STATEMENT
BY
PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
HIS EXCELLENCY, ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU
DELIVERED BY
MR BALARABE ABBAS LAWAL
HONOURABLE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT
AT THE
TWENTY NINTH SESSION OF THE CONFERENCE OF PARTIES TO THE UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
(COP29-UNFCCC)
19TH NOVEMBER, 2024
BAKU, AZERBAIJAN.
Mr. President,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Mr. President, Mr. Mukhtar Babayev, I am pleased to congratulate you on your election as the President of this 29th Conference of Parties. The Nigerian delegation would like to assure you of our support and commitment towards achieving good outcomes for this Conference.- We further extend our heartfelt gratitude to the President; His Excellecy, Ilham Aliyev and the good people of the Republic of Azerbaijan for hosting the first COP in the Caucasus Region.
- Nigeria is one of the countries of the world most vulnerable to adverse impact of climate change. There are increasing evidences that the country is experiencing widespread challenges attributed to climate change and its impacts. These directly constitute severe limitations to the achievement and progress of our sustainable development and associated aspirations.
Mr President
- To address these concerns, the country is intensifying the implementation of policies and plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions, increase resilience, and include climate change solutions into national planning processes. Nigeria is making investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency, afforestation, transportation, and other climate-friendly initiatives.
- Almost ten years after the Paris Agreements, the world stand at a defining juncture on the transition away from fossil fuels. Nigeria has joined the world in the deployment and adoption of several interrelated technologies especially that of renewable energies sources, alternative energy sources such as compress natural gas (CNG) mobility systems and electrification technologies such as electric vehicles (EVs).
- The country is committed to implementing its Energy Transition Plan and Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy, with the goal of increasing renewable energy sources and energy efficiency. We are open to collaborating and partnering to expand our proportion of renewable energy mix.
- Further, Nigeria is working towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2060 and enhancing its National Determined Contribution (NDC). Accordingly, Nigeria has developed its NDC implementation framework and looks forward to partnering on its delivery.
Mr President - In Nigeria, in our stride towards reducing susceptibility to climate change, we are incorporating adaptation measures into policies, programs, and actions. An Adaptation compact with project pipelines exists to help us build the much needed resilience. We are open to partnerships in this regard. Also, the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) is being finalized to make Nigeria more resilient to its development priorities and systems. To enable countries resilience strong enough to withstand climate change impacts, Nigeria hereby advocates for the provision of means of implementation to achieve the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA).
- In our effort to reduce our carbon footprint and achieving our national objectives, we have developed a framework and strategy plan for participation in the Article 6 Carbon Market. In 2023, an Intergovernmental Committee on Carbon Market Activation Plan was formed to oversee the carbon market’s efficient implementation. Further, Nigeria has established an Article 6 Carbon Market Framework that incorporates national interests in carbon market activation plan . Currently, a national carbon registry is being developed.
- Nigeria aligns with the rest of Africa in demanding greater, easier access to international climate finance, including grants and concessional loans, to support mitigation and adaptation efforts. We stress the need to significantly scale up adaptation finance to enable developing countries to accelerate adaptation and build resilience. We also urge for accelerated efforts to operationalize the loss and damage fund to mitigate the damaging impacts of climate change. Nigeria further aligns with the Harare Declaration by the African Ministers of Health to take action on the impact of climate change on health.
Mr President
- Addressing Climate change is a common and shared responsibility. This COP presents all of us another useful opportunity to move from rhetorics to concrete action. The world must act now.
- Thank you all for your attention.
