President Buhari has called on United Nation-member countries to rededicate themselves to the task of rebuilding and restoring a healthy environment for future generations.
He made the appeal on Monday while addressing the opening session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP24) in Katowice, Poland.
The President warned that the challenges of climate change which include rising temperatures, desertification, floods, low agricultural yields and drying up of water bodies were enormous and evident to all.
He pointed out the case of the receding Lake Chad, noting that the effects of climate change were felt more on the vulnerable communities who lacked the capacity and technology to properly address such challenges.
Speaking specifically on Lake Chad, the President reaffirmed that Nigeria remains committed to saving the lake, which he described as a source of livelihood to 40 million people, from extinction.
He said Nigeria would build on the success of an international conference held in February in Abuja to create additional awareness globally on the serious environmental and security challenges facing the Lake Chad region.
President Buhari was quoted in a statement by his spokesman, Garba Shehu saying
“We urge that efforts to address the challenges of climate change be pursued within multilateral frameworks. Concerted efforts should be made to strengthen sub-regional and regional organizations, to serve as hubs for Climate Action and partnership.”
President Buhari also used the occasion to highlight what Nigeria has done and was doing on climate change after the adoption of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change in 2015.
He said, “We in Nigeria have commenced the implementation of our Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In the next 15 years, we aim to achieve 20 per cent emissions reduction below Business as Usual (BAU) and 45 per cent emissions reduction with the support of our international partners by 2030.
“Our efforts include the review and introduction of new responsive legislation/policies, strengthening institutional and manpower capacities, and encouraging gradual transition to low carbon economy. Nigeria has also recently ratified the Doha Amendment and will soon deposit the instrument for ratification.”
He revealed that the nation has unlocked the potential of its sovereign green bond to galvanise private capital to finance environmentally sustainable projects.
