TheCable

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: 

• As a way of mitigating climate change and increasing environmental sustainability, the federal government has inaugurated a steering committee for the global clean-tech innovation programme (GCIP) in Nigeria. The project will promote the development of clean energy technologies for sustainable start-ups and small, medium enterprises. Adeleke Mamora, minister of science, technology and innovation, said the project will help in Nigeria’s development and drive towards a clean future. Read more here.  

• Mamora has also called on youths to embrace the deployment of clean energy innovations across Nigeria. This, he said, they can do through the global clean-tech innovation programme – which is designed to unleash the potential of clean-tech innovation and entrepreneurship, and respond to the increasing global demand for environmental sustainability and climate action. He said the global move toward clean energy for climate change mitigation and adaptation is one Nigeria hopes to adopt in key sectors of the economy. Find out more here.

• As the rainy season gets more intense, Mansur Matazu, director-general of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has warned of an “above-normal rainfall” to be expected in 19 states between August and October. He called on the state and national emergency management agencies to intensify response mechanisms as massive flooding is also expected. Read more here.

• As governments begin to see the need to move away from dependence on fossil fuel, the Delta state government, in collaboration with Clean Technology Hub and Heinrich Boll Stiftung Foundation, has launched the 2023-2028 renewable energy policy roadmap. Godspower Asiuwhu, commissioner for environment, said the state is vulnerable to climate change due to oil and gas extraction and combustion. He said there is a need for a transition from a fossil fuel-based economy to a more diversified one in which renewable and clean energy play a major role. Find out more here.

• Eden Power, a renewable energy organisation has announced the launch of Eden Zero – a mobile application platform developed to tackle climate change by educating individuals on steps to actively reverse its effects. The platform which will be launched in October will connect individuals to long-term carbon-offset initiatives, which will reduce Sub-Saharan Africa’s reliance on harmful energy. It will also offer individuals a carbon calculator to calculate their carbon footprint and reduce their carbon emissions through offsets and behavioural changes.