KEY POINTS
- Nigeria’s NDCs under the Paris Agreement include a 20 percent emission reduction target, rising to 47 percent with international support.
- Challenges include reliance on fossil fuels, funding gaps, and weak policy enforcement.
- Opportunities lie in renewable energy investments, gas flare reduction programs, and international partnerships.
Being the largest economy in Africa, Nigeria also adds significantly to the global scales of greenhouse gases emissions. Thus, the country has put several substantial steps into alignments with the Paris Climate Agreement.
Signed in 2016, the agreement obliges societies to lower their earth warming under 2 degrees Celsius while encouraging, within that limitation, efforts for the successful countries at capping it to 1.5 degrees.
This also reflects the recognition of deep impacts of climate change by Nigeria in its environment, economy, and people.
Nigeria’s commitments under the Paris Agreement
Nigeria has committed to an unconditional greenhouse gas emission reduction of 20 percent by 2030, and up to 47 percent internationally supported through its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).
Targets they set are prioritized with regard to necessary spheres of activities, in particular energy, agriculture, and waste management sectors which contribute the main part of the emissions in the country.
To realize these targets, renewable energy has become the focus of Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan, which seeks to ensure that 30 percent of the country’s energy comes from renewable power sources by the year 2030.
The Solar power plan formulated within this strategy includes the Solar Power Naija Initiative; with the goal of electrifying 5 million households and severing reliance on fossil-based electricity supplies.
Apart from energy reforms, what Nigeria is also doing is addressing deforestation and land degradation.
Most of the global concerns have been addressed by the Green Bond Initiative which funds the re-establishment of forests, sustainable land use, and the general sustainable developments of the country.
Challenges in implementation
Even as Nigeria has put a strong ambition to fight climate change, there are several barriers that stand in its way.
Oil and gas sales play a very important role as Gross Domestic Product and export earnings contributors.
These changes are difficult by the socio-economic importance of fossil fuels allowing the transition from a high carbon to a low carbon economy.
Similar challenges include lack of infrastructure as well as inadequate funding. The conditional targets presented in Nigeria’s NDCs can only be realized with proper international financial and technical assistance.
The government estimates that $142 billion is required to finance climate interventions till 2030, an illustration of what has become a daunting task. Also, lack of commitment to ensuring implementation of environmental policies, and low awareness of climate change hinder the extent of achievement of ground-level measures.
Opportunities and the path forward
Despite these challenges, Nigeria’s commitment to the Paris Agreement presents numerous opportunities. This means that investments in renewable energy for example could spur employment, increase access to energy, and lower emissions.
Expanding initiatives like the National Gas Flare Commercialization Program, which aims to capture and utilize gas flares from oil fields, can help cut emissions while generating economic benefits.
Their participation with other regional and global partners will be very important. There is also hope to work with organizations such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF) by providing the financial and technical backing that Nigeria will need to escalate its climate initiatives.
There will also be the improvement of the policy environment and the requisite enforcement direction for the enhancement of effective and sustainable implementation of initiatives.
If the Nigerian government adopts an effective combination of innovation and partnership along with a strong determination, the country can achieve the Paris Agreement goals despite the existing challenges.
