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The Senior Adviser to the Governor of Enugu State on Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Professor Chukwumerije Okereke, has announced the launch of an essay competition on climate change in the state.

The competition is part of the Mbah-Climate Education, Innovation and Training Initiative (MBAH-CEITI) aimed at raising climate awareness in the state. The initiative is said to align with the governor’s vision to enhance climate education in Enugu State.

Governor Peter Mbah’s administration is currently in talks with two international donors to secure funding for various climate awareness projects, including the development of a climate policy and action plan for the state. The MBAH-CEITI campaign is one of the several initiatives led by the Senior Adviser’s Office on Climate Change in collaboration with the state government.

The essay competition, titled “What measures can Enugu State take to address climate change while also promoting economic growth, and what role can the youth play in this process?”, commenced on Monday, July 1, 2024, and will end on July 31, 2024.

Speaking on the upcoming essay competition which is open to young adults from Enugu State and those living in the state between the ages of 18 and 35 years, the SA to the Governor on Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Prof Chukwumerije Okereke, said that the competition aims to increase public awareness of, and engagement with climate change in Enugu State and Nigeria more broadly. He stated that the essay competition is one of the campaigns in place by his office for the youths in Enugu State.

Prof. Okereke emphasised that his office has plans to implement additional projects in the state to enhance public awareness of climate change in Enugu State and Nigeria as a whole.

“My office is currently developing more public awareness campaigns, which will encompass the Enugu State climate policy and action plan, the Enugu State tree planting and urban greening campaign, the Enugu clean cooking initiative, and the Enugu youth technical empowerment programme.”

He asserted that these campaigns would not only educate the youth of the state about climate change but also provide them with training opportunities to enhance their capacity for self-sustainability.

“The competition will present a valuable opportunity for young individuals to take the lead and drive climate action in the state by proposing measures that can combat climate change while fostering economic growth. I am confident that we will receive high-quality submissions from the young people of Enugu State.”

Prof Okereke also emphasised the ongoing threat of climate change to human existence and highlighted the crucial role that young people must play in taking climate actions and participating in decision-making processes to safeguard our environment.

He also stated that his office would continue to develop engaging activities and competitions to enhance public awareness and understanding of climate change in Enugu State and Nigeria.

“My office is planning to organise more captivating competitions to raise public awareness and foster engagement with climate change in Enugu State and Nigeria as a whole.”

This first edition of the essay competition will see the winner getting a cash reward of N100,000, the second position N75,000, and the third position will get N50,000.

Youths from Enugu State and those living in Enugu are encouraged to submit their essay by visiting the website at www.enugustatesaclimate.com, and for further details call 07037631055.

The top three essays will be announced during a hybrid event scheduled for August 30, 2024.

By Anieze Elochukwu, PA to the Senior adviser on Climate Change and Sustainable Development

An environment enthusiast and climate change mitigation advocate, Chukwumerije Okereke, has explained why climate governance is important at state level.

Okereke, a professor, is the President and Chairman, Board of Trustee, Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP) Nigeria.

He notesd that climate change impacts are primarily felt at the subnational level in Nigeria. Therefore, effective climate action must be localized.

According to him, though there are comprehensive federal policies, such as the Climate Change Act and the Energy Transition Plan, similar frameworks are lacking at the subnational level. He reasons that, for Nigeria to meet its climate and sustainable development goals, state-level action is crucial.

Climate change, he notes further, has created significant environmental problems in Nigeria, affecting all regions and socio-economic classes. He recalled that the 2024 heat-waves were a stark reminder of its impact which caused considerable stress on commercial farmers and threatened food security.

“The Niger Delta faces persistent oil spills, leading to severe soil and water pollution, while the northern regions struggle with drought and desertification,” he said.

He disclosed that it was in recognition of this that SPP, in collaboration with the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and the Department of Climate Change (DCC), conducted a survey on subnational climate impacts, actions, and policies.

The survey engaged diverse stakeholders, including state climate change desk officers, academics, youths, and climate experts. The resulting report, ‘Climate Impacts, Policies, and Actions at the Subnational Level in Nigeria,’ was launched in Abuja on November 17, 2023.

The report found that eight states, including Nasarawa, Plateau, Yobe, Jigawa, Anambra, Ebonyi, Ondo, and Ogun, allocated budgets for climate projects in 2023.

Additionally, 13 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have developed climate action plans. Lagos, Enugu, and Rivers State have even established dedicated climate change offices, with Rivers State being the only state to pass a Climate Change Bill into law.

“While these developments are promising, it is essential to monitor and evaluate state-level efforts to ensure they achieve their goals,” Okereke said.

“SPP, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment’s Department for Climate Change have worked closely to initiate an annual ranking of climate change governance at the subnational level,” he added.

He hopes that this ranking will assess administrative structures, budget allocations, policies, action plans, and other metrics.

