The Federal Government has stated that the global impact of climate change results from the actions of developed nations, primarily responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions.
The Minister of Environment Balarabe Lawal emphasized this during a discussion with reporters at the COP28 summit in Dubai, underscoring the delegation’s commitment to advocate for positions beneficial to Nigeria and its citizens.
According to him, “The main focus of this year’s conference has to do with the issue of adaptation, mitigation. And the biggest issue is those of loss and damage, which I think is one that affects most of us because we have for a long time been victims of climate change, which is not really our own making.
“It is the making of the industrialized world that has created a lot of climate issues that have affected vulnerable countries, of which Nigeria is part of it: desertification, coastal erosion and a lot of issues that led to all this. So, this year, I think we are lucky. The current president of COP is very determined. I was very impressed with his speech.”
Lawal said Nigeria would present its feelings on the various issues on climate change effects and remediation, adding: “I think this year’s COP is going to be very good for us…That’s why you see a large number of people from Nigeria coming because they’re going to various sectors: the issue of carbon grading, the issue of mitigation, the issue of methane, which the president yesterday, highlighted Nigeria’s position.”
He pointed out that the advanced world has stated their positions and “are already paying $30 billion in that area, and we have over $100 billion in the area of loss and damage, which is the issue of those that have been victims of flood and all sorts of consequences”.