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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 toward limiting its impacts.

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

• The Nigerian Youths in Politics, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has urged governments at all levels to provide an enabling environment for a just transition to a green economy. Speaking at an event marking the 2023 International Youth Day themed “Green skills for youth”, Blessing Oyefeso, president of the organisation, said the transition to a green economy would help the country to address the challenges of unemployment and revenue generation. Oyefeso said the green economy has the potential to create millions of job opportunities, adding that there is a need for the country to tap into a greener future.
• Vice President Kashim Shettima, on August 10, said the federal government is committed to addressing desertification, coastal erosion, and flooding in the country. Shettima said the government is partnering with individuals and institutions to prioritise and promote a resilient and sustainable future for Nigeria. Read more here.
• The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), on August 10, said over 33,000 persons have been affected by flooding across the country this year. Fatima Kasim, NEMA’s director of planning, research and forecasting, said flooding is mostly caused by poor infrastructure construction, bad drainage systems, lack of solid waste management, and harmful land-use practices, among other factors. Kasim said the agency has been gathering data on persons impacted by the flooding incidents in the last seven months. Find out more here.
• To mark International Youth Day on August 12, youths from four communities in Kajuru LGA of Kaduna planted 1,000 trees to contribute to efforts in tackling climate change. The exercise, themed “Greens skills for youth: Towards a sustainable world” was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and carried out at Idon, Iburu, Kajuru and Kasuwan Magani communities. Jonathan Peter, a youth mobiliser at Kajuru LGA, said the communities have been affected by deforestation, adding that tree planting is one of the green skills needed to combat climate change impacts. Peter said the trees will be planted across all the political wards in the LGA in three months.
• Similarly, the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) in Nasarawa, on August 12, also began planting of 1,000 trees to contribute to environmental conservation and sustainability in the state. Jaafar Loko, the NYCN state chairman, said youths play important roles in the fight against climate change. Loko called on the government and relevant stakeholders to support and adequately equip the youths with skills and knowledge to improve their resilience to climate change.