NEWMAP COLLABORATES WITH FEDERAL MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT / WORLD BANK ON CLIMATE IMMERSION WORKSHOP

by | Feb 28, 2017 | News | 0 comments

Climate Change is a defining challenge of our time. There is scientific evidence that it does exit and Africa is the most vulnerable even though the GHG emission is lower in developing countries, this is because we do not have the capacity and technology to mitigate the effect of Climate Change. Climate Resilient is our collective responsibility because we all contribute to GHG emission in one way or the other. The temperature is increasing and as well as sea level rise, we need to take smart actions and the time is now. It is against this backdrop that the Federal Ministry of Environment (Climate Change Department) in collaboration with the World Bank organized these workshop series on Climate Change Knowledge Immersion across the regions in Nigeria

Objectives:

The objective of the workshop was to enlighten Nigerians about the issue of climate change and the impact on our social economic development, with the understanding addressing effects/issues of Climate Change is not the sole responsibility of Federal government but that of all stakeholders( from federal, state to local governments). The staging of these workshops at the states was to encourage those at the states and Local levels to contribute to National Actions on Climate Change. The event included knowledge management and information on facts as regards climate change and its effects; and promotion of discussions among Nigerian stakeholders, towards accelerating climate-resilient and low-carbon development in Nigeria.

 

The specific objectives of the workshops were:

  1. To improve understanding of global climate change science, trends and ambitions of climate action.
  2. Share understanding of climate change impacts, opportunities and goals in Nigeria.
  3. Recognize role of stakeholders in implementing sectoral and multi-sectoral climate actions, and,
  4. Call to action – stakeholder’s engagement. Proactively seeking out opportunities in enhanced policy frameworks, financing, project design and implementation.

 

The Workshop series took place as follows;

Workshop 1: State Governments from South (Ogun) – 12-13 Feb 2017

Workshop 2: State Governments from North (Kaduna) – 15 Feb 2017

Workshop 3: Members of Parliament, NASS (Abuja) – 16 Feb 2017

Workshop 4: Federal Line Ministries (Abuja) – 17 Feb 2017

 

Participants:

The two workshops, in Abeokuta Ogun state and in Kaduna state was well attended with over 400 participants in each state. The Commissioners of environment in the 19 Northern states of Nigeria were present or in some cases represented by the Permanent Secretaries or Directors. The following sectors were in attendance;

  • federal government
  • state government
  • Local government
  • the Legislature
  • private sector
  • civil society
  • Press men
  • School Children and
  • The general public

Methodology:

  • Opening Remarks/States
  • Technical Presentations
  • Knowledge sharing sessions on lesson learned towards addressing Climate Change
  • Cross Sector Opportunities for climate smart development on Sustainable Land Management, Climate Smart Agriculture, Urban Transport and Coastal Resilience
  • Questions and Answers sessions
  • Recommendation
  • Closing remarks

Workshop Activities:

  1. Opening Remarks by Ministers of Environment:

The first of the workshop series was flagged-off by Ibrahim Jibril Usman, Hon. Minister of State environment in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Monday, 13th February, 2017. While the workshop in Kaduna was declared opened by the Hon. Minister of Environment. Mrs. Amina J. Mohammed represented by Mr. Salisu Dahiru, The National Project Coordinator, Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP).

In her remarks, the Environment Minister reminded stakeholders that continued habitation of the earth depends on greenhouse gases that blanket the planet ensuring that the world’s temperatures are within ranges that will support life. However, the world’s temperature has continued to get warmer especially over the past two centuries due to man’s activities.

 

She said  the urge to reduce green house gas emissions  led to the Paris agreement of 2015 which  came  to force in 2016  having reached the threshold of the required number of countries needed to bring it into force, this in itself is a significant achievement. This Agreement by countries of the world is “our commitment to join hands toward speedily reducing the greenhouse gas emissions.” We also agreed to building resilient communities to the menace of climate change, protect lives and livelihoods as well as improve our health. The Paris Agreement has fixed a clear path to hold the world within safe temperature limits and unseal the means to respond bravely to climate challenge now than ever” she stressed.

