By Awyetu Asabe Hope
The Vice-Chancellor of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Simon Ortuanya, says the institution is strengthening support for climate finance research to address environmental challenges and promote sustainable development.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ workshop on innovative climate finance in Abuja, Ortuanya described climate change as a global threat requiring urgent action, stressing that effective climate financing is critical to reducing emissions and improving resilience.
The programme was organised by Resource and Environmental Policy Research Centre, Environment for Development Nigeria and UNN.
He said the university community would continue supporting climate research projects focused on climate change, biodiversity and environmental protection.
Director of EfD-UNN, Nnaemeka Chukwuone, said stakeholder engagement would strengthen implementation of the project.
Representing the Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change, Mr Opeyemi Fagbamigbe said West Africa still faces a major gap between climate finance needs and actual funding despite global commitments.
Also speaking, Mrs Halima Bawa of the Federal Ministry of Environment said inadequate funding remained a major challenge to implementing climate programmes in Nigeria, despite existing policies and frameworks.