Founder, Our Tomorrow Endowment, a pan African climate advocacy non governmental organisation (NGO), Prince Emeka Obasi Jnr, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to take more decisive action to tackle climate change.
Obasi, a Nigerian born student in the United Kingdom, noted that while Buhari has demonstrated remarkable commitment in tackling the challenge of climate change in Nigeria, and on the African continent, there is need for a coordinated continental response against the challenge.
He said his appeal to President Buhari is prompted by devastating affects of climate change in Africa.
He said, “Climate change and environmental pollution are matters I care strongly about, because I am aware of the danger they pose, particularly to our continent’s survival. The world marked Earth Day on April 22 under the theme, ‘Invest in our Planet’, I have resolved to invest my time and contribute my quota to raise awareness about the impending dangers of climate change and environmental pollution.”
The letter read in part, “Mr President, I resolve to write you because during my visit to Nigeria in January, I toured a number of communities that are already bearing the brunt of the environmental crisis. Mr. President, it was an unpleasant experience. In Ogoni in Rivers State for example, the environment has been degraded by oil spills; farmlands have been destroyed and water bodies polluted. In the Port Harcourt metropolis, black soot has become a terrifying fact of life. The people of the region complain bitterly because their means of livelihood, which revolves around fishing and farming, has been destroyed. The situation is similar in most parts of the state and indeed the entire Niger Delta region.
“I also witnessed the threat that rising sea levels pose to inhabitants of the coastal areas of Lagos, and equally got acquainted with the devastating impact desertification is already having in the northern parts of the country.
“Indeed, across Africa, we are witnessing the most severe effects of climate change. It has led to seasons of drought, excess floods and desertification which have exacerbated the security situation in the continent.
“UNICEF projects that as many as 20 million people in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia will need water and food assistance in the next six months. At the moment, nearly 5.5 million children in these four countries are threatened by acute malnutrition and an estimated 1.4 million children by severe acute malnutrition. There are fears that this number will increase by 50 percent if the rains do not come in the next three months.
“The experience I had interacting with impacted communities made me commit to doubling my effort towards creating awareness around these issues” , he said.
He praised Buhari’s presentation at Conference of Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland last year, where he stressed the need for global solidarity in tackling climate change.
He further said, “I was glad when, during your presentation at the Conference of Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland late last year, you pledged that Nigeria will cut its emissions to net zero by 2060. You also stressed the need for easier access to climate finance for developing countries, especially given the fact that Africa is only responsible for 5 per cent of global emissions. It is only fair that developed countries help fund the transition away from fossil fuels in developing countries that are yet to industrialise. You courageously reminded developed countries of the critical need for them to meet their ‘National Determined Contribution,’ the commitment through which developed countries pledged $100 billion at the Paris Accord in 2016 to tackle the effect of climate change globally.
“Your commitment to implement an ambitious energy compact, including the flagship project of electrifying 5 million households including 25 million people using decentralized solar energy was impressive.”
Obasi, regreted that since the COP26 in November last year, not much has been done to follow the commitment.
He urged Buhari to take more decisive action on climate change.
“The situation is dire and unfortunately, there is not much continental effort to tackle it. Mr. President, you have a responsibility, as the leader of the most populous country in Africa to step up to the challenge, mobilise the entire continent and lead the campaign against climate change and environmental pollution. Your administration must step in here and establish a national media campaign to educate Nigerians on these issues. Collaboration between the private and public sector is critical if Nigeria is to achieve net zero emissions by 2060. State and local governments should take the initiative and address the effects of climate change within their jurisdictions. In all these, Mr. president, you should take the lead, and from the front. I hope that in the near future, I will have the privilege to meet with you and brief you on my efforts to combat climate change”, he said.
Cyril