CSO tasks Kaduna Govt to develop policy on climate change

CSO tasks Kaduna Govt to develop policy on climate change

By Faridat Salifu

The Network of Civil Society in Environment, Kaduna state chapter, have organized a technical session to review the draft climate change policy for the state.

Collaborating with Open Gov Innovation Hub Kaduna and Kaduna Local Government Accountability Mechanism, the session aimed to assess the policy’s strengths and weaknesses, providing key observations and recommendations to shape the final document.

Gloria Bulus, the Coordinator of the network and Executive Director of Bridge That Gap Initiative, emphasized the importance of participatory governance through the Open Government Partnership.

She voiced concern over the exclusion of critical stakeholders, particularly civil society organizations, in the initial development of the climate change policy.

Bulus highlighted the significance of a comprehensive and inclusive policy to effectively address the current and projected impacts of climate change on Kaduna and its residents.

She stressed the need for multi-sectoral synergy, recognizing the interconnected impacts of climate change on sectors such as health, agriculture, education, and transportation.

Mr. Abel Adejor, the State Lead of Partnership to Engage Reform and Learn (PERL), drew attention to the global emphasis on climate change and the increasing opportunities for collaboration and funding in addressing environmental challenges.

Adejor emphasized the importance of resilience-building, mitigation, and adaptation strategies, considering the varying levels of vulnerability within communities.

Adejor further highlighted the crucial role of accountability mechanisms in climate change initiatives, emphasizing the media’s role in engaging policymakers and shedding light on their impacts on constituents through climate change-related projects.

The collective efforts of these stakeholders in reviewing and advocating for an inclusive climate change policy underscore the shared responsibility to address existing gaps.

The goal is to ensure that the final policy document reflects comprehensive and inclusive strategies to effectively mitigate the impact of climate change in Kaduna State.