COP28: Shettima sets up committee on climate change agenda

November 10

23:15 2023

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Vice-President Kashim Shettima has set up an ad hoc committee to harmonise Nigeria’s agenda at the upcoming 28th conference of parties (COP28) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Shettima said it is important for the committee to come up with strategies that would enable Nigeria to benefit from the conference.

The COP28 will gather world leaders from November 30 to December 12 in the UAE.

In a statement on Friday, Shettima, while briefing the committee, stressed the need for urgent preparations to present a strong position at the conference.

“We need to be proactive and see to it that we go to the conference prepared and sure of what we want to get,” the statement reads.

“It will not be a joke; we need to come back with some tangibles so we can tell the Nigerians that these are the benefits we got from our participation at COP28.”

While reacting to a presentation for Nigeria to sign on to the battery energy storage systems (BESS) at the COP28, the vice-president said the proposal is an applaudable initiative.

“It offers green field opportunity for our nascent energy sector to adopt green, affordable and accessible energy for our people,” he said.

“Our energy needs are huge, but they also provide us with a vista of opportunities to transform the entire sector for the benefit of our economy and wellbeing of the people.”

Shettima said he anticipates the technical assistance and funding opportunities, among others, that will come to Nigeria with the signing on to the BESS consortium.

The committee chaired by Balarabe Lawal, minister of environment, has Adebayo Adelabu, minister of power, as member.

Others are the special adviser to the president on climate change, the special adviser to the president on power infrastructure, and the director-general of the National Council on Climate Change.