As the world moves towards achieving NetZero in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has entered discussions with Global Green Development Group and NOAH ReGen, both based in the United States, to collaborate on the Jatropha-To-Biofuel programme.
The initiative will be implemented across 10 states in Nigeria.
At a meeting held at NiMet headquarters in Abuja, director-general of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike welcomed the proposed partnership, stating that it aligns with NiMet’s mandate to monitor atmospheric conditions, analyse climate data and provide forecasts that contribute to socio-economic development.
“NiMet has a broad network of climate change actors and partners. We also work with over 70 million subsistence farmers in Nigeria, disseminating our Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) to help them make informed decisions. We can support the Jatropha-To-Biofuel programme by sharing climate and weather data,” Anosike said.
He added that the collaboration would also enhance efforts to respond to climate-related disasters in Nigeria.
Mary Flowers, CEO of Global Green Development Group, emphasised the importance of NiMet’s data for the project’s success.
“For this initiative to succeed in Nigeria, we must leverage NiMet’s extensive climate data. Data will drive everything and with your scientific insights and over 100 years of climate records, we can bring this project to market much faster,” she said.
CEO of NOAH ReGen, Frederic Degret noted that the Jatropha-To-Biofuel programme aligns with the Re’Planet Ecosystem, an initiative launched in partnership with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).
“The Re’Planet Ecosystem is a transformational toolkit and global blended financial platform focused on nature-based assets and carbon credits (NBACCs). It helps nation’s structure debt-for-nature swaps, unlocking and monetising their highest potential of NBACCs, including blue carbon,” Degret explained.
