The commitment of the Federal Government to implement essential climate change policies for a more environmentally friendly economy has been emphasized.
During a stakeholder’s workshop on the engagement of Just and Gender Inclusive Transition (JGIT) in Abuja, Ismaila Abubakar, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, reiterated this commitment.
The workshop, a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Labour and the Initiatives for Climate Action Transparency (ICAT), served as a platform to discuss and engage in climate-related issues.
Ismaila Abubakar highlighted Nigeria’s significant strides in establishing crucial climate action policies.
The permanent secretary said: “Nigeria being a signatory to the Paris Agreement on climate change would do everything possible to ensure a Just Green Transition economy is achieved. The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, in line with its mandate, is tasked with ensuring a Just Transition.
“This is whereby more job opportunities are created instead of job losses as the federal government gears towards a greener economy.
“This is why the ministry, in the spirit partnership, is being supported by ICAT to drive this process through the Nigeria-ICAT project.”
In alignment with the previously mentioned objectives, the Permanent Secretary pointed out that ICAT assisted Nigeria in establishing an MRV Institutional Arrangement with a specific emphasis on three key priorities.
These priorities encompassed the development of MRV indicators and tools within sectors such as oil and gas and transport, aiming to monitor and track the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement.
Abubakar further explained that the primary goal of the workshop was to assess and enhance the current definitions, concepts, and overall approach to Just and Gender Inclusive Transition (JGIT) in Nigeria.
He said: “The outcomes of this workshop will set a precedent on the next steps and way forward in the drive for a Just and Gender Inclusive transition in Nigeria.”
Yerima Tarfa, the Team Lead for the Nigeria ICAT JGIT project implementation, highlighted that the project’s primary goal is to foster tripartite cooperation on climate action in accordance with the provisions of the Paris Agreement.
Additionally, he outlined another objective, which involves the development of a Just and Gender Inclusive Transition (JGIT) MRV system. This system is designed to establish a connection with sectoral MRV systems and the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) implemented by the Ministry of Environment, among other components.