Environment: FG Lists Gains As Nigeria Moves To Head PAGGW

Environment: FG Lists Gains As Nigeria Moves To Head PAGGW

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja

       Minister of Environment, Dr Muhammad Mahmood Abubakar, addressing newsmen in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY CHIKA OKEKE 

The federal government has drummed support for the numerous achievements recorded in the environment Ministry, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), just as Nigeria prepares to take-over the Presidency of Pan-African Agency of the Great Green Wall (PAGGW).

This is even as 11 countries in the GGW corridors such as Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Sudan have already endorsed Nigeria for PAGGW presidency.

Minister of Environment, Dr Muhammad Mahmood Abubakar stated this in Abuja yesterday while briefing newsmen on, "Recent Positive Developments Within the Environment Sector". 

He noted that during the 7th Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of PAGGW last week in Nouakchott, Mauritania, that the participants agreed that President Muhammadu Buhari should assume the Presidency of the Heads of States and Government of the PAGGW.

The minister stated that the participants also resolved that Nigeria should host the 8th Ministers meeting of the PAGGW and 5th Summit of the Heads of State and Government virtually in September, 2021, even as he was expected to serve as the chairman of Council of Ministers.  

He said the experts harped on the importance of using GGW programme to address biodiversity issues in Africa, just as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and European Union Bank declared support for the programme.

Abubakar said the participants also suggested that PMB's headship of PAGGW would facilitate access to $5 billion grant and $ 14 billion loan available for GGW programmes. 

He said with the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari, that Nigeria had on 30th July, 2021 submitted its final and updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which captured emission reduction from the waste sector. 

Abubakar stated that the revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) is an opportunity for Nigeria to follow the path of low carbon development, which would  facilitate an equitable and sustainable development for Nigerians. 

He said the federal government is largely committed to the ambition given the low economic growth, challenges associated with COVID-19 pandemic and the need for Nigeria to lead in fast-tracking sustainable development in Africa. 

Abubakar stated that Nigeria's NDCs are aligned with the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP). 

 According to him, "We are focusing on a sustainable and climate smart economic diversification by creating green jobs for the youths, guaranteeing energy transition and access to electricity for all Nigerians as well as the provision of a healthy environment through the decarbonisation of all NDCs sectors".  

This, he said includes electric mobility, clean cooking energy systems, energy efficient building and infrastructure, likewise mainstreaming circular economy in all strata of national production and consumption while prioritising gender issues.