The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal has affirmed the Ministry’s commitment to ensure full implementation of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) document to enhance environmental sustainability in Nigeria.
Balarabe who was represented by the Ministry Permanent Secretary, Mahmud Adam Kambari stated this recently in Abuja during a high level validation workshop of NAP documentation with delegations from the 36 States, FCT, Academia, Representatives of the Physically Challenge People and other relevant MDAS.
The Minister disclosed that Nigeria is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and its phenomena manifests from changing weather patterns such as Drought and Desertification, to rising sea levels, inundation of coastal lands by sea water and flooding with adverse impacts on food security, human health and settlements resulting in increased loss of lives and property.
Balarabe also mentioned that addressing climate change is one of the cardinal agenda of this administration. Nigeria, is a party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement.
The Minister further revealed that Nigeria made a commitment to reduce Green House Gas emissions by 47%, with international support for adaptation strategies by aligning with Nigeria’s NAP that is about to be validated.
“Adapting to climate change means taking action to prepare for and adjust to both the current effects of climate change and the predicted impacts in the future,” he added.
He equally disclosed that Nigeria’s NAP, supported by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), is building on the 13 identified thematic areas in the National Adaptation Strategy & Plan of Action (NASPA), stressing that the major activity of the NAP Process is the conduct of Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment ( CRVA ) aimed at identified Communities Vulnerability.
He also stated that presently, talks are on going with the NAP Global Network and other Delivery Partners to address other identified gaps such as “Issues on Loss & Damage”, “Human Mobility and the NAP Process” , “Education Considerations and the NAP.
Earlier in his welcome address, Mr Jonah Barde, Deputy Director, Department of Climate Change said that climate change impacts are on the rise globally and Nigeria is not exempted in the extreme weather events and climate variability as it impacts many sectors, ranging from key infrastructures, biodiversity and security challenges.
He also thanked the stakeholders for honouring the call to national assignment to ensure environmental sustainability nationwide.
The National Council on Climate Change (NCCC ), United Nation Environmental Programmes (UNEP), Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nation (FOA) in their separate goodwill messages pledged their support to ensure full coordination and support the domestication of NAP document in Nigeria.
The National Project Coordinator of NAP, Mr Kayode Aboyeji, in his closing remark noted that the NAP document will be made available to the public after ratification by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and submission at the forthcoming COP 30 at Belme, Brazil.
Signed
Ibrahim Haruna
Director of Information and Public Relations
