By Barbara Nwaiwu
Gov. Umaru Bago of Niger State is set to receive experts from Myclimate Foundation as the state intensifies efforts to attract UN climate finance and develop viable carbon-market projects.
The delegation will visit Nigeria from August 23rd to 28th, for a technical feasibility mission to assess potential carbon-market projects in Niger State.
In a statement made available in Abuja on Tuesday, Mallam Aliyu Umar, Project Coordinator, Niger State Carbon Market Project, said the discussions would focus on strengthening the state’s participation in international carbon markets.
He said the mission would also examine regulatory requirements for activities under Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement, which provides a framework for international carbon-market cooperation.
Umar said the visit followed strategic discussions involving Myclimate, the Niger Government and ICA Finance in Bonn, Germany, on the sidelines of UNFCCC’s 64th session.
He said Myclimate Foundation, an international climate protection organisation and carbon project developer with roots in Switzerland and Germany, specialises in carbon-market advisory, climate strategy consulting, carbon-footprint calculations and sustainable development education.
According to him, the mission would identify and assess potential carbon projects while establishing baseline conditions needed to determine their technical and investment feasibility.
He said experts with different methodological expertise would conduct field assessments at selected locations across Niger State during the mission.
“The assessment will cover at least three major solid-waste disposal dumpsites to examine viable landfill and alternative waste-management carbon-project pathways. The experts will also visit remote farming and fishing settlements without solar photovoltaic mini-grids or where existing coverage remains incomplete.”
“Rice-producing areas will also be assessed to identify opportunities for carbon projects capable of attracting climate finance and investment into the state,” he said.
Umar said three major public schools would also be assessed, particularly their kitchens and cooking facilities, to determine potential opportunities for emissions-reduction projects.
He said the assessments would generate data needed to guide potential carbon-project design and establish baseline conditions for investment decisions.
The coordinator said the mission would also provide a framework for cooperation among myclimate, the Niger Government and prospective climate-finance and investment partners.
“The delegation is expected to engage Federal Government institutions, including the National Council on Climate Change and offices responsible for climate change and climate finance. These include the Office of the Presidential Special Envoy on Climate Change and the Office of the Presidential Special Adviser to the President on Climate Finance.”
“The programme will begin on August 23rd with the delegation’s arrival in Nigeria, before engagements with Federal Government climate institutions on August 24th. The team will subsequently travel to Niger State for its first project-site assessment after completing the federal-level engagements,” he disclosed.
Umar said the delegation would hold stakeholder meetings in Niger State on August 25th, followed by additional project-site visits on August 26th.
He said the Niger State engagements would conclude on August 27th with a briefing involving state government officials and members of the visiting expert team.
“The mission is expected to produce an assessment report identifying priority carbon-market projects with potential to attract climate finance and investment. It will also provide expert assessments of feasible landfill and alternative waste-management carbon-project pathways across Niger State,” he said.
Umar added that another expected outcome was an objective assessment of the state’s readiness to implement high-integrity carbon projects under applicable international frameworks.
He said the state government was expected to facilitate access to relevant sites and stakeholders to enable the experts to collect baseline information.
According to him, the information would support the development of bankable carbon-market and climate-finance opportunities capable of attracting international investment to Niger State.
He said the initiative was part of efforts to position Niger State to benefit from emerging international carbon markets and climate-finance opportunities under the Paris Agreement.
