The Climate and Sustainable Development Network (CSDevNet) has urged the Federal Government to focus on the agriculture, power and transport sectors to effectively achieve mitigation of climate change.
Abuh said that mitigation involved reducing the flow of heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere either by reducing sources of these gases such as the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heat or transport.
He said that mitigating also involved enhancing the “sinks” that accumulate and store these gases such as the oceans, forests and soil.
“For a developing nation as Nigeria with a growing population, increased energy and transportation demand and to achieve such mitigation and adaptation goals, we must focus on these three key sectors – ariculture, power and tansport.
“The promotion of clean and energy efficient road transport vehicles aims at a broad market introduction of environmentally-friendly vehicles.
“Clean transport systems can fully meet the energy demand of the transport sector. Alternative low-carbon fuels should gradually substitute fossil fuels for transport propulsion in the long term.”
Abuh said that investing in clean urban transport system would go a long way to enable Nigeria achieve these goals.
He said that it was time for Nigeria to begin to harness its vast clean energy opportunities such as the wind, water and sunlight.
Abuh said this would not only help in achieving the mitigation and adaptation of climate change, but would create job opportunities, meet the power need of the people, and bring about sustainable development.
Mr Olumide Idowu, the Communication Specialist of CSDevNet said there was a need for Nigeria to begin using water resources more efficiency in adapting to climate change.
“We need to start adapting sustainable and green building for future climate conditions,” he said.
Idowu said that flood defences should be built as well as develop drought-tolerant crops while choosing the right species for tree planting in different regions of the country. He said land corridors should also be set aside to help species migrate.
Idowu said the government should begin sharing knowledge and approaches to adaptation, and examine existing measures within the policy for effective solutions.
He said that government should also work with stakeholders to promote communication and decide adaptation plans, programmes and measures.
” As the governments think big to achieve the Paris Agreement, it is very important that it starts with the most feasible initiatives across the state,” Idowu said.
According to the 2014 report on Mitigation of Climate Change by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (UN IPCC)the goal of mitigation is to avoid significant human interference with the climate system.
The goal is also to stabilise greenhouse gas levels in a time frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, ensure that food production is not threatened and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner.