The inaugural ranking will be released on July 25, 2024, in Abuja, recognizing the hard work on the three top states and highlighting areas needing improvement and encouraging better climate action across states.

The Professor observed that for Nigeria to effectively combat climate change and advance sustainable development, state-level initiatives must complement federal policies.

“The upcoming ranking and continued scrutiny of state efforts will drive accountability and enhance climate action, ensuring Nigeria meets its climate goals,” he assured.

The Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP), a civil society organisation (CSO) led by foremost Professor of Environment and Governance, Chukwumerije Okereke, has said that Nigeria can leverage on coordinated climate action at the subnational level to achieve sustainable development.

This assertion was made by Nnaemeka Oruh, Senior Policy Analyst, SPP, during an interview at the Democracy Radio, Abuja, on Tuesday, July 2, 2024.

While clarifying that the impacts of climate change are mostly felt at the State and Local Government levels, Mr. Oruh bemoaned the fact that not so much is being done at the subnational level to address the long-standing climate change issues which range from desertification and land degradation to flooding and erosion in the north, and in the south respectively.

He stated that, in order to fully grasp the extent of climate change impacts and the resultant actions being taken at the subnational level to address them, the Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP) embarked upon a research in close collaboration with the Department of Climate Change (DCC) of the Federal Ministry of Environment, and the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) in 2023 to produce a first-of-its-kind survey of subnational climate impacts entitled “Climate Impacts, Policies, and Actions at the Subnational Level in Nigeria” which was launched in November by the Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, in the company of the Director General of the Nigeria Governors Forum, and other stakeholders.

Mr Oruh said: “To further measure the extent of climate action and governance at the subnational, SPP, in collaboration with the DCC, has just concluded a ranking survey scheduled for launch in Abuja on July 25, 2024.”

According to him, the ranking survey graded all the 36 states’ climate action performances using five criteria: administrative institutions; policy and action plan; budget and finance; implementation, monitoring, and evaluation; and online visibility.

He said the ranking survey, set to be launched, is aimed at gauging the extent of states’ performances in order to identify where gaps exist so that stakeholders can then take action in closing them. He attributed a success story from the mapping exercise done last year as instrumental to the current effort to help Enugu and Taraba states develop comprehensive climate change action plans.

While regretting that climate action is not given the level of importance and urgency it deserves by the government and people of Nigeria, Oruh said that ironically, by advancing climate action, Nigeria can actually address most of her developmental and everyday needs.

Oruh highlighted few recommendations for Nigeria to take climate action and consequently tackle some of her developmental and everyday needs: increase existing level of investments in renewable energy to address the perennial energy crisis in the country; provide clean cooking options for rural women to save them from health implications of unclean cooking; leverage on climate-smart agricultural practices to address food insecurity; provide jobs; and address the insecurity that comes from fighting over scarce arable lands, among others.

“Nigeria’s subnational comprising of 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, together with its 774 Local Government Areas suffer from a disconnect between federal policies and subnational implementation,” he emphasised.

In closing, the Climate Change Policy Analyst said: “SPP believes that there is need for proper coordination between the federal and the subnational with subnational climate actions linking with the global and federal, but also reflecting the unique needs of each component of the subnational. This coordinated action is the only way Nigeria can meet her climate change goals and also leverage on the process to engender sustainable development.”

Climate change has created significant environmental problems in Nigeria, affecting all regions and socioeconomic classes. The 2024 heatwaves are a stark reminder of its impact, causing considerable stress on commercial farmers and threatening food security.

The Niger Delta faces persistent oil spills, leading to severe soil and water pollution, while the northern regions struggle with drought and desertification.

Climate change impacts are primarily felt at the subnational level in Nigeria. Therefore, effective climate action must be localized. Despite the presence of comprehensive federal policies, such as the Climate Change Act and the Energy Transition Plan, there is a glaring absence of similar frameworks at the subnational level. For Nigeria to meet its climate and sustainable development goals, state-level action is crucial.

Recognising this, the Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP), in collaboration with the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and the Department of Climate Change (DCC), conducted a survey on subnational climate impacts, actions, and policies. The survey engaged diverse stakeholders, including state climate change desk officers, academics, youths, and climate experts. The resulting report, “Climate Impacts, Policies, and Actions at the Subnational Level in Nigeria,” was launched in Abuja on November 17, 2023.

The report found that eight states, including Nasarawa, Plateau, Yobe, Jigawa, Anambra, Ebonyi, Ondo, and Ogun, allocated budgets for climate projects in 2023. Additionally, 13 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have developed climate action plans.

Lagos, Enugu, and Rivers State have even established dedicated climate change offices, with Rivers State being the only state to pass a Climate Change Bill into law.

