Buhari Inaugurates Climate Change Council

President Muhammadu Buhari has inaugurated the Climate Change Council.

The president did this on Wednesday while presiding over the federal executive council at the council chambers of the presidential villa, Abuja.

On November 18, 2021, Buhari signed the climate change bill into law as a way of solidifying Nigeria’s pledges at COP26 and its commitments to the Paris agreement.

He said the Act will enable the mainstreaming of climate change actions and the establishment of a National Council on Climate Change.

He added that the Act will also pave the way for environmental and economic accounting and a push for a net zero emission deadline plan in the country.

However, six months after the bill was signed, there was no implementation. This led to public outcry from stakeholders and civil society organisations (CSOs).

So, on July 19, Buhari appointed Salisu Dahiru as the director general of the Climate Change Council to champion the implementation of the Act.

During his appointment, Dahiru was mandated to ensure that the implementations of the Climate Change Council are in sync with the aspirations enshrined in the nationally determined contributions (NDCs).

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo was present at the inauguration as well as Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation; Ibrahim Gambari, chief of staff to the president, and Folasade Yemi-Esan, head of the service of the federation, among others.

“Updated data show increases in sea level rise, heat waves, wildfires, floods, desertification, drying wetlands and many more disruptive climate occurrences,” he said.

“The latest Intergovernmental Panel on climate change report warns that rising greenhouse gas emissions could soon outstrip the ability of communities to adapt, and the window for taking decisive steps needed to spare our planet from the gravest impacts of climate change is rapidly narrowing.

“We cannot ignore what is happening in our local environment. The increasing re-occurrence of floods in several parts of the country is a wakeup call.

“It is against this background that in November 2021, after COP 26 in Glasgow, I signed the Nigeria Climate Change Act despite noticeable implementation challenges inherent in the Act, to set the framework for mainstreaming climate change action, carbon budgeting and the establishment of the National Council on Climate Change.

”The council is tasked with the responsibility of formulating appropriate policies and other mechanisms for achieving low greenhouse gas emissions, including green growth and sustainable economic development for Nigeria.”

He said, ahead of COP27, the council would harmonise issues relating to climate change, energy transition plan, emissions trading scheme and carbon trading framework, in line with its mandate under the Act.

He directed the ministers of justice and environment to initiate appropriate amendments of “noticeable implementation challenges” inherent in the Act.

Mohammed Abdullahi, the minister of environment, thanked the President for “walking the talk” on climate change at national, regional and international level; as well as demonstrating leadership towards Nigeria’s 2060 net-zero target.

The Council which will be chaired by the President, has the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as its Vice Chairman and Salisu Dahiru, director general of the Climate Change Council as its secretary.

Other members of the Council are Mohammed Abdullahi, minister of environment; Timipre Sylva, minister of state for petroleum resources; Zainab Ahmed, minister of finance, budget and national planning; Abubakar Malami, minister of justice;

Olamilekan Adegbite, minister of mines and steel development; Mohammad Abubakar, minister of agriculture and rural development; Abubakar Aliyu, minister of power; Pauline Tallen, minister of women affairs; Mu’azu Sambo, minister of transportation; and Suleiman Adamu, minister of water resources, amongst others.