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In a historic move towards sustainable development, the Enugu State Executive Council has unanimously approved the Enugu State Climate Policy and Action Plan (ESCPAP), signaling a bold commitment to economic transformation rooted in environmental sustainability, innovation, inclusiveness, and climate resilience.

The approval follows a presentation by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, and underscores Governor Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s visionary leadership in balancing economic growth with environmental stewardship. With a mission to elevate the state’s GDP from $4.4 billion in 2023 to an ambitious $30 billion by 2031, the policy ensures that key sectors such as agriculture, energy, and natural resources are climate-resilient and future-proofed against environmental challenges.

The ESCPAP represents a pioneering effort, making Enugu the first subnational government in Nigeria to adopt a long-term climate strategy that incorporates emissions modeling, microenergy audits, and extensive stakeholder engagement. This innovative approach aims to facilitate clean energy development, stimulate job creation, and foster green technology advancements.

Key Highlights of the Climate Policy and Action Plan:

• Sustainable Economic Growth:The ESCPAP is poised to drive a 25-fold increase in the state’s GDP by 2060 through investments in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and green technology.
• Job Creation:Over 792,000 new jobs are expected to emerge in sectors like renewable energy, waste management, and afforestation.
• Energy Transition:The state targets 80% renewable energy usage by 2060, with a 60% emissions reduction in the transport sector and a robust afforestation plan to enhance carbon sequestration.
• Climate Resilience:The policy emphasizes enhancing adaptive capacity and reducing vulnerability to climate-related challenges such as flooding and droughts.
• Education and Awareness:The introduction of a climate change curriculum in Enugu’s flagship Smart Green Schools will empower future generations with knowledge and skills in green innovation.

The approved policy and action plan also include the establishment of an ESCPAP Implementation Committee, comprising representatives from the government, private sector, civil society, and international donor organizations, to ensure effective execution of the policy’s goals.

Enugu’s Climate Policy aligns with Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and global climate agreements, positioning the state as a key player in the nation’s journey toward a low-carbon, sustainable future.

With the approval of the Climate Policy and Action Plan, Enugu State stands at the forefront of subnational climate governance in Nigeria, demonstrating that economic growth and environmental sustainability can go hand in hand.

The drafting of the  Policy and Action Plan was coordinated by Professor Chukwumerije Okereke who is the Senior Policy Adviser to Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah on Climate Policy and Sustainable Development on behalf of the Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP) with support from the SSG’s team and those of the Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Professor Sam Ugwu.

Funding was received from the African Climate Foundation and the European Climate Foundation.

The Policy and Action Plan will be unveiled in a public presentation in a date that will soon be announced.

“Mastering International Climate Negotiations: All You Need to Know” is a free, self-paced, interactive e-course designed to equip participants—particularly youth—with the knowledge and skills for meaningful involvement in the UNFCCC climate negotiations.

Course Highlights:

• Duration: 3.5 hours
• Cost: Free
• Language: English
• Certification: Available upon completion
• Format: 12 video-based lessons
• Accessible: Self-paced and online

Why This Course Matters

Navigating the intricacies of global climate discussions can be daunting. This course breaks down the technicalities of the UNFCCC process and the Paris Agreement into accessible, video-based lessons. It is designed to build capacity, particularly for youth negotiators, activists, and anyone keen on contributing to climate policymaking.

What You Will Learn:

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the international climate negotiation process and the UNFCCC institutional structure.
• Discuss key provisions in various negotiation areas, such as mitigation, adaptation, and climate finance.
• Learn how to engage in climate policymaking at both national and international levels.
• Navigate the UNFCCC website and access key information on climate processes.

Who Should Take This Course?

This course is designed for:

• Youth negotiators
• Youth-led and youth-focused organizations in climate negotiations
• Anyone interested in understanding international climate policies

Course Content:

1. Introduction to the Course
2. Mitigation
3. Adaptation
4. Transparency
5. Climate Finance
6. Technology Mechanism
7. Capacity Building and ACE (Action for Climate Empowerment)
8. Just Transition
9. Agriculture and Food Security
10. Gender
11. The Ocean
12. Navigating the UNFCCC Website

Certification:

Upon completing all videos, interactive lessons, and a final quiz with a score of 70% or higher, participants will receive a certificate of completion.

At the Global Youth Climate Action Fund believe in the importance of storytelling to inspire change and action. For this reason, the Youth Climate Stories platform was set up to give young people a voice to share their experiences, challenges they have endured, and how they overcame these challenges in the face of the climate crisis.

This is your opportunity to share your unique perspective on climate action and inspire change. Whether your story is about resilience, innovation, or solutions, your voice is essential to shaping a sustainable future.

