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In commemoration of World Environment Day 2026, students from 20 selected schools across Enugu and Nsukka in Enugu State, Southeast Nigeria, participated in a series of tree-planting and environmental awareness activities designed to promote climate action, environmental sustainability, and responsible stewardship of natural resources.

The students are the current beneficiaries of the pilot phase of the ongoing climate education campaign in Enugu State titled “Rooted in Action Growing Green Generation,” an initiative spearheaded by the Office of the Senior Adviser to the Governor of Enugu State on Climate Policy and Sustainable Development in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady of Enugu State, the Enugu State Ministry of Education and Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, with funding support from UNICEF Enugu Field Office.

The campaign aligns with the 2026 World Environment Day theme, “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For our Future” which focuses on urgent climate action, emphasising the role of nature-based solutions and healthy ecosystems in climate resilience.

The programme also reflects the UNFCCC’s Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) agenda, which seeks to empower youth engagement through climate education and public participation, inspiring young people to adopt environmentally responsible behaviours and become advocates for sustainable practices within their schools, homes, and communities.

A major highlight of the event was the planting of ornamental and economic trees within the school premises, which will serve as a practical demonstration of climate action and a constant reminder of the importance of environmental restoration for sustainable growth and economic development.

Trees play a critical role in combating climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, improving air quality, conserving biodiversity, preventing soil erosion, regulating local temperatures, and enhancing the resilience of communities to environmental shocks.

Speaking on the significance of the initiative, Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, Senior Adviser to the Enugu State Governor on Climate Policy and Sustainable Development, emphasised that environmental sustainability remains a key component of the development agenda of the administration of Barr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah.

Represented by Mr. Elochukwu Anieze, Prof. Okereke said, “Empowering young people with climate knowledge and engaging them in practical environmental activities is one of the most effective ways to build a generation that is environmentally conscious, innovative, and committed to sustainable development. Our goal is to nurture young champions who will not only understand the urgency of climate action but also lead it in their schools, communities, and beyond.”

The Office of the First Lady of Enugu State’s collaboration further reaffirmed its commitment to initiatives that promote environmental protection, youth development, and community resilience.

The programme highlighted the importance of nurturing environmental responsibility among students, recognising them as future leaders and critical stakeholders in the fight against climate change.

The Enugu State Ministry of Environment and Climate Change also underscored the importance of collective action in addressing environmental challenges in its remark.

The Ministry encouraged students to serve as ambassadors of environmental sustainability by promoting proper waste management, reducing plastic use, protecting natural resources, and supporting tree-planting efforts in their communities.

During the programme, students participated in interactive sessions on climate change, environmental conservation, sustainable lifestyles, and the importance of protecting ecosystems.

The conversations reinforced the message that every individual has a role to play in safeguarding the environment, and that small actions, when multiplied across communities, can lead to significant and lasting impact.

The organisers called for sustained engagement beyond World Environment Day, stressing that environmental protection is a continuous responsibility that requires the collective efforts of government, development partners, educational institutions, communities, and citizens.

The Federal Ministry of Environment, through its Department of Climate Change (DCC), in partnership with the Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP), has officially launched data collection for the third edition of the Subnational Climate Governance Performance Ranking (SCGPRR 3.0).

The launch follows a series of preparatory engagements, including a review of the enhanced methodology by the Quality Expert Review Team on May 19, 2026, and a training session for State Climate Change Desk Officers and Directors on May 21, 2026. The questionnaire was formally released on May 26, 2026, with submissions due by July 7, 2026.

Speaking at the launch, Dr. Iniobong Abiola-Awe, Director of the Department of Climate Change, described the ranking as one of the Ministry’s flagship initiatives for strengthening climate governance and accountability across Nigeria’s states.

“As Nigeria pursues its climate goals, the importance of ensuring that climate action is measurable, transparent, and impactful cannot be overstated, and SCGPRR remains a vital tool in achieving these objectives.”

Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, President of SPP, thanked State Climate Change Desk Officers, Directors, and members of the Quality Expert Review Team for their continued commitment to the ranking process.

He noted that states that submit their questionnaires ahead of schedule will receive special recognition, as early submission reflects institutional readiness – one of the key indicators assessed by the ranking.

However, he stressed that the overriding priority remains the collection and processing of high-quality data that accurately reflects the state of climate governance across Nigeria.

