LAGOS/Nigeria: The Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP), a Civil Society Organisation led by Professor Chukwumerije Okereke, has emphasized the critical role of coordinated climate action at the subnational level for achieving sustainable development in Nigeria. Nnaemeka Oruh, Senior Policy Analyst at SPP, highlighted this during an interview on Democracy Radio, Abuja.
Oruh pointed out that the impacts of climate change are most acute at the State and Local Government levels. “Not so much is being done at the subnational level to address long-standing climate change issues ranging from desertification and land degradation in the north to flooding and erosion in the south,” he lamented.
To understand the full extent of climate change impacts and the actions taken at the subnational level, SPP conducted a research study in 2023. This study, done in collaboration with the Department of Climate Change (DCC) of the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), resulted in the first comprehensive survey of subnational climate impacts titled “Climate Impacts, Policies, and Actions at the Subnational Level in Nigeria.”
The findings of this research were launched in November by the Honourable Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, alongside the Director General of the Nigeria Governors Forum and other stakeholders. “To further measure the extent of climate action and governance at the subnational level, SPP, in collaboration with the DCC, has just concluded a ranking survey scheduled for launch in Abuja on July 25, 2024,” Oruh added.
This ranking survey graded the climate action performances of all 36 States using five criteria: administrative institutions, policy and action plan, budget and finance, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and online visibility. The survey aims to identify performance gaps so that stakeholders can take action to address them.
Oruh attributed the success of last year’s mapping exercise as instrumental in helping Enugu and Taraba States develop comprehensive climate change action plans. Despite the lack of urgency given to climate action by the government and people of Nigeria, he stressed that advancing climate action could address many of Nigeria’s developmental needs.
He recommended increasing investments in renewable energy to resolve the country’s energy crisis, providing clean cooking options for rural women to mitigate health risks, and leveraging climate-smart agricultural practices to address food insecurity and job creation.
“Nigeria’s subnational components, comprising 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, along with its 774 Local Government Areas, suffer from a disconnect between federal policies and subnational implementation,” Oruh noted.
SPP advocates for better coordination between federal and subnational levels, ensuring that subnational climate actions align with global and federal policies while reflecting local needs. “This coordinated action is the only way Nigeria can meet her climate change goals and leverage the process to engender sustainable development,” Oruh concluded.