Eligibility:

Climate Stories is a storytelling competition open to all youth aged 30 and under. Eligible contestants should submit their entries following these guidelines:

1. All stories must be original and may be submitted in English, Spanish, or French.
2. Stories must have a link to any of the GYCAF applicable categories (Figure 1).
3. Stories can be submitted in any format but must not exceed 1,000 words.
4. Formats can include video or audio, with a maximum length of 3 minutes.
5. All entries must be submitted via Google Forms.

*Special consideration will be placed on gender equality.

Categories

Participants are invited to submit their stories under one of the following categories, each reflecting key areas of climate action and environmental stewardship. These categories are designed to showcase diverse perspectives and approaches to addressing environmental issues and opportunities.

• Sustainaible Agriculture
• Clean Energy
• Oceans
• Capacity Building
• Nature-based Solutions
• Tech Innovation

Selection

Two (2) stories will be chosen as winners and will receive special publication in all of GYCAF’s social media pages.

1st place: Monetary prize, e-certificate and a sustainable water bottle.

2nd place: E-certificate and a sustainable water bottle.

If chosen as winner, an additional interview might be required to develop the story further and present it in the best, most impactful, way possible.

The winners will be selected by representatives from the GYCAF core team, along with members of the 2025 Youth Fund Board.

The selection of winners shall be based on the following criteria:

20% Communication: Was the storyteller able to convey a story within the set guidelines?

20% Creativity: How engaging is the story? What makes it unique from the competition?

20% Impact: Which story do you remember the most?

20% Relatability: Which story is most relatable and will possibly attract traffic to our public platforms?

20% Relevance: How relevant is the story to the current climate situation?

Timeline

The Youth Climate Stories competition will open for submissions on January 6th and will close on February 3rd, 2025.

During this period, participants are encouraged to submit their original stories in accordance with the competition guidelines. Following the submission deadline, entries will be reviewed by a panel of judges from the GYCAF core team and the Youth Fund Board. The winners will be announced in March, and their stories will be published on GYCAF’s platforms shortly thereafter.

Terms and Conditions

By submitting an entry to the Climate Stories competition, participants agree that if their story is selected as a winner, they grant GYCAF a non-exclusive, worldwide license to use, reproduce, distribute, and publicly display their stories in all media formats, including but not limited to GYCAF’s website, social media platforms, and promotional materials.

This license allows GYCAF to edit, modify, and adapt the stories as necessary to ensure clarity, impact, and consistency with the organization’s messaging. Winners retain the copyright to their original work, but GYCAF reserves the right to use the winning submissions for any purposes related to promoting the campaign and the organization’s mission without further consent or compensation.

Furthermore, participants must ensure that their submissions are original and do not infringe upon any third-party rights, including but not limited to copyright, trademark, or privacy rights. Any entry found to be in violation of these terms will be disqualified from the competition. By entering the competition, participants also agree to indemnify and hold GYCAF harmless from any claims, damages, or liabilities arising from their submission.

These terms and conditions are designed to protect both the participants and GYCAF, ensuring a fair and transparent competition process while promoting the valuable stories of youth climate action.

Apply Here: https://shorturl.at/azkS7

The Oxford Smith School is thrilled to announce that applications are now open for its low-carbon summer school programme, Summer SCENE 2025! This immersive online course runs from 7 July to 18 July 2025, Monday to Friday, and aims to engage youth and early-career professionals from the Global South in shaping sustainability policies.

Course Overview

The course aims to guide and encourage a youth and early career audience from the Global South to engage with sustainability policy. After exploring a range of sustainability topics, you will be guided to develop a policy recommendation for world leaders, to be published at the end of the course. In a live webinar format, it provides an opportunity for participants to network in the sustainability space with peers from other Global South nations, student facilitators on current Oxford MSc courses, and learn from Oxford faculty and other experts in this field.

The course provides:

• Live webinar sessions led by Oxford faculty and guest experts.
• Networking opportunities with peers, Oxford MSc student facilitators, and sustainability professionals.
• A platform to engage with cutting-edge research and policy discussions.

Sample Day Schedule

*Guest speakers for 2025 to be confirmed.

Course Details

Dates and Timing

• Duration:2 weeks (Monday to Friday)
• Dates:7 July – 11 July 2025 and 14 July – 18 July 2025
• Times:11:00-13:00 BST and 14:00-16:00 BST

Who Can Apply

The course is open to 50 graduate students and early-career professionals from the Global South who:

• Are interested in sustainability and policy development.
• Have started their careers in the third sector.
• Are eager to transition into sustainability policy development.

Applications are encouraged from individuals with diverse skills and experiences, particularly those aspiring to become future leaders in sustainability.

