The Nigerian government has reaffirmed its commitment to environmental conservation to lay the groundwork for a thriving, harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.
Nigeria’s Minister of Environment, Mr Balarabe Lawal stated this at the 17th National Council on Environment held in Abuja.
The theme of the 17th National Council on Envinronment, “Environment Financing: Need to mobilize more inflows for generating adequate resources in support of environmental sustainability efforts.”
Lawal urged participants at the Council to intensify exploration and implementation of financing mechanisms at their disposal to address challenges of climate change in the country.
“As we are all aware, Environment Financing is capital intensive, to mobilize more financial inflow for environmental sustainability there is the need to implore innovative financing mechanisms, such as Green Bonds, Carbon Pricing, and Public-Private Partnerships.”
“This will help in generating the resources needed for effective environmental protection and conservation efforts. I therefore urge members of this Council to intensify exploration and implementation of financing mechanisms at their disposal.”
He stressed the need for Nigeria to strive for inclusive policies that would empower all individuals to participate and benefit from environmental decision-making processes.
He said: “To ensure investment on environmental protection is not wasted, environmental justice must be enforced and the benefits of conservation and sustainable development must be protected and equitably distributed among all segments of society.
“Environmental degradation disproportionately impacts marginalized communities, exacerbating inequalities and perpetuating social injustices.”
The Minister pointed out that innovation and collaboration would be the country’s greatest allies in confronting these challenges.
He said the country would achieve this by harnessing the power of technology, fostering partnerships across sectors, and engaging with diverse stakeholders to forge a path towards a more resilient and sustainable future.
The Minister said swift and decisive actions were needed to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.
“We must redouble our efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, embrace renewable energy solutions, and foster sustainable practices across all sectors.
“As guardians of biodiversity, we must safeguard our precious ecosystems from degradation and exploitation.
“Protecting our forests, wetlands, and marine habitats is not merely an environmental imperative but a moral obligation to preserve the rich tapestry of life on Earth.”
Welcoming the participants, the Minister of State for Environment, Dr Iziaq Salako said that the National Council on Environment would examine innovative ways of funding Nigeria’s ambitions.
“As important as the environment sector is, we still have to compete with other sectors for the limited fund available in both the public and private sectors, we therefore need to think more outside the box, be more transparent, evidence driven and be result oriented in order to attract the needed fund to our sector.”
Dr Salako further explained that the need to galvanize more financial windows for environmental sustainability efforts is not just an aspiration but a commitment that will define Nigeria’s era.
“In our drive to build a sustainable future for our generation and the ones yet unborn, mobilizing funding for climate and environmental actions is a core imperative.”
“In doing this, we need to emphasis our areas of comparative advantages and present such to the global community as our contribution to addressing the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.” The Minister explained.
The Minister also urged the stakeholders to continue to foster more robust collaborations with development partners and philanthropists to enable government leverage on shared resources, expertise and funds to fortifying the country’s collective response to environmental challenges.
Representative of Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, in Nigeria and Ecowas, Mr Koffy Dominique spoke on the FAO’s committment to supporting governments at all levels in Nigeria to enhance sustainable natural resources management.
“This includes support to implement, monitor and report climate commitments outlined in the National Determined Contribution document, continuous support to accessing climate finance and partnership and technical support to mainstreaming agrifood systems to the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans, NBSAPS, among others.” He said.
He said the meeting would serve as an opportunity to exchange knowledge, share best practices, and forge partnerships that will drive positive change in Nigeria’s environmental landscape.
Mr. Dominique said, “FAO has assisted the government of Nigeria to access significant funding from bilateral and multilateral agencies such as the Global Climate Fund (GCF), Global Environment Fund (GEF), the World flank and donor countries to implement projects and programmes on sustainable forest, landscape restoration and management, biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation in line with the FAQ strategic framework 2022-2031 for efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable, agri-food systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, and leaving no one behind.”
He explained that the climate challenges in Nigeria require a holistic approach that engages government, civil society, academia, and the private sector.
Mr Dominique commended the efforts of the National Council on Environment in addressing key environmental issues and developing policies to safeguard the nation’s natural heritage.
Shakirat Sadiq
