Minister of environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, has stressed the need for the country to work for a more sustainable and resilient future for the citizens and the environment.
The minister stated this yesterday at a national workshop on “Reviewing the Outcomes of the 28th Session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change” in Abuja.
He said, “Nigeria, like most other countries, is feeling the adverse impacts of climate change ranging from extreme weather events, rising sea levels, loss of biodiversity and other negative effects that affects our daily lives. As a nation, we have a responsibility to take action and to work towards a more sustainable and resilient future for our people and our environment.”
Lawal said the 28th UNFCCC conference marked a milestone in the global efforts to address climate change, adding that it provided a platform for dialogue, negotiation and consensus-building among nations.
He said, “COP 28 reaffirmed our collective determination to tackle the existential threat caused by climate change. The outcomes of COP28 have far-reaching implications for the future of our planet.”
Meanwhile, as COP 29 approaches, the minister has called for the spirit of collaboration, unity, shared responsibility and commitment in order to advance the nation’s environmental goals.
“This gathering symbolises our shared commitment to confronting one of the greatest challenges of our time which is climate change. We are also here to unpack the significant outcomes of COP 28, as well as set the stage for Nigeria’s active participation at the 29th Conference of parties in Azerbaijan.
“During this review today, we will also collectively identify and prioritize key focus areas that will drive our nation’s environmental agenda in the future,” he added.