While these developments are promising, it is essential to monitor and evaluate state-level efforts to ensure they achieve their goals. SPP, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment’s Department for Climate Change have worked closely to initiate an annual ranking of climate change governance at the subnational level. This ranking will assess administrative structures, budget allocations, policies, action plans, and other metrics.

The inaugural ranking will be released on July 25, 2024, in Abuja, recognizing the hard work on the three top states and highlighting areas needing improvement and encouraging better climate action across states.

For Nigeria to effectively combat climate change and advance sustainable development, state-level initiatives must complement federal policies. The upcoming ranking and continued scrutiny of state efforts will drive accountability and enhance climate action, ensuring Nigeria meets its climate goals.

Prof Chukwumerije Okereke is President and Chairman, Board of Trustee, Society for Planet and Prosperity, Nigeria

This is contained in a statement signed by Ms Dolapo John of the Department of Climate Change and made available to newsmen on Friday in Lagos.

The statement said that the meeting was officially inaugurated by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Environment, Mr. Mahmud Kambari, who also delivered the keynote speech.

Kambari said that “the onset of climate change presents an unprecedented threat to our planet, with far-reaching consequences for our environment, economies, and societies.”

He said that subnational climate change officers play an important role in translating global climate goals into actual actions and policies that are relevant at the local level.

“Your work on the frontlines of climate action, implementing mitigation and adaptation measures, is essential in building a more sustainable future for our citizens and safeguarding our natural resources for generations to come,” Kambari said.

While noting that previous meetings had taken place, Kambari said that the purpose of the launch was “to re-enact and foster existing synergy of the national and subnational towards aligning and meeting the Ministerial High Impact Deliverables in line with the Presidential Transformative Agenda.”

He also said that the gathering was an opportunity to relaunch the Toolkits for the States’ Climate Action Communication, which the Ministry has produced and will soon be sent to the 36 States and the FCT to improve reporting on national climate action.

He said that the coordinating conference “provides a unique opportunity to foster collaboration, exchange best practices, and forge partnerships that will strengthen our collective impact on climate change mitigation and adaptation.”

“By coming together as a community of dedicated professionals, we can leverage our expertise, share lessons learned, and explore innovative solutions to address the complex challenges posed by climate change in our regions and states”, Kambari said.

The statement quoted Dr. Iniobong Abiola Awe, Director of the Department for Climate Change, as saying that the Coordination Meeting is a critical platform for implementing the outcome of the 17th Session of the National Council on Environment (NCE) Resolution 9Ai.

Awe said that the outcome states “the need for effective communication, collaboration, and synergy between the Federal and States in all environmental issues to enhance performance and better implementation of National Environmental Policies.”

According to him, the platform is expected to serve to bridge the existing communication gap, provide a platform for knowledge-sharing and capacity development, and an enabling effective reporting of climate action.

She added added that the platform seeks to jointly synergize efforts at national and subnational levels to achieve climate commitments.

“egular meetings will allow Desk Officers to share information, best practices, and coordinate efforts to improve climate resilience and link subnational climate action with national climate goals and priorities,” Awe said.

The director said that the discussions will allow state climate officers to find synergies, gaps, and areas of collaboration with other stakeholders such as government, civil society, academia, and the commercial sector.

She further stated that the platform will provide a chance to increase the ability of skill development for state climate desk officials through targeted training workshops and knowledge sharing activities.

She said that the department of climate change has formed a secretariat to manage coordination meetings and guarantee that the vision and objectives were implemented.

The statement said that Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, President of Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP) also made a presentation on the status of the Sub-national Climate Governance Ranking Project, which is being done in collaboration with DCC.

Okereke congratulated the Federal Ministry of Environment and the DCC for the inaugural coordination meeting and expressed belief that the initiative and platform would go a long way in helping to plug the current gap in climate change governance in Nigeria by promoting stronger climate action.

Okereke said that the Climate Governance Performance Ranking of States builds upon the Climate Action Mapping initiative, which was completed last year in conjunction with the DCC and the Nigeria Governors Forum.

According to him, the ranking and rating project is now designed to establish a single comprehensive ranking of climate governance for the 36 states of the Federation.

Okereke said that the ranking considered five factors: climate governance and administrative structure, climate policy and action plan, climate change project implementation, climate finance and budget, and online visibility.

He said he was confident that the climate governance rating initiative will spark health rivalry and a race to the top among state governments.

He said that the mapping initiative completed last year was already having a major positive impact, with a record number of states now working to develop climate policy and action plans.

He noted that the final outcome of the rating and ranking exercise with the accompanying report would be released in a big national event in July, with the first three states getting awards jointly presented by the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Society for Planet and Prosperity.

He urged the state Desk Officers to remain focused in promoting climate action in their respective states.

He pledged the commitment of the Society for Planet and Prosperity in building the capacity of the Desk Officers and organising training programmes for them.