 

In his own remarks Usman Jibril stated that “Nigeria was committed to economic transformation, which places inclusive green growth at the center. Thus, the implementation of NDC is certainly the responsibility of Nigerian government to facilitate movement towards this new development path. However, we must take proper steps to educate and engage our people, develop and nurture collaborations and partnership between all of us – federal government, state governments, the Legislature, private sector, civil society and the general public”.

 

 

  1. State governments’ remarks

His Excellency, Mr. Ibikunle Amosun, Ogun State Governor appreciated the Federal Government for holding the first maiden of Climate Change Immersion Workshop in Ogun State. He said that Ogun State is the industrial hub of the Country, and with the knowledge and information offered by this workshop the state  will ensure that before any company/project was sited, necessary Environmental Impact Assessment (EIS) must be carried out to ensure that the companies installs or have the requisite technology with less or zero emission.

Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai represented by Hon. Balarabe Shehu, Kaduna State Commissioner for Environment underscored the disastrous effects of climate change on lives and livelihoods of the citizenry. He also agreed that the more people know about climate change, the better equipped they are to mitigate its effect and perhaps slow its pace.

  1. Technical Presentations
  2. First presentation was made by Benoit Bosquet, Practice Manager, Environment and Natural Resources World Bank on Financing need to achieve INDC ambition (conditional and unconditional). He said that Nigeria’s Climate Commitments was estimated to require over US$140 billion in investment and this is achievable through proactive policies and planning, the private sector and capital markets can be attracted to invest in Nigeria and complement Government efforts. Speaking on Trends in Global Temperature Rise he charged Nigeria to take smart actions given that Africa is the most vulnerable. According to his presentation, 2016 was the warmest year on record, followed by 2014 and 2015.

The Cause of Global Warming: Atmospheric CO2 is Now Higher than It’s Been for 650, 000 Years and Increasing Rapidly. He enlightened the audience on the key indicator of climate change system such as Temperature Increase, ocean warming, sea level rise, precipitation and ice melt. He said “As a result of climate change agricultural productivity will decrease in many regions and the Poor Will Suffer Most and we need to take urgent actions to reduce temperature to 2 degree above pre-industrial level. Forest is the cheapest way to observe carbon he advised”.

 

  1. Second Presentation by Peter Tarfa, and Halima Bawa-Bwari Director and Deputy Director Climate Change Department in Federal Ministry of Environment respectively spoke on the role of Sub-National Government in NDC (National Determined Commitment) implementation. Their presentation highlighted the impact of climate change as well as global initiative on climate change such as UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON HUMAN ENVIRONMENT, 1972 and PARIS AGREEMENT – 2015 – reducing greenhouse gases emissions via mitigation and adaptation

 

On the role of the states she said 50% to 80% of adaptation and mitigation actions necessary to tackle climate change are or will be implemented at the state or local level of governance and were urged to establish climate change desks/units in their Ministries at the 2013 National Council of Environment Lead, provide strong coordination for all the climate change adaptation and mitigation activities across the State, engage in climate change awareness programme, collaborate with the Department of Climate Change in the Federal Ministry of Environment as well as raising additional resources to support the INDC. These will need to come from both the public and private sectors, both domestic and internationally.

 

195 countries, including Nigeria, adopt first universal, climate agreement and INDCs are the contributions Parties will make toward achieving the objective of the Convention after 2020. Speaking on GREEN BONDS, she said it is Innovative; alternative source of funding projects that reduce emissions especially within the identified priority sectors and this will be launched on 23rd February, 2017 in Lagos.

