President Muhammadu Buhari announced on Monday in New York, plans and initiatives to reverse the negative effects of climate change in Nigeria.
A statement by Mr Femi Adesina, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, in Abuja, said the plans were revealed in his address to the United Nations Climate Action Summit with the theme: A Race We Can Win. A Race We Must Win.
While sharing the sentiment expressed by the UN Secretary-General that the world is on the verge of climate catastrophe, President Buhari stated that “undeniably, Climate Change is a human-induced phenomenon.”
He stressed the need for the Member States to step-up their collective climate actions in line with the request of the Secretary-General.
“It is in this regard that I wish to reiterate Nigeria’s commitment to its obligation under the Paris Agreement, the aspirations enshrined in our Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and ensure a resilient future that mainstreams climate risks in our decision making.
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“I want to announce that the Government of Nigeria will develop a more robust sectorial action plan, and expand the scope of our Sovereign Green Bonds in line with our intended upward review of Nigeria’s NDC’s towards the inclusion of the water and waste sectors by 2020,” he said.
On the water sector, President Buhari revealed that Nigeria would issue a Green Bond for irrigation and construct multi-purpose dams for power, irrigation and water supply.
He said: “We will strengthen solid and liquid waste management systems to attract more private sector investors.
“We will take concrete steps to harness climate innovative ideas by including youths in decision-making processes as part of our over-all climate governance architecture.
“We will mobilize Nigerian youths towards planting 25 million trees to enhance Nigeria’s carbon sink.”
The Nigerian leader also disclosed that Nigeria had embarked on diversification of its energy sources from dependence on a gas-powered system to hydro, solar, wind, biomass and nuclear sources.
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