calls For Stronger Collaboration Towards Green Economic Drive
Zeinat Abubakar, Abuja
Nigeria’s Minister of Environment, Mr Balarabe Lawal has called for stronger collaboration between the National and sub-national units in formulating policies to drive green economy.
He gave the advice at a side event organized by the Ekiti State Government at the ongoing COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan with the theme “Planning sub-national: Climate Action in Africa: Ekiti State Report launch and Panel Discussion”.
The Minister also noted that it was important that the states and federal government work together to follow same template in tackling climate change to avoid duplication.
He commended the research being embarked on by the state, saying it will give a perfect result in pursuit of green economy initiative.
The Ekiti State Commissioner of Environment, Mrs Toyin Ajisafe, said that the COP29 is an invaluable opportunity to share experiences and form the partnership needed in the state climate agenda.
She commended the efforts of Governor Biodun Oyebanji for various programmes aimed at a sustainable state.
Also speaking, the Technical Advisor to the Governor on Green Economy and Ecological Matters, Dr. Akinyemi Akinyugha, while also highlighting the nature of climate challenges facing the state, said that the “Ekiti State Report launch and Panel Discussion”, will help address the challenges of climate change in the state.
“To every economic, social, environmental challenge lies opportunities to have a vibrant economic sector in five to three years.
“We want a state that is able to adapt and stronger resilience whatever comes our way, we’re able to grow and develop and be the model for other states of our size and even bigger than us in Nigeria.”
“We’ve number of sectors we’re looking at, of course, which ties into Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions, NDCs over 3 million kg of Carbon Dioxide “CO2” saved by the Independent Power Producers, IPP and solar street lighting, as a result of the switch from diesel and petrol-powered generator.
“In the waste sector, we’ve invested a lot in advocacy, in education and also in putting the right infrastructure in place, to ensure that you can add the basic, collect the waste in your communities and prevent nuisance.” He explained.
According to him, “other sector that is very important to us is the Agric sector and we are developing climate smart agricultural practices to ensure that our people can cope with the effects of climate change, and also beyond that we are scaling into the program we call the African Sustainable Commodities initiative and this initiative is set up to ensure that we can produce our commodities cocoa, maize, yam in a very sustainable way that does not destroy them.”
Oyenike Oyeniyi
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