The Director-Basic of the Nigerian Conservation Basis (NCF), Dr. Joseph Onoja, speaks on the result of COP30, the annual UN local weather assembly, which was held in Belém, Brazil, lately. He discuses its implications for Nigeria and Africa. Bennett Oghifo studies
Out of your perspective, what made this yr’s convention important by way of outcomes and world course?
COP30 has all the time been touted because the COP for implementation. After years of negotiations, this was anticipated to be the second the place the world steps as much as precise motion and it lived as much as that expectation. The COP30 Presidency elevated the Montreal Settlement and targeted strongly on charting a transparent course for implementing earlier commitments. One main spotlight was local weather finance: nations agreed to extend and even triple local weather finance by 2030. There are additionally outlined plans for adaptation finance, with a objective of reaching $1.3 billion for growing international locations by 2035 and, importantly, a transparent roadmap to realize this. The situation of COP30, on the fringe of the Amazon forest, additionally introduced nature into the middle of local weather discussions. This was emphasised by means of the launch of the Tropical Forest Without end Facility by the COP Presidency. COP30 moved the world from years of negotiation to the period of implementation.
Key outcomes embody adaptation finance, forests, and nature-based options. Which of those are most consequential for Africa?
It’s troublesome to separate local weather finance, adaptation finance, and nature-based options as a result of they’re deeply intertwined. But when we should prioritize, finance turns into the important thing driver. Africa is already going through important loss and harm by means of flooding, coastal erosion, habitat degradation, and extra. Finance is the car for addressing these points. Operationally, finance is the oxygen, whereas nature-based options are the lungs. Finance is the oxygen of local weather motion, and nature-based options are the lungs.
Africa is likely one of the least emitters but suffers essentially the most penalties. How ought to this form world accountability?
For this reason the worldwide north should step up. There have to be a rise in financing for adaptation. The worldwide north should step up. Africa wants elevated adaptation financing.
One main debate was the shortage of settlement on fossil gas phase-out. How does this form world local weather ambition?
There was in depth debate, and we anticipated a stronger textual content clearly defining fossil gas phase-out. The end result nonetheless relied on language from COP28, so a transparent pathway has not but been outlined. For Nigeria, as a petro-state, this offers us time to craft a home-grown transition that’s simply, equitable, and honest. We should ask how we are able to use fuel as our transition gas and the way far we’ve gone in implementing that dedication. Because the world strikes towards renewable power, we should additionally study the sourcing of the metals that energy it. Many come from biodiverse areas, the place mining might lead to little one labor, exploitation of girls, and different social harms. We should comply with the worth chain to make sure renewable power doesn’t create new issues whereas fixing outdated ones. Nigeria should design a transition that’s simply, equitable, and home-grown.
Africa pushed strongly for adaptation financing and equitable transitions. How effectively had been Africa’s priorities mirrored?
Africa went into COP30 targeted on local weather finance, particularly loss and harm and to a big extent, this was achieved. There may be now a transparent roadmap, alternative cycle, and concrete constructions to extend financing for the continent. What stays is for Africa to unite round bankable initiatives tied to growth points. We additionally want stronger knowledge methods together with distant sensing, satellite tv for pc imagery, and on-the-ground knowledge in addition to robust management and unity of objective. It will place us higher forward of COP32, which is able to happen on African soil. Africa now has a transparent roadmap for local weather finance. Our job is to unite round bankable, data-driven options.
What sensible alternatives can Africa leverage going ahead?
COP30 highlighted nature’s contribution to world local weather motion. Africa should showcase its wealthy pure heritage which is second solely to the Amazon. This is a chance to combine our growth wants with local weather motion. Because the world strikes away from fossil fuels, local weather finance can develop into a significant pathway for Africa’s growth. Aside from the Amazon, Africa holds the world’s subsequent biggest pure heritage. That is our growth benefit.
Information and monitoring methods had been emphasised at each Ramsar COP15 and UNFCCC COP30. What steps ought to Nigeria take to enhance local weather and ecosystem knowledge?
