The devastating effects of disasters such as storms, flood and wildfires are felt around the world. The health and life span of individuals the world over; unpredictable weather conditions have dealt a massive blow to the homes and livelihoods of people. No continent on the earth is spared.

The good news however, is that these challenges and the need for self-preservation has engendered advances in tackling these problems. Some of these solutions are not only producing cleaner air, but also creating good jobs, restoring nature and at the same time, unleashing economic growth. Despite the apparent opportunities it brings, countries and jurisdictions are not acting fast enough to get a grip of this crisis.

The Paris Agreement is the international treaty on climate change. It was adopted at COP 21 in Paris on 12th of  December 2015 and entered into force on 4 November 2016. As of October 2021, 192 members of the UNFCCC are parties to the agreement. Its goal is to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.

The Paris Agreement is a landmark in the multilateral climate change process because, for the first time, a binding agreement brings all nations into a common cause to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects. Therefore, according to the President of COP26, the aim of the conference is to complete and implement the Paris Agreement so as to show that the world is able to work together to tackle this crucial challenge. It also aims to increase countries’ ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change, and to foster climate resilience and low greenhouse gas emissions development, while making finance flows consistent with those aims.

At the heart of the Paris Agreement are the ‘Nationally Determined Contributions’ (NDCs). This is the central mechanism to achieve the Paris Agreement objectives and it embodies efforts by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Each country is expected to submit its NDCs and these should include plans to address finance, mitigation, technology transfer and capacity building. The Federal Republic of Nigeria became a treaty to this Agreement on the 22nd of September, 2016 and ratified it on the 16th of May, 2017.

Nigeria, in 2015, submitted an ambitious and transparent NDC. However, as a build up to the COP26, on the 27th of May, 2021, Nigeria submitted an interim report of the updated NDC and thereafter, on the 2nd of July 2021, the updated and final 2021 NDC was submitted.

Some highlights of Nigeria’s 2021 updated NDC are:

Emission Inventory. The NDC of 2015 covered only 3 gases: CO₂, NH₄ and N₂ The updated emission inventory now covers eleven (11) pollutants, including short-lived climate pollutants (black carbon), greenhouse gases (CO₂, NH₄ and N₂O HFCs) and air pollutants (PMs, NO_x, SO₂, NH₃, OC, NMVOCs and CO).

Policy Commitments. The Federal Government of Nigeria has implemented new specific policy commitments and these include:

• elimination of kerosene lighting by 2030
• a greater uptake of bus rapid transit
• 50% reduction in the fraction of crop residues burnt by 2030
• implementation of forest programmes and initiatives to deliver 20% greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions.
• mainstreaming gender across all sectors; and to achieve this, the government recently approved the National Action Plan on Gender and Climate.

Enhancement Programmes. Some significant enhancement programs being undertaken are:

• mitigation in the electricity sector
• assessment of green jobs
• review of the circular economy with waste management
• review of clean cooking solutions
• analysis of nature-based solutions for those sectors with significant adaptation and mitigation co-benefits.

Watch this space for more on the outcomes of the COP26, especially as it affects Nigeria.