Climate Watch: African countries to demand continued use of fossil fuel at COP27

Despite directly impacting our communities, health and livelihood, climate-related reports usually take a back seat to dominant news beats like politics and business. Climate Watch aims to ensure you never miss important stories on climate change and actions being taken towards limiting its impact.

Here is a round-up of last week’s climate stories:

• Despite the global drive for a move away from fossil fuels, Nigeria and other African countries are set to demand that the continent should be allowed to continue to exploit fossil fuels for its development. African petroleum and energy ministers intend to make this demand at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) to be held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, in November. Timipre Sylva, Nigeria’s minister of state for petroleum resources, said African energy ministers have decided to stand against a single track energy transition programme and will continue to support a transition agenda that will promote gas and renewed investments in the hydrocarbon sector for Africa.

• As a way to help alleviate malnutrition and food insecurity caused by climate change and conflict in northern Nigeria, the federal government has deployed a humanitarian fund of $1 million received from the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) to assist people in the region. The project which will be implemented by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) will feed 840 food-insecure households as well as provide them with a N27,000 monthly cash transfer. Read here.

• António Guterres, UN secretary-general, said women and girls face the greatest threats of climate change globally. Speaking at the opening of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York last week, Guterres said this is why women and girls must lead the way against environmental crises and forge a sustainable future for all. Read more here.

• Similarly, Matthias Schmale, the United Nations (UN) Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, said the gender dynamics of climate change are still relatively misunderstood in Nigeria and in other countries. Speaking at an event in Abuja over the weekend, Schmale said women are still generally lacking in climate-security policymaking and practice. He added that without gender equality, a sustainable and equal future remains beyond reach.

• In its drive to preserve the environment, the Lagos government has reiterated its commitment to stopping all forms of encroachments and misuse of wetlands. Tunji Bello, commissioner for environment and water resources, said this during an advocacy programme on wetlands and biodiversity conservation in Lagos. He said the state government has commenced the identification of all wetlands within the state, adding that plans are in place to review the draft policy on wetlands management and conservation to restore and protect degraded wetlands.