LAGOS/Nigeria: Prof Chukwumerije Okereke, the Director of the Center for Climate Change and Development at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ebonyi State, has called on governors of the 36 states in Nigeria to adopt climate change policies at the state level. In an interview in Lagos, Okereke emphasized the importance of domesticating Nigeria’s climate change policy to mitigate the impact of flooding across the country.
Currently, much of Nigeria’s climate action is concentrated at the national level, including target setting, policy pronouncements, and implementation. However, according to Okereke, for these policies to have a tangible impact on people’s lives and property, they must be cascaded down to the subnational level.
The professor pointed out that various developmental activities significantly affect climate mitigation and adaptation, such as urban planning, housing, road construction, and agricultural practices, which are all primarily under the control of state governments. Neglecting the involvement of subnational levels, Okereke warned, would hinder progress in tackling climate change effectively.
Recognizing that the climate is changing, and with an expectation of more flooding incidents in Nigeria, Okereke stressed that the extent of destruction caused by such floods largely depends on the adaptation and development efforts undertaken by state governments. To combat flooding issues, he urged governors to translate federal-level policies, like the Climate Change Act and the National Adaptation Plan, into state-specific actions in areas like waste disposal, water resource management, tree planting, and sustainable land use management.
In line with the National Climate Change Act, Okereke emphasized the need for state-level directors and directors of climate change across the six Geopolitical zones in Nigeria, promoting synergistic coordination between national and regional levels.
The Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP), an international NGO, is already taking steps to assess climate change’s impact at the state level and how states are responding to it. Okereke revealed that the SPP plans to collaborate with the Nigerian Governors Forum and the Department of Climate Change to map climate impacts, policies, and actions in each state, with the goal of supporting governors in adopting and implementing climate change policies effectively.
As the SPP conducts its analyses, it hopes to gain valuable insights into state-level efforts to combat climate change and collaborate with national and international partners to provide necessary financial and planning assistance.
Okereke expressed his hope that governors would actively participate in the survey, as their involvement is vital in developing climate solutions and effectively addressing the flooding issues that plague various states.