  • Third Presentation by Prof Francis Adesina, OAU, Ile-Ife Nigeria, on CLIMATE CHANGE IN NIGERIA, THE WAY FORWARD FOR STATE LEVEL ACTION; He highlighted the causes of climate change such as unsustainable use of resources – vegetation resources particularly wood  (in charcoal making and other forms of heating/cooking), soil and land resources  Release of Greenhouse gases (GHGs) through burning of fossil fuels, & biomass; agricultural activities, constructions etc. On the way forward we need to invest on Climate Smart Agriculture, focus on other sourcing of energy, show interest in international meetings on climate change and most importantly take the children along with us.
  1. Fourth Presentation by Khairy Al’ Jamal, Representative of World Bank Country Director on Climate Change and Water Resources in Nigeria. He said it is possible to reduce Green House Gas Emissions through proper Water resource management Sector, reduce water losses through minimizing leakage, in drought affected areas, promote urban wastewater treatment and reuse, increase the energy efficiency in irrigation, water supply treatment and distribution and increase the share of water use in hydropower generation (multipurpose dams), Nigeria has developed only 23 percent of its feasible hydropower.

 

  1. First Knowledge sharing session:

Kano state and Sokoto shared their experiences on how they have been addressing the issue of climate change. Sokoto state Commissioner for Environment, Muhammad Bello Sifawa presented programmes executed as part of efforts to ameliorate the effect of climate change in the National Forest Programmes (NFP).

  • The Arid Zone Afforestation Programme ( AZAP) which was executed in the late 1970s to the early 1980s and it targeted all the states north of the 12oN parallel
  • Drought and Desertification Control Programme (DDCP) it provided boreholes and hand dug wells for communities.
  • Forestry 11 Projects: this was a World Bank assisted project it ran from 1987-1994 and shelter belt establishment and sand dune stabilization.
  • EEC project- wood lots, nurseries, shelter belts and training.
  • Gum Arabic Integration Projects 200- 300 hectares of Gum Arabic plantation established, 100 hectares in each of the three senatorial districts
  • NEWMAP project
  • Integrated Ecosystem Project (IEP) 2008- construction of boreholes and two earth dams at Gidan Gado , LGA and Tajaye- Huci at Gwadabawa LGA etc.

Cross Sector Opportunities for climate smart development:

  1. Sustainable Land Management
  2. Climate Smart Agriculture
  • Urban Transport, and

 

  1. E. Other Presentations

The presentations for sectoral opportunities for smart development was to enlighten and educate  participants on the prospects of doing things in a right way because climate change provides us with new technology and ideas as well as tools to mitigate its effects.

  1. Sustainable Land Management by Dr Amos Abu, Senior Environmental and Natural Specialist World Bank. He highlighted the impacts of Climate Change on Sustainable Land Management, the Importance of Sustainable Land and Natural Resources Management in Nigeria, Opportunities to adapt to climate change as well as Opportunities to reduce emissions through Sustainable Land Management. Speaking on What the World Bank Group is already doing, he made reference with NEWMAP project which is very innovative and transformation aimed at reducing vulnerability to soil erosion in Nigeria. He said the Nigeria has one of the highest deforestation rates in the world and there are opportunities for reducing GHG when we manage our natural resources in a sustainable manner.
  2. Optimizing investment in Climate Smart Agriculture for building resilience and adaptation to Climate by Dr. Adetunji Oredipe, Agricultural Expert, World Bank. The presenter was of the opinion that if Nigerian farmers continue in the manner they carry out their agricultural practices, the vulnerable will suffer most and 80% of Agro farmers will be pushed out of farming. Speaking on the impact of climate change, he said climate change reduces crop yields of 20–30 percent, decline productivity of livestock, with adverse consequences on livelihoods. The way to go is climate smart agriculture.
  • Improving Resilience to Climate Change of Nigeria Road Infrastructure by Olatunji Ahmed Sr. Transport Specialist, Transport & ICT, Africa Region, World Bank. The presenter highlighted that Road transport is the main driver of growth of transport sector emissions. Transport contributes 23% of the total emissions. On-road transport contributes 72.1% of the transport sector emissions; Nigeria’s on-road transport sector is significant and growing contributor to overall carbon emissions. He said that road network in Nigeria is about 250km and is in deplorable form. He pointed out that most vehicles in Nigeria run on gasoline which emit a lot of GHG. Things that affect road transport are extreme weather event, flooding and sea level rise. He also spoke on building road resilience a way of adequate maintenance and steps to address Climate change through on-road transport. He highlighted the Opportunities to adapt to Climate change in the transport sector – West Africa Coastal Areas Resilience Project as well as what the World Bank is already doing in transport sector in Africa

 

 

 

  1. Questions Suggestion and Observations
  2. What support is the World Bank providing to Gombe state to mitigate effect of climate change?
  3. NEWMAP seems to be concentrating on erosion, how does it support climate change?
  4. Kogi state suffered worst in 2012 flood. Is Kogi state getting a dam upstream to mitigate flooding? And what afforestation and reforestation support is Kogi state getting.

