Climate Promises Initiative to address Nigeria’s environmental issues – Minister

Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, has expressed hope that the Climate Promises Initiative (CPI II) will be a once-in-a-generation chance for the nation to address its environmental issues and raise its socio-economic standing.

The minister stated this at the Department of Climate Change’s (DCC) stakeholders’ inaugural meeting on Climate Promises II held on Thursday in Abuja.

Abdullahi represented by the ministry’s Director of Human Resources Management, Mr. Lawrence Adigwe, described the programme’s launch as a testament to the government’s commitment to take significant action to mitigate the effects of climate change.

“It is a call to action for governments, businesses, civil society, and individuals to work together towards a common goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, advancing sustainable development, and safeguarding our planet for future generations,” he said.

He expressed belief that the CPI II project represents an important milestone in the country’s efforts to combat environmental challenges, such as rising sea levels, droughts, increased food insecurity, and community displacement.

He emphasised some of these prerequisites, such as the necessity to mobilise resources, build skills, and promote an atmosphere that encourages innovation in order to be able to accomplish this challenging goal.

As a result, its success, he noted, will be determined by “our ability to translate promises into concrete actions” that recognise the uneven distribution of the effects of climate change.

In his address, Director Supervising the office of the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr. Charles Ikeah, told the participants in his welcome message that with the release of the CPI II, they would be engaged in talks and activities on critical climate change issues.

Ikeah, who was represented at the event by Dr. Iniobong Abiola-Awe, the DCC’s director, who read his speech, hinted that these discussions and activities would focus on strengthening the inclusive agenda, gender-responsive governance, financing mechanisms to enable delivery, and tracking of NDC targets with inclusive policies, strategies, plans, and regulatory frameworks at the national, sectoral, and subnational levels, all with the goal of assuming that the NDC targets are met.

He expressed his gratitude to the United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP), whom he described as the ministry’s partner, for sponsoring and assisting this program and making sure that it was a part of their crucial efforts to address the causes of climate change in Nigeria.