By Faridat Salifu
The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Dr. Anthony Ojukwu, has expressed a passionate plea to African governments to take decisive actions to protect the human rights and dignity of their citizens in the context of the escalating climate crisis.
He expressed the plea during a three-day Regional African Human Rights Academic Network conference focused on environmental degradation and climate justice, held recently in Abuja.
Ojukwu regretted that although Africa contributes a minimal share of global carbon emissions, the continent bears a disproportionate burden of the consequences associated with climate change.
He noted that rising temperatures, erratic rainfall patterns, desertification, and increasingly severe weather events are no longer distant threats, but immediate realities impacting millions across the region.
“Climate change has dire consequences for human rights,” Ojukwu stated, pointing out that essential rights such as life, health, food, water, and shelter are under threat.
He noted the alarming frequency of flooding, which displaces thousands of people annually in Nigeria, and the pervasive droughts that threaten food security across the continent.
Rising sea levels present additional risks, particularly to coastal communities, while the movement of pastoralists in search of grazing land has intensified conflicts and heightened insecurity in various regions.
Ojukwu called for a comprehensive approach to tackling these climate-related challenges.
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He urged governments to strengthen climate policies and legislation, hold polluters accountable, promote sustainable development, ensure public participation in decision-making processes, and enhance climate financing.
These steps, he argued, are crucial for effectively addressing the multifaceted crisis posed by climate change.
Ojukwu expressed the NHRC’s commitment to collaborating with various stakeholders, including the Nigerian Climate Change Council, the Ministry of Environment, academic institutions, and civil society organizations.
This collaboration is to harness the best available knowledge and research to respond meaningfully to the challenges of climate change.
Ojukwu underscored that these efforts align with global initiatives on climate change and the aspirations for sustainable development within Africa.
Ms. Rakel Larsen, the Regional Director of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute, echoed Ojukwu’s sentiments, noting that the institute is dedicated to promoting environmental justice.
She emphasized that the conference aimed to explore how climate-related issues intersect with human rights.
“There’s a growing recognition of how the climate impact is affecting our realization and enjoyment of human rights on the continent,” she remarked.
The conference served as a platform for critical discussions about the urgent need for a rights-based approach to climate action in Africa.
