By Nneka Nwogwugwu
To support Nigeria’s efforts towards meeting the NDC targets, the European Union (EU) under its Global Public Goods and Challenges Thematic Programmes, is funding the provisions of technical assistance of the implementation of the Nigerian Climate Change Response Programme (NCCRP).
The director, department of climate change at the Federal ministry of Environment, Iniobong Abiola-Awe, who was represented by the deputy director, Victoria Pwol made this known recently.
The Federal Ministry of Environment, with the support of the EU, organised a two-day stakeholders’ workshop in Keffi, Nasarawa State, in a bid to make efforts in tackling climate change.
The ministry said the workshop, which had as participants environmental journalists across print, broadcast and online media platforms under the umbrella of the Nigerian Journalists for Climate Action Network (NIJOCAN), was aimed at meeting the nation’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
It added that the programme was put in place as part of the activities rolled out under the Nigerian Climate Change Response Programme (NCCRP).
The organisers said both the Nigerian government and the EU believe that journalists occupy strategic positions in their efforts towards sensistising the citizens about the global threat, and towards ensuring change in behavioural attitudes among them.
At the workshop a new collaborative reporting project was entered into between NIJOCAN and NCCRP.
Also, a 12-month action plan was designed by the members of NIJOCAN to help effectively report burning climate change issues and a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between NIJOCAN and NCCRP.
The MoU, which does not compel any legal, financial or any other binding obligations, is intended to guide and support collaborations between both parties.
Excerpts from the MoU read in part: ”The editorial goal of NIJOCAN, which is to provide in-depth, nuanced and solutions-oriented reporting on the issues of climate change mitigation in Nigeria is to support the raison d’etre of the Nigeria Climate Change Response Programme (NCCRP).”
Source: Premium Times