“The success of this ranking depends on the collective efforts of everyone involved, and I want to sincerely thank the Subnational Climate Change Officers, Directors, and the Quality Expert Review Team for their dedication. As we begin the third edition, our goal is not simply to collect data, but to generate evidence that can drive better decision-making and stronger climate action. That is why the quality, integrity, and reliability of the data must remain our highest priority.”

The SCGPRR was established to address a critical accountability gap by creating a systematic and evidence-based framework for assessing climate governance at the subnational level. The ranking helps states track progress, identify weaknesses, and strengthen the implementation of climate policies and programmes.

The first edition laid the foundation and produced what has become one of the most credible climate governance assessment initiatives in Nigeria and across Africa. While the inaugural ranking challenged many state governments, it demonstrated the power of evidence to reveal realities that rhetoric alone could not.

By the second edition, the impact was becoming increasingly visible. More states actively engaged with the process, seeking to understand and improve their performance. The findings encouraged several states to develop climate policies and action plans, while others initiated the domestication of the National Climate Change Act. Civil society organisations leveraged the rankings to strengthen advocacy, and journalists increasingly cited the findings in their reporting.

As a result, the SCGPRR evolved beyond a measurement exercise into a co-created accountability mechanism that not only evaluates climate governance but also helps strengthen it through targeted capacity building, peer learning, and technical support for subnational actors.

Building on the gains of previous editions, SCGPRR 3.0 will place greater emphasis on implementation, institutional strengthening, capacity development, and the use of evidence to drive action. Several methodological enhancements have also been introduced to improve the robustness and policy relevance of the ranking.

By strengthening accountability, improving climate data quality, building institutional capacity, and focusing more directly on implementation, SCGPRR 3.0 is expected to play an even greater role in supporting Nigeria’s climate ambitions and accelerating effective climate action across the states.

The Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP) and the Department of Climate Change (DCC) of the Federal Ministry of Environment have kicked off the process for the third edition of the Subnational Climate Governance Performance Rating and Ranking (SCGPRR 3.0), inaugurating a Quality Assurance and Expert Review Panel and convening Climate Desk officers and State Directors from across the 36 states in two separate engagements within the week.

The SCGPRR was conceived in 2024 to address critical gaps in climate change governance at the subnational level, including the absence of credible mechanisms to measure and compare climate governance performance across the 36 states, limited evidence base upon which development partners could align funding with state-level governance readiness, and the lack of a structured platform for peer learning between high-performing and low-performing states.

Now in its third edition, the ranking has established itself as the first credible, comparative, and evidence-based benchmarking system for all 36 states’ climate governance, introducing healthy competition among states and compelling state governments to treat climate governance as a leadership issue rather than a peripheral concern. In this way, performance on the SCGPRR has steadily become a recognised marker of good governance at the subnational level.

The third edition of the ranking was formally launched with the inauguration of the Quality Assurance and Expert Review Panel. At the onboarding session, the SCGPRR technical Project lead and Senior Policy Analyst at SPP, Timothy Ogenyi, presented the refined methodology and scoring logic to the panel, drawing on lessons learned and stakeholder feedback from the first two editions, with notable improvements centred on implementation.

Presenting the assessment framework, Nnaemeka Oruh, Senior Policy Analyst at SPP, outlined a scoring matrix structured around five pillars: climate change governance and institutional framework, policies and action plans, project implementation, climate finance, and online visibility. He further explained that the updated framework introduces an expanded scoring system that places greater emphasis on project implementation, reflecting actual delivery and measurable outcomes.

“So, it’s not just about you having all of these fanciful ideas and just having all of the policies, but never really implementing them. One of the things that we are going to be doing this period is to interrogate project implementation to be sure that it addresses a specific climate challenge that your state is noted for,” he said.

In his welcome address at the inauguration, the President of SPP and Technical Lead, Professor Chukwumerije Okereke, represented by the Project Lead/Senior Policy Analyst at SPP, Mr. Gboyega Olorunfemi, appreciated the members of the panel for their involvement in the previous edition of the ranking, stating that their contribution greatly improved the integrity of the process, and expressed his confidence in their readiness and capacity to ensure the success of this year’s edition.

In her opening remarks, Dr. Iniobong Abiola-Awe, Director, Department of Climate Change (DCC) at the Federal Ministry of Environment, stated that the Subnational Climate Governance Ranking has evolved as a critical tool for tracking, evaluating, and sensitizing climate response governance across Nigerian states and local governments.