 

  1. Recommendation
  2. Establishment of climate change unit in their respective states
  3. Develop climate change action plan to guide implementation structure.
  • Strengthen law and regulation relating to climate change
  1. Climate Change should be introduced to our school curriculum carry the youth along.
  2. Encourage afforestation and discourage deforestation
  3. Curb desert encourage and build the capacity of the forest guards for sustainability.
  • Emphasis the implementation of afforestation program to ensure we have a lot of carbon in the country to absorb what we emit
  • States agreed to adopt the practice of greening their budget
  1. Robust campaign or awareness on climate change issues.
  2. Federal ministry of environment to liaise with the National Assemble on greening the National budget.
  3. Each state to develop climate resilient strategy.
  • States to engage in investment opportunities e.g. in waste management
  • FG to improve river transportation system to reduce emission on the road transport
  • State should discourage farming on forest reserve
  1. Encourage tree planting in schools
  • Third Presentation by Prof. Alo Babajide, Lagos State University on the Impact on Climate Change on Regional Development. According to Prof. Alo, Land degradation (Erosion in the East, desertification in the North), air and water pollution, sea level rise, food insecurity, degraded agricultural productivity, security issues in the North and Niger Delta are all linked to climate Change. Speaking on sea rise he said for those living around the sea if nothing is done by 2030 their building will be covered with flood. He said again Climate change alters the production of natural resources and increases related mobility.

To combat the effect of climate change there is need for a coordinated mitigation and adaption measures e.g. planting of more trees, smart agriculture, use of renewable energy both solar and wind, promotional of energy saving transportation system.

  1. . Second Knowledge sharing session:

This session took care of representatives of Ogun, Lagos and Akwa Ibom states who shared their experiences on the negative impact of climate change in their various states and measures put in place to mitigate the effect of climate change. In Ogun we learnt about massive reforestation of Arewa forest, Waste to Energy project and regulations to check erosion. For Akwa Ibom state, there was a summit held in this regard, clean cook stoves were given to rural women, the state is in partnership with foreign agencies as well as NEWMAP and FADAMA in smart Agriculture, sensitization and awareness has been scaled up as well as capacity building programmes.

Cross Sector Opportunities for climate smart development:

  1. Sustainable Land Management
  2. Climate Smart Agriculture
  3. Urban Transport, and
  • Coastal Resilience

The presentations for sectoral opportunities for smart development was to enlighten and educate  participants on the prospects of doing things in a right way because climate change provides us with new technology and ideas as well as tools to mitigate its effects.

