In anticipation of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, Nigeria confronts a stark disparity between its professed commitments and concrete actions regarding climate-related challenges.
Despite the launch of “Project 250k” during COP27, an initiative aimed at involving youth in the annual planting and nurturing of 250,000 trees to combat climate change effects, the ambitious tree-planting endeavor remains unfulfilled a year later.
Despite the articulated objectives by the Minister of Youth and Sport, Sunday Dare, the lack of progress on “Project 250k” is disheartening.
This initiative, designed not only to address environmental issues but also to foster climate awareness among the youth, appears to have stalled.
While the Department of Climate Change (DCC) acknowledged an invitation to participate in the Technical Working Group, there have been reports of no advancement.
As COP28 looms, there is a possibility that the Nigerian government may make additional pledges to contribute to climate solutions.
Identifying Necessary Actions
The failure to implement such tree-planting initiatives is not a new phenomenon in Nigeria. The country has a history of unfulfilled commitments to climate resilience projects, leaving it susceptible to the impacts of extreme weather events.
The significance of tree planting in capturing carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, underscores missed opportunities for climate action in Nigeria.
As the world prepares for COP28, climate advocates in Nigeria express profound concerns about repeated unmet climate promises on the global stage.
Nnimmo Bassey, director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation, stresses the necessity for more technocrats and civil society actors in negotiations to prevent empty promises.
“We need to involve more technocrats and civil society actors in the negotiations, minimizing intersection with politicians as much as possible,” he emphasized.
With climate events escalating, the urgency to translate promises into action becomes increasingly evident.
Leading up to COP28 in Dubai
The political sphere paints a different picture. President Bola Tinubu, scheduled to attend COP28, intends to deliver a national statement highlighting Nigeria’s position on renewable energy and climate financing.
While the president’s emphasis on increased support for developing nations and holding businesses accountable may suggest a commitment to sustainable practices, the growing disparity between the government’s political assurances and on-the-ground reality raises doubts about Nigeria’s ability to navigate the complex terrain of climate action.
“COP28 appears poised to be a symbolic ritual of evading climate action, with nations displaying mere symbolic gestures of inactivity.
This prognosis may seem severe, but considering recent weather events, including heightened water stress, desertification, floods, and droughts, there is no way to downplay the bitter reality of the climate challenges we are facing,” Mr. Bassey added.
As the global community gathers in Dubai to address the urgent climate crisis, Nigeria stands at a crucial juncture: bridging the divide between rhetoric and authentic commitment to environmental sustainability.
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