“This independent expert review team is saddled with the responsibility of showcasing the credibility, integrity, and legitimacy of the ranking. Your selection was carefully made not for your technical expertise alone, but for your independence, impartiality, and your demonstrated commitment to evidence-based assessments, and your independent review would strengthen the technical foundation of the ranking and build stakeholders’ confidence in the process,” she said.

She thanked the members of the panel for volunteering their expertise, a decision she said reflects their commitment to climate action and good governance in Nigeria. The panel members engaged actively with the methodology, raising several observations and recommendations.

In his closing remarks, Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba, Chairman of the Expert Review Panel, expressed appreciation to his fellow panel members for volunteering their time and expertise to the process. He noted that the collective depth of experience and commitment represented in the room made the panel well-suited for the task ahead, and conveyed his confidence that they would deliver faithfully on their mandate as the third edition moves into full gear.

The inaugurated Quality Assurance and Expert Review Panel comprises Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba, Chair of the Board of WASCAL; Dr. Priscilla Achakpa, Global President of the Women Environment Programme (WEP); Mrs. Gbemisola Akosa, Executive Director of the Centre for 21st Century Issues (C21st); Mrs. Tengi George-Ikoli, Country Manager of the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI); Prof. Olukayode Oladipo, Adjunct Professor at the University of Lagos; Prof. Daniel Gwary of the University of Maiduguri; Dr. Eugene Itua, CEO of Natural EcoCapital; Mr. Amara Nwankpa, Acting Director General of the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation; and Mr. Olumide Idowu, Executive Director of the International Climate Change Development Initiative (ICCDI).

In a related development, SPP and DCC convened a meeting with Climate Desk Officers and State Directors from across the 36 states to orient the participants on the data collection process.

In his keynote address, Professor Chukwumerije Okereke emphasised the importance of quality survey responses from subnational officers, noting that the initiative has evolved from a ranking exercise into a delivery programme centred on accountability, capacity building, and building political will.

“The Subnational Climate Governance Performance Rating and Ranking has become one of the most, if not the most consequential and impactful climate programme at the subnational level today, impacting millions of lives. None of this is possible without your support and your close collaboration. We facilitate this, but you, the Climate Desk Officers and Directors at the various states, are the engine behind this ranking and rating. And it is the quality of the information that you provide in the questionnaire, the surveys, that actually shape the ranking. I pray that you continue to work with us to make the third ranking even better than the second and first ranking,” he said.

The Director of the Department of Climate Change, Dr. Iniobong Abiola-Awe, reinforced that the ranking is not a competition but a strategic tool designed to encourage states to strengthen climate governance and improve accountability at the subnational level. She urged states to treat the exercise as an opportunity for genuine institutional improvement rather than a mere reporting obligation.

Key discussions centred on the need for teamwork in preparing submissions, proper documentation and evidence-based reporting, and inter-ministerial collaboration to gather comprehensive data. Participants raised critical questions about their roles, including how Desk Officers and State Directors should coordinate internally to ensure comprehensive and verifiable responses.

The meeting further addressed questions on submission timelines, with the questionnaire scheduled to go live in late May 2026, and data collection expected to be completed by the end of June, ahead of the ranking report’s targeted launch in September.

As the third edition moves into full gear, SPP and DCC expressed confidence that the strengthened framework, expanded scoring system, and broad stakeholder engagement will produce a ranking that more accurately reflects the state of climate governance across Nigeria.

By Ugochukwu Uzuegbu, Communication Specialist, SPP

Climate change and chemical pollution are some of the biggest challenges the world currently faces. Their impacts on the environment, health, economy and other sectors are unquantifiable.

The whole world needs to be aware of these environmental challenges and better equipped to address them.

At the heart of creating awareness about these challenges is the media, hence this two-day national convening for media and communications professionals.

Women Environmental Programme (WEP), EnviroNews Advocacy & Campaigns for Sustainability (Endvocas), Climate & Sustainable Development Network (CSDevNet) and other partners are convening this two-day media event in Abuja, to strengthen the capacity of media and communications professionals and other key stakeholders, to effectively report, communicate, and raise public awareness about major environmental concerns, including climate change and mercury pollution.

