By tf-lawyer.com Michael Olugbode in Abuja
As we look forward to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) set to take place from November 11 to 22, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan, the European Union (EU) is teaming up with Nigeria’s National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) to train the nation’s climate negotiators. The aim is for these negotiators to advance Nigeria’s interests on the global stage and foster consensus, which is vital for achieving meaningful international agreements that align with local priorities.
During a training session for climate negotiators on Monday in Abuja, Massimo De Luca, the Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, praised Nigeria’s proactive stance following COP28. He pointed out that Nigeria was among the first nations to endorse the EU’s commitment to tripling renewable energy sources and doubling energy efficiency by 2030. Moreover, he acknowledged the formation of the NCCC as a pivotal step toward furthering Nigeria’s climate agenda.
“This positions Nigeria as a significant leader in Africa, setting a benchmark for other countries,” De Luca asserted. “We believe that by enhancing the skills of Nigerian climate negotiators attending this year’s COP meetings, they will engage more effectively, representing a well-defined national position.”
De Luca went on to explain that the EU has initiated a senior-level energy and climate dialogue with Nigeria, aiming to create a technical engagement platform that contributes to broader political discussions. He indicated that the EU is poised to assist the NCCC in reviewing key sectors of Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), including waste management, energy, and the circular economy.
In her remarks, Dr. Nkiruka Madueke, Director-General of the NCCC, emphasized Nigeria’s role as a leader in climate change discussions both in Africa and worldwide, underscoring the importance of training its negotiators. “Climate negotiation is a critical endeavor,” she said. “We need a robust team for our discussions at the UNFCCC. We cannot call ourselves the giant of Africa if we don’t have a significant presence in climate negotiations.”
Dr. Madueke added that climate change poses a multifaceted challenge that requires urgent attention. “If we fail to address it seriously, we risk being left behind.”
Martine Sobey, the Climate Change and Nature Team Leader at the British High Commission, echoed these sentiments. “The demand for well-trained, skilled negotiators has never been more urgent. The two weeks in Baku will be a pivotal moment for global climate action, and Nigeria’s involvement must be both strategic and influential.” She emphasized that Nigeria needs to assemble a focused, goal-oriented team equipped with technical expertise and the ability to forge alliances with other nations to skillfully navigate the UN-NCCC processes.
In a related initiative, the EU recently sponsored a capacity-building workshop aimed at reducing methane emissions in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. This workshop provided industry stakeholders, including international and indigenous oil companies, as well as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), with important insights on how to accurately measure and monitor emissions from the oil and gas sector, agriculture, and waste.
During the workshop, Dr. Madueke commended the initiative as a crucial step in tackling methane emissions in Nigeria. “Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, possessing over 80 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide over a 20-year span,” she noted. “Reducing methane emissions is vital not only for environmental sustainability but also for economic efficiency, as leaks from oil and gas operations represent considerable resource loss.”
“Mitigating methane emissions not only addresses climate change but also provides a cost-effective strategy for achieving measurable environmental benefits. Nigeria is fully committed to this endeavor. In our 2021 NDCs, we pledged to eliminate routine gas flaring by 2030 and to cut fugitive methane emissions by 60 percent by 2031. To support these goals, we have formulated three regulatory frameworks.”