Information helps planning, and expertise now allows distant sensing and satellite tv for pc imagery. We should set up a well-curated, accessible nationwide database. NCF is working with the Federal Ministry of Surroundings, Nationwide Council on Local weather Change (NCCC), GEF, UNDP, and FAO to implement the Capability Constructing Transparency Initiative, which in the beginning, will assist 5 greenhouse-gas-emitting sectors report correct knowledge. It will reveal our emission ranges and inform crucial actions. We additionally plan to leverage NASA’s Earth remark methods to help decision-making. Nigeria wants knowledge to trace deforestation, flooding, desertification, and different ecological adjustments. With dependable knowledge, we are able to negotiate extra successfully and demand help backed by proof.
Nigeria wants a well-curated nationwide database to drive local weather planning and strengthen our voice on the negotiating desk.
Which COP30 selections may have essentially the most quick impression on Nigeria?
The Tropical Forest Without end Facility presents a significant alternative for Nigeria, given our tropical forests. This facility funds long-term forest conservation, and Nigeria can leverage it alongside ongoing habitat restoration efforts. NCF’s Inexperienced Restoration Nigeria programme supplies a robust platform by means of which we are able to mobilize funds and strengthen forest conservation. The Tropical Forest Without end Facility is a significant alternative for Nigeria’s forest conservation agenda.
How can Nigeria strengthen restoration and local weather resilience utilizing COP30 outcomes?
The approval of the Nigerian Carbon Market Coverage by the NCCC is a significant device. COP30 strengthens Nigeria’s place to activate and maximize our carbon market potential. We additionally have to strengthen our NDC 3.0. Though already submitted, it may be improved utilizing classes from COP30. Equally necessary is guaranteeing synergy between Nigeria’s three Rio Conference paperwork. That’s the reason NCF, alongside Pure Eco Capital and with help from Enterprise for Nature, is convening the non-public sector to help implementation of the Nationwide Biodiversity Strategic Motion Plan (NBSAP). Companies have a essential function in local weather motion, biodiversity conservation, and stopping land degradation. This calls for collaboration and shared effort. COP30 strengthens our place to activate a strong carbon marketplace for Nigeria.
Nigeria’s NDCs, biodiversity methods, and local weather insurance policies will want strengthening. How ought to COP30 outcomes form these updates?
We should create synergy among the many three Rio Conventions — UNFCCC, CBD, and UNCCD — in order that they reinforce one another as an alternative of working in silos. With a blended strategy, local weather motion is not going to hurt biodiversity or land.
Nigeria should strengthen its NDCs, NBSAP, and Nationwide Adaptation Plan with concrete, development-centric steps that mirror the outcomes of COP30. A blended strategy to the Rio Conventions ensures local weather motion doesn’t hurt biodiversity or land.”
What’s NCF doing to translate COP30 selections into sensible options?
NCF is positioned between world commitments and native motion. By way of the Inexperienced Restoration Nigeria programme, we take species conservation, habitat restoration, and group growth on to the grassroots. Environmental conservation is human conservation. Individuals have to be on the coronary heart of our work. Throughout Nigeria, our initiatives mirror this dedication. We are going to proceed to help the Federal Ministry of Surroundings, NCCC, and different nationwide focal factors of multilateral agreements as each a technical adviser and an implementer of local weather motion on the bottom. Environmental conservation is human conservation—folks have to be on the coronary heart of local weather motion.
As a long-standing member of Nigeria’s negotiation staff at COP, what are your ideas on the delegation’s efficiency this yr?
I used to be happy to see improved preparation by Nigerian negotiators. Conferences came about earlier than and through COP30, and there was readability on nationwide priorities. There may be nonetheless room for enchancment, however progress is obvious. I hope to see extra younger negotiators outfitted with the information and power to remodel agreements into motion. NCF as a technical and implementing associate, helps fill gaps the place wanted. For instance, I negotiated on the synergies of the Rio Conventions to make sure actions in a single space don’t negatively impression one other. We made substantive progress, although no draft textual content has been finalized because of differing get together positions.