The Office of the Senior Adviser to the Governor of Enugu State on Climate Policy and Sustainable Development in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady of Enugu State, and the Enugu State Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, with support from the United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) Enugu Field Office, has concluded a one week training for climate champions in Enugu state. The immediate task of the trained Climate Champions is to implement the pilot phase of an intensive climate education campaign in selected secondary schools in the state. The sessions were hosted simultaneously at the Enugu State Secretariat and the ICT Centre of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).

The program which combined four days of virtual sessions with a final day of in-person engagement, successfully equipped 40 Climate Champions between the ages of 18 and 25 including 20 teachers, with the knowledge and tools to deliver impactful climate education using the newly developed Climate Education Manual that was co-created through a collaborative process involving the Office of the Senior Adviser to the Enugu State Governor, alongside teachers and students across the State, ensuring that the training and knowledge reflects both global realities and local context.

The Climate Champions were trained to deliver lessons that are not only informative but also emotionally resonant, connecting rising temperatures and extreme weather patterns to everyday experiences within their respective communities.

In his keynote address, the Hon. Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Enugu State, Prof. Sam Ugwu, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Ozoemena Ezeh, emphasized the importance of early-stage climate education, which he said will help the younger generation mitigate climate change impacts and learn how to live a sustainable lifestyle.

“This is timely, as catching the young ones early will help them to understand the impacts of climate change and how to practice sustainability from a very young age,” he stated.

In his opening remark, the Senior Adviser to the Governor of Enugu State on Climate Policy and Sustainable Development, Professor Chukwumerije Okereke, congratulated the climate champions on being selected to carry out this important task and for completing the week-long training.

He reminded them of the task ahead and the huge impact they are expected to make in the schools they will visit.

“Your job now is to take this deep knowledge that you have acquired into the classroom to instigate, to instill, and arouse curiosity among the students and the teachers that you will meet. To communicate with passion, clarity, and intent, so that they will not just get information and knowledge, but that they will become change agents themselves, people who carry the passion and the desire to communicate, but also to act on climate change.”

Prof. Okereke also appreciated the Governor of Enugu State, Barr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, for his disposition to support pro-climate change policies and the implementation of green transition projects, especially the massive investment in Green Smart Schools around Enugu State.

In his speech, the Youth Leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Enugu state, Hon. Basil Ojengwa, stated that training the youths to be advocates for climate action resonates with the green agenda of the current administration.

“Young people are at the heart of climate action. By equipping educators and advocates with the right tools, we are planting seeds of awareness that will grow into informed decisions, responsible behaviour, and sustainable communities,” he said.

Speaking on the importance of climate change teaching strategies, Mr Arum Nnamdi, Director of the Department of Climate Change at Enugu State Ministry of Environment, encouraged participants to put into practice the knowledge they have acquired during the training, to ensure that the students become agents of change in their different homes and communities.

“You need to bring this knowledge down to the level of the students through storytelling, using natural and physical things the students can easily see and relate with,” he said.

The Ministry of Education represented by the Assistant Director Strategic Communication, Center for Experiential Learning and Innovation (CELI), Enugu State, Mr. Arum Sopuluchukwu Emmanuel, conveyed the unalloyed support of the Hon Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ndubueze Mbah, reiterating the Honourable Commissioner’s commitment to advancing regenerative education in Enugu State through the Experiential Learning Pedagogy and the Smart Green Schools initiative as a transformative model aligned with the State’s climate agenda.

Participants described the training as transformative. Beyond knowledge acquisition, the majority of the participants displayed a renewed sense of purpose, an understanding that they are not just educators but catalysts for change. Equipped with the Climate Education Manual, they are now set to move into secondary schools across Enugu State, where they will engage students through structured lessons, discussions, and climate-focused activities.

The initiative comes at a critical time when climate literacy remains low in many communities, despite the increasing visibility of climate-related challenges. By focusing on secondary schools, the program aims to reach young minds at a formative stage, equipping them with the awareness and advocacy needed to navigate and respond to environmental challenges.

A hands-on workshop was also conducted by Dorsky Art World, a leading force in waste-to-art within Enugu State. The session provided participants with practical guidance on transforming plastic waste into compelling works of art, highlighting innovative approaches to sustainability through creative expression.

As these Climate Champions move into classrooms, the impact of the training is expected to transcend far beyond school walls, sparking conversations in homes, influencing community practices, and contributing to a broader culture of environmental responsibility within the state.

By Anieze Elochukwu and Ayodeji Omilabu (Office of the SA to the Governor on Climate Policy & SD)