COP28: Stakeholders seek increased funding for climate change adaptation in Nigeria

Stakeholders in the environment sector have stressed the need for increased funding to support climate change adaptation initiatives and ensure its successful implementation in Nigeria.

They were speaking at a one-day stakeholder’s pre-Twenty-Eight session of the Conference of Parties, COP28, workshop organised by the National Assembly Committees on Environment in Collaboration with Oxfam in Nigeria and the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), on Thursday in Abuja.

The much anticipated COP28, is the United Nations Climate Change Conference scheduled to take place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 30th November to 12th December 2023.

Director General of the National Council on Climate Change, Dr Salisu Dahiru stated that Nigeria has a lot of issues that are important to its economy and journey towards climate resilience which it hopes to achieve at COP28.

He stated that the current budgetary allocation for the council cannot do much and sought the intervention of partners at the conference.

The Director General said, “As far as Nigeria is concerned, it still represents one of the ten countries that are worst hit by climate change and therefore one of those that are considered to be very vulnerable to climate change.

“We are not forgetful of what happened last year with respect to the flood. Remember last year was 2022. What we also experienced last year was an enactment of what happened in 2012. The massive flooding that held Nigeria to ransom in 2012. But last year when the flood came back, it came back angrier, it came back stronger, it made sure that it had covered areas that it did not cover in 2012, which is a signal that the recurrence of this floods may continue to be more aggressive and therefore more impactful in terms of destruction of infrastructure, destruction of lives and other properties and destruction of the environment. All these put together represent loss in economic terms beyond what the country can bear.

“Therefore the need to really come together and work together and help to reduce the strength and the impact of the climate change actions or effects that we are having in the country is extremely important at this material time”.

Also the Deputy Chairman of House Committee on Environment, Terseer Ugbor said Nigeria’s target at the COP28 would be to secure sustainable funding mechanisms to support climate adaptation while also enhancing the capacity and technical skills of stakeholders involved in climate adaptation to effectively address climate challenges.

“As COP28, Nigeria is not just a participant but a proponent of substantial climate initiative, striving to activate the $100 billion loss and damage funding, and championing an equitable climate action and finance distribution.

“I’m hoping that our presence in COP28 will see that Nigeria comes home with at least $1 billion of investment commitments to help support our climate change efforts in the country,” he said.

Ugbor who is representing the Kwande/Ushongo constituency of Benue state, also said the House Committee is proposing the conversion of the National Council on Climate Change into a Commission.

On his part, the representative of Oxfam, Mr Kenneth Akpan stated that the workshop was an avenue for stakeholders to unite and strategise in presenting unified voice at COP28 towards decisions that will be beneficial to Nigerian.