Media Advocacy on Climate Change Initiative, MACCI has set a performance agenda for the recently sworn-in Minister of Environment, Muhammad Mahmood.
In a press release signed by Victor Emeruwa Executive Director, MACCI, the group charged the minister to be determined to do things differently with regards to climate change issues.
MACCI made it known that the Minister of Environment as a matter of priority must implement the National Adaptation Strategy and Plan of Action on Climate Change in Nigeria, (NASPA-CCN) a policy document drafted since 2011. The policy was deceived as a comprehensive policy material that requires immediate execution which would address issues of climate change in Nigeria.
The group according to the statement said, “at the moment, Nigeria is not moving fast with adaptive measures to mitigate the impact of Climate Change. We face enormous risk if nothing is done to urgently reverse the already observable consequences of Climate Change which is already showing up in the form of extreme flooding, shortage of water in the Lake Chad regions which is causing conflict between herders and farmers.
“As a country we must put back the issues of Climate Change as an integral element for our National priority and form a common ground for adaptation of all activities required for mitigating the impact on our economy and livelihood.
“In Nigeria’s Vision 20:2020 Economic Transformation blueprint, Climate Change is recognized as having the potential to cause “damaging and irrecoverable effects on infrastructure, food production and water supplies.”
The group thereafter urged the Minister to call a Conference of Party on the NASPA-CCN Policy document and present a guideline and timeline for implementation of the policy.
The statement added that, “as signatories to several United Nations treaties on Climate Change, including the 2016 Paris Agreement, Nigeria must apply urgency to the issues of reduction of green house emission, adaptation and financing.
“According to the National Adaptation Strategy and Plan of Action on Climate Change in Nigeria, the country will lose 15 to 25 percent of the GDP to effect of Climate Change if urgent actions are delayed.
“We therefore urge the newly appointed Minister of Environment to take leadership in addressing and prioritizing all issues of Climate Change as it affects Nigeria.”