As Nigeria comes close to the end of its Nationally Determined Condition (NDC) revision process, stakeholders in the climate change sector are seeking strong political commitment towards the new policy framework.
Speaking at the opening of a two-day stakeholders’ workshop on the NDC revision process update convened by the department of climate change under the Federal Ministry of Environment and its partners yesterday in Keffi, the experts were unanimous in their call for government buy in in the new NDC process, saying its successful implementation is guaranteed with government participation.
Giving her opening remarks, the acting director, DCC, Mrs Halima Bawa-Bwari, emphasized that participatory process and national ownership are critical to the success of the NDC revision/implementation, expressing satisfaction with the different MDAs participating in the NDC update workshop.
“With this workshop, we hope to prepare relevant stakeholders on what to expect in the new NDC, secure strong political commitment towards all the process of submitting a new NDC.
“This workshop is expected to provide opportunity to all our consultants to deliberate and provide summaries of scope, objectives and methods for their workstream. Secondly, to make presentations on the main results/conclusions. And thirdly, to reference relevant MDA policies, plans and other inputs received so as to affirm Federal Government of Nigeria’s co-ownership of the conclusions.
“Finally, it is to present key recommendations for integration in the NDC update. Your recommendations to the department of climate change (DCC) are expected for the elements to be included in the new NDC after listening to all the consultants,” she said.
The DCC boss pointed out that the job of stakeholders were very important to Nigeria’s future climate action as the expected contributions at the workshop would inform both consultants for the NDC revision compilation (Ricardo Energy Team) and the decision makers on how to finalize Nigeria’s new NDC (including in terms of numbers for the unconditional and conditional targets).
She acknowledged the immense contributions of NDC Partnership and all development partners around the globe, UNDP, international consultants and the nation’s consultants to the process.
Earlier in her goodwill message, the NDC Partnership regional manager for Africa, Margaret Barihaihi, restated the NDC Partnership’s commitment to helping countries combat climate change, stressing it is available to support nations in their drive to achieve their NDCs.
In his remarks, an energy and climate expert with the African Development Bank (AfDB), Mr Innocent Onah, said the bank sees climate change as a very critical area and takes policy engagement and project designs that consider climate change and desertification very seriously.
He added that 40 per cent of the bank’s investments was on climate finance on its daily projects, adding that is why Nigeria NDC must be speaking to the alignment of the climate change development plans to the key objectives of Paris Agreement.
