FG, UN agencies sign MoU on Just Transition Roadmap
The Federal Government, through the National Council on Climate Change, NCCC; the International Labour Organisation, ILO; the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, UNIDO; and the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, on Just Transition Roadmap, JTR, last Friday in Abuja.
The MoU marks a significant step in addressing the challenges and opportunities linked with shifting towards a sustainable, low-carbon economy.
Also, Just Transition Roadmap will guide Nigeria’s effort to ensure that climate and energy justice are placed at the centre of the country’s effort to seek green energy following national and global climate goals.
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Underscoring the project’s significance in safeguarding Nigeria’s economy and well-being, Dahiru Salisu, Director General, NCCC, commended the three UN agencies for their support. He described the project as one dear to the Federal Government.
Funding Just Transition Roadmap
“This project (Just Transition Roadmap) is dear to Nigeria. We asked if we had to do this transition, who is to fund this transition?
“I want to thank the three UN agencies for coming together to support this project. With our lean budget, I do not see us embarking on such a project,” Salisu said.
Also speaking, Vanessa Phala, Director, ILO Country Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, affirmed the UN agencies’ commitment to collaborative action, and ensuring comprehensive support for the project’s success.
Phala, represented by the National Project Coordinator, ILO, Stephen Aguguo, said the transition is at the heart of ILO.
“We are doing everything possible, financially and technically, to support this process,” she assured on Just Transition Roadmap.
She went on: “By the time the consultants start to work, we will also connect them with our technical team in Geneva, and the ILO training school in Italy to bring in their own technical support.
“So on the aspect of the UN agencies, the UN is emphasising delivering as one UN team. So everything we are doing, we are working as a team.”
The need
Explaining the need for Just Transition Roadmap, the Director General of the NCCC, Dr Salisu Dahiru, acknowledged that Nigeria is in a tricky situation concerning climate change and the global energy transition.
He said Nigeria is very vulnerable to climate change, yet highly dependent on oil and gas as sources of income. This unique situation, he said, calls for finding ways to make the transition to a sustainable energy future fair to all.
Therefore, there is the need for a thorough understanding of the risks to various sectors. Also, articulating thoughtful paths to achieve the transition in ways that do not endanger Nigeria’s long-term prosperity is necessary.
These are the reasons he said NCCC initiated the Just Transition Roadmap with the international organisations.
Furthermore, Dahiru expressed confidence that the Centre for Climate Change and Development at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State, CCCD-AEFUNAI, which will be leading the development of the JTR.
He said the institution will do a good job of providing pathways for Nigeria based on national economic and socio-technical circumstances.
Benefits
While reiterating the imperative of the Just Transition Roadmap, Prof Emmanuel Oladipo, highlighted the need for Nigeria to harness renewable energy sources like solar power.
Prof Oladipo is a consultant with the Centre for Climate Change and Development.
According to him, this will mitigate reliance on fossil fuels without compromising economic stability.
“I think Nigeria cannot argue about the need to transit. If we are able to transit, for instance, utilising nature to get a lot of the energy resources, such as solar, it may not propel all the air conditioners. But, at least, we give you some light in various areas without any interruption.
“Those are some of the things we need. A nation like Nigeria which is consumed by fossil fuel utilization has no choice but to follow the world to try to move its economy in a way and manner that will make less use of fossil fuel.
“But at the same time will not kill our economy,” he said, in support of the Just Transition Roadmap.