By Dare Akogun
The National Council on Climate Change, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), and the UK Government, had launched a project to address climate change and support coastal communities in the country.
Tagged the “Integrated Management of mangrove ecosystems and expansion of social protection for fisheries and forest dependents in the coastal communities of Cross Rivers State, Nigeria” project.
In his welcome address, the Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change, Dr. Salisu Dahiru, lauded the robust partnership between the organizations and expressed gratitude to the UK Government for its financial and technical support.
He underscored the project’s importance in advancing Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, emphasizing its role in achieving a low-emission and climate-resilient world.
Highlighting the project’s alignment with Nigeria’s updated NDC, Dr. Dahiru emphasized its contributions to climate adaptation, community well-being, and institutional strengthening.
He emphasized the pivotal role of Nature-based Solutions in Nigeria’s Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy, urging increased climate finance to fulfill developed countries’ financial commitments to developing nations.
In his goodwill message, the FAO representative in Nigeria and to ECOWAS, Mr. Koffy Kouacou Dominique, underscored the critical importance of mangrove ecosystems to the livelihoods of coastal communities in Cross River State.
He highlighted the pressing challenges facing these ecosystems, including deforestation, pollution, and invasive species, exacerbated by the impacts of climate change.
Similarly, the UK PACT representative, Martine Sobey, emphasized the project’s focus on protecting mangroves and providing social protection for forest-dependent communities in Cross Rivers State.
She reiterated the UK’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to reduce deforestation and address climate change.
In his submission, Mr. Jonah D. Dande, representing the director of climate change at the federal ministry of environment, reiterated the Nigeria-UK PACT programme’s commitment to accelerating climate transitions and achieving the Nationally Determined Contribution of the Nigerian Government.
He emphasized the collaborative nature of the initiative and its potential to drive meaningful change in Nigeria’s climate resilience efforts.
