Executive Director and Co-Founder of Climate Action Africa (CAA), Grace Oluchi Mbah, flagged off the Climate Action Africa Forum (CAAF2024) on Friday and tasked Nigeria and other African countries on the urgent need to adopt tech-driven solutions and innovations in the fields of emissions reduction, transportation, agriculture, energy, building and construction in the bid to tackle the menace of climate change on the continent.
Mrs. Mbah gave the charge during the press briefing on the forthcoming Climate Change African Forum (CCAF2024) with the theme: ‘Green Economies, Brighter Futures – Innovating and Investing in Africa’s Climate – Smart Development’.
Mrs. Mbah who affirmed that all stakeholders have specific roles to play in combating climate change, argued that: “Africa is disproportionately affected by climate change. To us, climate change is not a theoretical concept, and it has not been for a while. We experience it daily in the ever-increasing heat and humidity.
changes in weather patterns that cumulate in heat waves like the one we experienced last month, which has been declared the hottest February in history, increased incidences of the twin threats of flood and drought, deforestation and desertification.
“These erratic weather patterns in turn have socio-economic effects that we are also familiar with: reduced and less yield, which are driven by supply and demand to be more expensive, unproductive land, wildfires, and war.
“An interesting stat to know is that according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Africa is predicted to become the region grappling with agricultural losses likely to range between five and 15% of their GDP.
“For me, climate change is personal. It’s beyond heat waves and plastic waste. It’s the livelihoods of my mother and all the mothers and farmers who raised me that are constantly threatened. It’s all our mothers working twice as hard on the farms and getting less yield or none at all because of erratic weather patterns, unsustainable practices, and environmental pollution.
“This initiative arose from a call to action. We need to find, innovate, and invest in real solutions that ensure the sustainability of livelihoods in farming communities like the one I grew up in. This will safeguard the lives and livelihoods of our mothers, fathers, and children in vulnerable communities. CAAF is an event that crystallises our shared aspirations and dedication to combating climate change.”
According to him, the cornerstone of CAAF 2024 is the “introduction of the ‘Deal Room’ and a ‘National Call for Innovations’ in crucial areas like emissions reduction, transportation, agriculture, energy, circularity, and building and construction.
“We are looking for technology-driven or enabled solutions from across Nigeria. We welcome pioneers who are steering us towards a sustainable horizon. We also have an invitation to investors from across the world to ensure tangible investments can be made in products and services that can turn the tide in our favour.
“The CAAF24 Deal Room will become a reality due to the efforts of our partners, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Founders Institute and Innovation Support Network. We have a rich programme lineup focused on enabling our attendees to leave with knowledge, skills, and strategies on how to contribute to the growth of the circular economy and how to unlock finance for investments in Adaptation, Mitigation, and Resilience. Equally important to our discourse at CAAF24 is the ‘Energy Evolve Stage,’ led by the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative.
“This platform will delve into the nuances of the energy transition in Nigeria and Africa, spotlighting the indispensable role of renewable energies in our journey towards green growth. It’s an opportunity to align with global best practices while tailoring them to our unique African context.”
In her remarks, Head of Media, Presidential Committee on Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI), Mrs. Taiwo Fasipe, reiterated the present administration’s resolve towards investing in hybrid alternative fuel transportation.
She maintained that: “one way to eliminate carbon footprints is by investing in hybrid alternative fuel transportation. Hence, compressed natural gas creates a better environment in the long run for all of us. The compressed natural gas is efficient and non-corrosive. It’s also a cheaper and more efficient alternative to the traditional gasoline and diesel fuels for vehicles.
“Ultimately, CNG is greener than money, and the ultimate benefit of owning a CNG vehicle is to our environment since CNG burns cleaner and leaves no harmful elements behind This alone should be one of the reasons anyone should choose to upgrade to a CNG van. You still have the convenience of your own transport or peace of mind knowing that you’re doing your part for the environment.
“Furthermore, CNG is not only good for the environment and your car, but it is also a green fuel from a safety perspective. It is common knowledge that the gas emitted from vehicles are harmful to the environment and one of the major causes of health issues like asthma, bronchitis, and a bunch of other respiratory issues. And this is where the PCNI comes in. In collaboration with various agencies and investors, PCJ and its partners have continued to erect infrastructures across Nigeria with the aim of increasing and utilising the indigenous natural gas resources and expanding CNG facilities in Nigeria.”
According to her, PCNI has established CNG conversion centres across Nigeria, especially in Abuja, Lagos, and other parts of the Federation, with a view to establishing a new era in Nigeria’s transportation sector by allowing vehicle owners to adapt to the cleaner and more effective fuel source while accelerating a set of personal economic and environmental benefits most needed to invert the impacts of climate change.
On her part, the NCC,, Mrs. Jummai Vandu, who spoke on behalf of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), reiterated the need to promote a just transition.
“We have natural resources in abundance; Nigeria has over 200 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Mozambique recently discovered over 108 trillion cubic feet of gas. So, what do we do with our natural resources? We must consider them as transitions. Well, that is the position of Africa. That is the position of the National Council on Climate Change.
“But while considering and transiting to using gas as a transition, we must adopt smart processes; we must call for support, and that is why we have set for us to meet our conditional target, our unconditional target of 47 and 20%. We need technical support. We need financial support. We need technical expertise to be able to get it right. So for us, we have a pipeline of initiatives. We have the energy transition plan. We have our NDCs; we have low- and long-term low-emission development strategies. We have the deep decarbonisation pathways; all of these are a pipeline of initiatives to be able to meet our Paris commitment by 2016.
“So, going to the United Nations in 2024. This is going to be the summit for the future in September. The National Council on Climate Change is not just having fits for proposed solutions. We have feet for future solutions. We want every stakeholder to be able to rethink climate change. We want every stakeholder to be able to resist climate change. And we want to also restructure climate change, because that is the only way we can get it right for us to have the outcomes to be right.
“Climate change has to be smart. It’s not just the right thing to do, but it is the smartest thing to do. We’re already feeling the impact. And if you look at the renewed hope agenda of Mr. President, top on his agenda is ending poverty and food sovereignty. So if we’re able to address climate change immediately, we can meet with the first two agenda items of the renewed hope agenda. And then this is the era that we are already feeling the impacts of climate change very closely in our community cyclone.”
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