  • Sustainable Land Management by Dr Amos Abu, Senior Environmental and Natural Specialist World Bank. The presenter highlighted the impact of Climate Change on Sustainable Land Management, the Importance of Sustainable Land and Natural Resources Management in Nigeria, Opportunities to adapt to climate change as well as Opportunities to reduce emissions through Sustainable Land Management. Speaking on What the World Bank Group is already doing, he made reference with NEWMAP project which is very innovative and transformational aimed at reducing vulnerability to soil erosion in Nigeria.
  • Optimizing investment in Climate Smart Agriculture for building resilience and adaptation to Climate Change by Dr. Adetunji Oredipe, Agricultural Expert, World Bank. The presenter was of the opinion that if Nigerian farmers continue in the manner they carry out their agricultural practices, the vulnerable will suffer most and 80% of Agro farmers will be pushed out of farming. Speaking on the impact of climate change, he said climate change reduces crop yields of 20–30 percent, decline productivity of livestock, with adverse consequences on livelihoods. The way to go is climate smart agriculture.
  • Improving Resilience to Climate Change of Nigeria Road Infrastructure by Olatunji Ahmed Sr. Transport Specialist, Transport & ICT, Africa Region, World Bank. The presenter highlighted that Road transport is the main driver of growth of transport sector emissions. Transport contributes 23% of the total emissions. On-road transport contributes 72.1% of the transport sector emissions; Nigeria’s on-road transport sector is significant and growing contributor to overall carbon emissions. He said that road network in Nigeria is about 250km and is in deplorable form. He pointed out that most vehicles in Nigeria run on gasoline which emit a lot of GHG. Things that affect road transport are extreme weather event, flooding and sea level rise. He also spoke on building road resilience a way of adequate maintenance and steps to address Climate change through on-road transport. He highlighted the Opportunities to adapt to Climate change in the transport sector – West Africa Coastal Areas Resilience Project as well as what the World Bank is already doing in transport sector in Africa.
  • Building Climate Resilience for Coastal Areas of Nigeria by Joseph Akpokodje Senior Environmental Specialist, World Bank. He said that over 25m Nigerian is living in the coastal areas. He also pointed out the impact of climate change on coastal areas such as accelerated sea rise, loss of assets with reference to 2012 floods in Nigeria with loss of – US$9.5 billion. He mentioned the opportunities to adapt to Climate change in the sector, the Africa Climate Business Plan: Strengthening Climate Resilience of Coastal Areas in West Africa and What the World Bank is already doing in Africa.

 

  1. Questions Suggestion and Observations
  2. What is the Federal government doing in power sector to reduce importation of generation which contributes immensely to GHG emission?
  3. Why is Africa so vulnerable to climate change considering the fact that the emission level in Africa is lower compared to developed countries?
  4. Falling of tree/ deforestation is wrong, how do we communicate this to the rural people when kerosene and other fuels are expensive?
  5. To what extents are the states involved in the INDC?
  6. What is the meaning of mitigation and adaptation? (Student)
  7. How do cutting of trees contributes to climate change? (Student)
  8. How can we prevent climate change at school level? (Student)
  9. Anambra State Commissioner of Environment, interlocking of houses causes flooding and erosion, students are to plant trees before leaving school.

It was obvious at the end that climate change is real. It is our responsibility because we all are contributing to GHG and we all have a role to play. Rural women cannot stop felling trees when there are no alternatives for her to cook. A worker cannot cycle to office with poor road network and no functional transport services. This is where the governments   comes in. it was a general agreement that climate change is real and drastic action is required by all. National response must be integrated by local, state and federal governments to provide solutions for climate change problems. Again adequate funding is necessary to combat the problem of climate change.

Worthy to mention is the involvement of school children in the workshop to inculcate the knowledge of Climate Change in them. It is obvious that 99% of school children that participated no nothing about climate change.

At the end of the workshop some recommendations were made, read and adopted by all participants.

 

  1. Recommendations
  2. Every states to establish a climate change desk office.
  3. Every state to develop climate change action plan to guide implementation of NDC and action plan should be governed by implementing structures.
  4. Every state governments to enact and strengthen laws on issues that has to do with Climate Change, g. planting of trees, not to develop 40% of your Land in the state.
  5. State governments to encourage forestation and afforestation projects
  6. States to ensure the integration of Climate Change issues  in their budget plan
  7. States to ensure capacity building and awareness programme on Climate Change
  8. Adopt the practice of greening project
  9. States to undertake Climate Change knowledge immersion programme e.g. establishing Climate Change Clubs in Schools.
  10. States to take advantage of investment opportunity to reduce GHG
  11. State to explore global funding opportunity to reduce climate change with a good developed proposal
  12. State should share best practices
  13. State should seek support from the World Bank and other international donors to mitigate GHG emission.
  14.  States to maintain regular partnership with the federal government through the establishment of inter-ministerial committee on climate change.

 

  1. Closing remarks: Mr., Salisu Dahiru, National Project Coordinator, NEWMAP

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