Key Topics

Participants will:

• Develop an understanding of sustainability issues.
• Collaborate on a group policy recommendation relevant to:
  • Local or shared issues across Global South nations.
  • UK government policies under consultation.

Applications & Fees

Thanks to generous funding, 50 fully funded places are available. To secure your spot, a refundable £100 retainer fee is required upon acceptance.

Application Process

• Deadline:12:00 GMT, 24 January 2025.
• Required:An up-to-date LinkedIn profile is essential for selection.

Click Here to Apply: https://shorturl.at/jP8Sn

Summary

• Applications Open:13 – 24 January 2025
• Duration:2 weeks (7 – 18 July 2025)
• Location:Online
• Fees:Fully funded (with £100 refundable deposit)
• Times:11:00-13:00 BST, 14:00-16:00 BST

For more information, reach out at:
Email: summerschool@smithschool.ox.ac.uk

Course Director

Dr. Caitlin McElroy
Departmental Research Lecturer, Enterprise and the Environment
Programme Director, Executive Education

The Government of Taraba State took a giant step towards effective climate action and sustainable development by holding a stakeholders validation workshop for its climate policy and action plan yesterday, January 14, 2024, in Jalingo, Taraba State.

The Climate Change Policy and Action Plan which covered all the key sectors using both quantitative and qualitative assessment methods was developed in collaboration with Society for Plant and Prosperity with funding support from the African Climate Foundation (ACF) and the European Climate Foundation (ECF).

This validation workshop marked a significant progress by the state towards improving its climate governance structure and attracting climate finance to implement viable clean projects. The workshop brought together diverse stakeholders, including state and local government officials, community leaders, civil servants, businesses, civil society organizations, academics, private sector representatives and international partners, who praised the report while also offering valuable feedback to ensure an actionable implementation roadmap.

In his welcome address, the State Director for Climate Change, Ahmed Lazarus, commended the technical team for their diligent work in drafting the policy document. He also thanked the State Governor, His Excellency Agbu Kefas and the Commissioner for Environment and Climate Chang, Ms Hon. Aishat Barde, for their support, and provision of an enabling environment for climate action.

Delivering her opening remarks, Hon. Aisha Barde, thanked participants for their contributions, stating that stakeholders’ input cannot be overemphasized. She also appreciated the ACF and SPP for selecting Taraba State as a beneficiary of the fund, and for their effort in ensuring that the policy development process captures the voices and needs of the people of Taraba state.

Citing the recent wildfire in California, she highlighted the impacts of climate change and warned against the dangers of inaction. Hon. Aisha Barde also reiterated the state government’s commitment to addressing climate change challenges.

“This document is not just the document of the state Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, but rather a document of the government of Taraba State as it clearly indicated the different sectors where actions need to be implemented towards reducing greenhouse gas emission in the state, and achieving sustainable growth. This is both a call for awareness and climate action in Taraba State,” she said.

In his keynote address, the Governor of Taraba State, Gov. Agbu Kefas, who was ably represented by the Chairman of the Committee on Environment and Climate Change, Taraba State House of Assembly, Dr. Tafarki Agbadu Eneme, underscored the urgent need for climate action in the state given its vulnerability, describing the validation of the Policy and Action Plan documents as timely. He said the documents have laid the groundwork for coordinate climate action in the state and reaffirmed the commitment of the Taraba State government towards mitigating the impact of climate change.

“We must recognise that climate change is not just an environmental issue, it is a multifaceted challenge that affects our economy, health and the future generation. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to addressing these challenges through a robust and actionable climate change policy that aligns with global standards set fort by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Paris Agreement and other international treaty,” he declared.

Professor Emmanuel Oladipo, leader and representative of the technical team commended Professor Chukwumerije Okereke and Dr Eugene Itua for assembling the team that developed the policy and action plan, and encouraged Taraba State government Ministries, Departments and Agencies to work together to make the success of the policy and action plan document a reality.

In his remark, he highlighted that the United State of America (USA) is already working hard to prevent the reoccurrence of the California fire disaster, a situation he referenced to show that climate change does not discriminate hence adding that Taraba State must take action.

Professor Okereke, President of SPP said he was delighted that Taraba State has taken this important step in producing a document that can enable it to coordinate its climate action in ways that addresses local needs and contribute to national and international climate objectives. He urged the Taraba State Government not to see thee climate policy as an end itself but a means towards mobilizing climate finance and pursing more ambitious climate goals.

After the technical breakout session, participants took the stage to share their recommendations for enhancing the implementation of the policy. These suggestions included aligning the climate change policy with the state’s electricity law, strengthening the state’s capacity to generate renewable energy, and addressing the needs of vulnerable populations, particularly women and children.

Elijah Iklaga, Edwin Orugbo and Ugochukwu Uzuegbu

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