The Federal Government has said Nigeria’s 2050 long-term low emission vision document is a demonstration of the nation’s commitment to play a leading role in the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
The Minister of State for Environment, Barr. Sharon Ikeazor, made this assertion sequel to the formal publication of Nigeria’s Long-term Vision (LTV) document by the secretariat of the United Nation’s Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Ikeazor described the document as an important landmark for the actualisation of Nigeria’s quest for mitigating the negative effects of climate change and a path to meeting its de-carbonation targets.
“I am happy that the LTV document has been published by the UNFCCC and I wish to express our appreciation to the 2050 Pathways that funded the vision and all the stakeholders that contributed to the vision,” she stated.
She recalled that a key part of the Paris Agreement was the invitation to parties “to formulate and communicate by 2020 long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies”.
The minister explained that the LTV 2050 is the initial step towards the development of the long-term strategies (LTS) which explore options to lower GHG emissions and contribute to the objective of reaching net-zero GHG emissions globally around the middle of the century.
“It provides a clear sense of direction for a well-managed transition to a low-carbon economy that grows existing and new sectors and creates new jobs and economic opportunities for the nation.
“The LTV communicates the vision that by 2050, Nigeria will be a country of low-carbon, climate-resilient, high-growth circular economy that reduces her current level of emissions by 50 per cent and moves towards having net-zero emissions in the second half of the century across all sectors of her development in a gender-responsive manner,” she explained.
A statement by the ministry’s director of press, Saghir el Mohammed, said the next step would be the development of the Long-term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) which will develop scenarios and models that help to translate the vision document into quantified emission reduction targets, together with technology options and cost implications.
“I am looking forward to the development of the LTS to complement Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan and provide options for meeting decarbonisation targets, as announced by President Muhammadu Buhari at COP 26 in Glasgow,” she added.
