TheCable

Despite directly impacting our communities, health, and livelihoods, 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 toward limiting its impact.

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

• Dele Alake, minister of solid minerals development, on January 16, said the ministry would ensure that mining is conducted in line with global standards to minimise harm to the environment. Alake said the federal government is committed to securing mining areas and removing impediments to seamless operations. He said there is a need to ensure that mining operations are conducted within the limit of tolerable impact on the environment. Read more here.
• The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) said it has enhanced the lives of 1,000 Nigerians through the planting of 276,860 trees in 2023. Oladapo Soneye, head of communications at NCF, said the aim of the foundation’s green recovery Nigeria (GRN) programme is to facilitate reforestation in 25 percent of the country’s landmass. Sonye explained that the GRN is a 30-year programme that will run from 2017 to 2047, while also promoting actions to curb deforestation and forest degradation. He added that the livelihood support feature of the GRN programme is aimed at reducing the total dependence of communities on the forest. Find out more here.
• The Lagos government, on January 21, announced a ban on the usage and distribution of styrofoam and other single-use plastics (SUPs) across the state. SUPs and styrofoam packs often clog drainage channels and canals in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital and most populous city. Tokunbo Wahab, Lagos commissioner for environment and water resources, said single-use plastics have become a menace in a densely populated city. He said the ban takes immediate effect. Read more here.
• The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) has called on civil society organisations (CSOs) to support Nigeria in implementing its climate action strategies. Tanko Azzika, AMCOW senior policy officer, made the call during a post-COP28 dialogue organised by the Climate and Sustainable Development Network (CSDevNet) in Abuja on January 17. Azzika said there is a need for collaboration between governments and CSOs to enhance efforts to combat climate change’s impact on water resources and the environment. He said AMCOW’s 2023 report revealed that Africa is off-track in achieving water and sanitation goals due to climate change. Azzika said the council’s vision is to achieve sustainable use of water resources for poverty alleviation, socio-economic development, and environmental preservation. He urged stakeholders and the Nigerian government to place water at the forefront of the fight against climate change and prioritise climate-resilient financing.