Nigerian Government has said that it was pushing for 400 billion dollars commitments from developed countries and partners on climate change to finance its Energy Transition Plan (ETP).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that implementable
negotiations continues on Tuesday at Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, venue of the
global conference on climate change otherwise known as COP27.
Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, disclosed this
to NAN on the sideline of the annual global event.
Abdullahi, who led the Nigeria delegation to the climate
change conference, said that the country expected very positive affirmative
commitment when it came to funding to mitigate the challenge arising from
climate change effect.
“We expect very positive affirmative commitment from
partners and developed countries. We intend to push that in our discourse and
engagement virtually with every party and our partners.
“It depends on which sector we are talking about. If it is
ETP, we are looking at $400 billion. If it is loss and damage, we are looking
much more than that because it affects the entire developing countries.
“When it comes to other specifics like our efforts in the
Sahel to do with the Great Green Wall, we are looking towards 18.5 billion
Euros that was pledged by President (Emmanuel) Macron (of France) under the One
Planet Summit.
“So, it depends on the specifics. Funding naturally will
focus on specific thematic areas,” said the Minister.
The leader of the delegation, however, noted that Nigeria
would not just abandon oil and gas under the global energy transition demand.
“We are not abandoning oil and gas; that is why we have the
energy transition plan. The energy transition plan envisages first and foremost
that fossil fuels, Nigerian gas will be transition energy between now and 2035.
“In other word, in between this period that we are relying
on our oil and gas industry, we are also developing pari-passu, an independent
energy transition that is aimed at reaching renewable; and majorly also,
providing infrastructure for mini solar grids.
“So what we are doing essentially is not just that we are
abandoning our oil and gas, but we have to have a plan that considers all
garments of energy available to the country.”
On compensation for loss and damage arising from the climate
change impact, Abdullahi explained that it was an agenda of the developing
countries and not Nigeria alone.
“We are looking at loss and damage as a developing countries
agenda and not Nigeria alone. What is happening in most part of developing
countries is an outcome of industrialisation, and the use negatively of the
industrial priorities at the detriment of African country as well as the
developing.
“So we are saying loss and damage, they should bear the
quantum of this damage we are going through. They should bear the financial
burden so that they can mitigate what we are going through.
“So we are looking at between $500 billion to $1 trillion to
support developing countries to face the challenges of loss and damage.
“So this recent flooding you see in Nigeria and other parts
of the continent is as a result of the activities that are not related to any
African countries,” he said. NAN